King, Alexander, 1900-1965

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Author, illustrator, and storyteller; b. Alexander Koenig (or Konig) in Vienna, Austria; immigrated to New York, N.Y., ca. 1913.

From the description of Papers, 1953-1987 (bulk 1958-1965). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 28424340

Author, illustrator, and storyteller. Born Alexander Koenig (or Konig), Vienna, Austria; immigrated to New York, N.Y., ca. 1913.

From the description of Papers of Alexander King, 1953-1987 (bulk 1958-1965). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71072036

Biographical Note

  • 1900: Born Alexander Koenig (or Konig), Vienna, Austria
  • circa 1913: Immigrated with parents to New York, N.Y.
  • 1917: Illustrator, New York Sunday World magazine section Married Nettie [?] (divorced 19[?])
  • 1928: Illustrated:C. J. Bulliet's Venus Castina: Impersonators, Celestial and Human. New York: Covici, FriedeJoseph Moncure March's The Set Up. New York: Covici, FriedeEugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones. New York: Boni & LiverightFrançois Villon's The Complete Works of François Villon. New York: Covici, Friede Published:The Gospel of the Goat, 30 lithographs. n.p.An Interpretation, a Credo and Ten Drawings. n.p.
  • 1929: Illustrated:Claude Farrère's Black Opium. New York: N. L. BrownEugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape. New York: Horace LiverightFrançois Rabelais's All the Extant Works of François Rabelais. New York: Covici, FriedeWilliam B. Seabrook's The Magic Island. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co.Tobias George Smollett's The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle. New York: John Day Co.Jonathan Swift's The Travels of Lemuel Gulliver. New York: Limited Editions Club
  • 1930: Illustrated:Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô; a Story of Ancient Carthage. New York: Modern LibraryAnatole France's At the Sign of the Queen Pédanque. New York: Illustrated Editions Co.Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie. New York: Horace LiverightOvid's The Love Books of Ovid. Paterson, N.J.: Alexander Hamilton PressHickman Powell's The Last Paradise. New York: Cape and Smith
  • 1931: Illustrated:Giovanni Boccaccio's Most Pleasant and Delectable Questions of Love. New York: Illustrated Editions Co.Daniel Defoe's The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders. New York: Hogarth PressHendrik De Leeuw's Crossroads of the Java Sea. New York: J. Cape & H. SmithHenry Fielding's Tom Jones--The History of a Foundling. New York: Limited Editions ClubCharles Fort's Lo. n.p. Art consultant, Linweave Paper Association's limited edition broadside collection (King did most of the illustrations under various pseudonyms).
  • 1932: Illustrated:Petronius Arbiter's The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter in the Translation Attributed to Oscar Wilde. New York: Hogarth PressCharles Dickens's The Bloomsbury Christening. West Springfield, Mass.: J. H. Bordeaux Co.
  • 1932 - 1933 : Editor-in-chief, Americana magazine
  • 1933: Illustrated Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. 3 vols. New York: Limited Editions Club
  • circa 1933 - 1936 : Married Annis Grover (divorced 19[?]) Assistant to Frank Crowninshield, Vanity Fair magazine
  • 1934: Published Peace is Hell, 10 lithographs. n.p.
  • 1937 - 1940 : Associate editor, Life magazine
  • 1938: Investigated for Life magazine the massacre of Haitians by Dominican army
  • 1939: Collaborated with Clare Boothe Luce on her play Margin For Error: A Satirical Melodrama. New York: Random House
  • 1940 - 1941 : Managing editor, Stage magazine
  • 1941: Collaborated with Chester Erskin on the play Portrait of a Lady
  • circa 1942: Married Marjorie Belle, later known as Marge Champion (divorced 19[?])
  • 1945: Became addicted to morphine while being treated for a kidney ailment
  • 1951: Arrested on drug charges and sentenced to the federal narcotics hospital in Lexington, Ky.
  • 1953: Married Margie Lou Swett, singer and actress
  • 1954: Arrested and returned to Lexington, Ky., for violation of probation and drug abuse treatment
  • 1957: Exhibited thirteen paintings at the Chase Gallery, New York, N.Y.
  • 1958: Published Mine Enemy Grows Older. New York: Simon and Schuster Published Alex in Wonderland; Six Paintings with Commentary. New York: Shorewood Press Recorded phonograph album "Alexander King Reads from His Bestseller and Other Stories"
  • 1959, Jan. 2: First guest appearance on Jack Paar's television show
  • 1959: Featured with his wife, Margie, in his own television show "Alex in Wonderland" (New York City's Channel 13)
  • 1960: Translated and illustrated Alexander King Presents Peter Altenberg's Evocations of Love. New York: Simon and Schuster Published May This House Be Safe from Tigers. New York: Simon and Schuster Recorded two phonograph albums: "Love and Hisses" and "Comedy Concert" (excerpts from "Love and Hisses")
  • 1961: Published I Should Have Kissed Her More. New York: Simon and Schuster
  • 1962: Published The Great Ker-plunk. New York: Simon and Schuster (a children's story illustrated by his son, Robin; first published as a short story in 1961 by McCall's magazine)
  • 1963: Published Is There a Life After Birth? New York: Simon and Schuster
  • 1964: Published Rosa Krawatten: Das Seltsome und Abenteuerliche Leben des Alexander. Wien: P. Zsolnay (German translation of exerpts from Mine Enemy Grows Older)
  • 1965: Published Rich Man, Poor Man, Freud and Fruit--Advice to Amorous Ladies. New York: Simon and Schuster Published posthumously Memoirs of a Certain Mouse. New York: McGraw-Hill
  • 1965, Nov. 16: Died, New York, N.Y.

From the guide to the Alexander King Papers, 1953-1987, (bulk 1953-1987), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Samuel and Bella Spewack Papers, ca.1920-1980 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Spewack, Samuel and Bella. Papers, ca.1920-1980. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Hopwood Awards Collection, 1930- University of Michigan
referencedIn George Grosz papers, 1893-1981 (inclusive) 1919-1959 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf King, Alexander, 1900-1965. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
creatorOf Alexander King Papers, 1953-1987, (bulk 1953-1987) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf King, Alexander, 1900-1965. Papers, 1953-1987 (bulk 1958-1965). Library of Congress
creatorOf King, Alexander, 1900-1965. Correspondence file, 1928-1930, from Boni & Liveright and Horace Liveright, Inc. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Balanchine, George person
associatedWith Caldwell, Taylor, 1900-1985. person
associatedWith Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962. person
associatedWith Dinesen, Isak, 1885-1962. person
associatedWith Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-1983. person
correspondedWith Grosz, George, 1893-1959 person
associatedWith Harnly, Perkins, 1901- person
associatedWith Harnly, Perkins, 1901-1986. person
associatedWith Hart, Moss, 1904-1961. person
associatedWith Horne, Lena. person
associatedWith Horne, Lena. person
associatedWith King, Margie Lou Swett. person
associatedWith Matthau, Walter. person
associatedWith Miller, Henry, 1891-1980. person
associatedWith Moore, Marianne, 1887-1972. person
associatedWith Paar, Jack. person
associatedWith Perelman, S. J. (Sidney Joseph), 1904-1979. person
associatedWith Rose, Billy, 1899-1966. person
associatedWith Spewack, Samuel, 1899-1971 person
associatedWith Spewack, Samuel and Bella. person
associatedWith Vanderbilt, Gloria, 1924- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (N.Y.)
Connecticut
New York (N.Y.)
United States
United States
New York (N.Y.)
New York (State)--New York
Subject
American literature
American literature
Authors, American
Artists
Authors
Discrimination in housing
Discrimination in housing
Entertainers
Entertainers
Hemodialysis facilities
Hemodialysis facilities
Jews
Jews
Television personalities
Television personalities
Occupation
Authors, American
Authors
Illustrator
Illustrators
Storytellers
Storytellers
Activity

Person

Birth 1900

Death 1965

Information

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