Humorist Robert Benchley (1889–1945) produced over 600 essays,[1] initially compiled in over twelve volumes, during his writing career.[2] He was also featured in a number of films, including 48 short treatments that he mostly wrote or co-wrote, and numerous feature films.[3]
The following is a list of those compilations and appearances.
Books
Benchley produced twelve compilation books of his work for the various publications he wrote and freelanced for, and numerous posthumous compilations of his work have been produced since his death. Unless otherwise indicated, all volumes featuring illustrations were drawn by Gluyas Williams.[4]
Inside Benchley - Harper and Brothers, 1942. 316p. - 50 previously published essays.[4]
Benchley Beside Himself - Harper and Brothers, 1943. 304p. - 47 previously published essays. Williams illustrations and still photos from Benchley's short films.[4]
Book Prefaces, Introductions, and Forewords
Ellison Hoover Cartoons From Life - Simon & Schuster, 1925.
Justin Stafford Lucien Esty Ask Me Another! The Question Book - Viking Press, 1927.
Gluyas WilliamsThe Gluyas Williams Book - Doubleday, Doran, 1929.
Peter ArnoPeter Arno's Hullabaloo - Horace Liveright, 1930.
The Fourth New Yorker Album - Doubleday, Doran, 1931.
Morton ThompsonJoe, The Wounded Tennis Player - Doubleday, Doran, 1945.
Posthumous
Benchley--Or Else - Harper and Brothers, 1947. 273p - 71 essays, six of which were originally published in The New Yorker.[4]
Chips off the Old Benchley - Harper and Brothers, 1949. 360p. - Collection of 77 essays compiled by Gertrude Benchley, Robert's wife. Many of the illustrations were previously unpublished in book form.[4]
The "Reel" Benchley - A. A. Wyn, Inc., 1950. 96p - No Williams illustrations, instead consisting of stills and scripts from many of Benchley's short films.[4]
The Benchley Roundup - Harper and Brothers, 1954. 288p- A collection of essays, written between 1915 and 1945, edited by Nathaniel Benchley
Benchley Lost and Found: Thirty-Nine Prodigal Pieces - Dover Publications, 1970. 183p.
The Benchley Omnibus - University of Chicago Press, 1983. 353p - Edited by Nathaniel Benchley.
The Best of Robert Benchley - Avenel Books, 1983. 353p.
Benchley at the Theatre: Dramatic Criticism, 1920-1940 by Robert Benchley - Ipswich Press, 1985. - Edited by Charles Getchell, the volume contains 84 of Benchley's theatrical reviews written for Life and The New Yorker over his career.[4]
Robert Benchley's Wayward Press: The Complete Collection of his The New Yorker Columns written as Guy Fawkes (S.L. Harrison, ed.) - Wolf Den Books, 2008. 341p - Collection of all Wayward Press columns, with a Prologue by Nat Benchley.
The Athletic Benchley-105 Exercises from The Detroit Athletic Club News - Glendower Media, 2010. ISBN978-0914303022
The Romance of Digestion (1937, MGM) as Joe Doakes
How to Start the Day (1937, MGM) as Lecturer
A Night at the Movies (1937, MGM - Written and acted by Benchley, this short was his most well-received since How to Sleep. About a man going to the movies,[6] the short was nominated for an Academy Award) as Husband[7]
How to Figure Income Tax (1938, MGM) as Joe Doakes
Music Made Simple (1938, MGM) as Robert Benchley
An Evening Alone (1938, MGM) as Doakes
How to Raise a Baby (1938, MGM) as Lecturer Father
The Courtship of the Newt (1938, MGM) as Zoology professor
How to Read (1938, MGM) as Lecturer
How to Watch Football (1938, MGM) as Football Fan
Opening Day (1938, MGM) as City Treasurer Benchley
Mental Poise (1938, MGM) as Psychoanalyst / Mr. Ostegraf
Hired Wife (1940, Universal - Starring Benchley) as Roger Van Horn
The Reluctant Dragon (1941) - Walt Disney/RKO - Benchley played himself in the live action portions of this feature, giving a tour of the then-new Walt Disney Studios facility. Benchley was unhappy with the final product, as the writers relied too much (in his opinion) on pratfalls and visual gags)[8] as himself
Nice Girl? (1941, A dramatic film, and a straight role for Benchley, often considered his finest straight performance)[8] as Oliver Wendall Holmes Dana