Bennett Cerf - Dear Donald, Dear Bennett: The War Time Letters of Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer

Copyright 2002 by Phyllis Cerf-Wagner and Lois Klopfer Levy

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

R ANDOM H OUSE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cerf, Bennett, 18981971.
Dear Donald, Dear Bennett: the wartime correspondence of Bennett Cerf and
Donald Klopfer/Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer; introduction by Bob Loomis.1st ed.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-1-58836-135-6
1. Cerf, Bennett, 18981971Correspondence. 2. Klopfer, Donald, 19021986Correspondence. 3. Publishers and publishingUnited StatesCorrespondence. 4. Random House (Firm)History. 5. World War, 19391945Personal narratives, American. I. Klopfer, Donald, 19021986.
II. Title.
Z473.C45 C47 2002
070.5092dc21 2001048382

Random House website address: www.atrandom.com

v3.1

My lucky star is a houseand an imaginary one at that. Rockwell Kent drew it, one day, sitting in my office, and it was adopted forthwith as a trade mark for our publishing firm. We called it Random House because we said we were going to publish anything under the sun that came alongif we liked it well enough. Were trying to make the star burn a little brighter each year.

B ENNETT C ERF

In 1942, Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer had been inseparable partners for fifteen years, ever since they founded Random House in 1927. Neither Bennett, who was forty-three, nor Donald, who was forty, was eligible for the draft. At first glance, if asked which of the two was more likely to take a leave from Random House and volunteer to fight in World War II, anyone would of course have said Bennett.

But it was Donald who enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. Bennett must have been taken aback, even envious I think, when Donald announced he was joining up. It was more than a desire, as far as Donald was concerned, it was a dutyand you had to know him to understand just how morally strong that feeling was.

Donald was the rock of Random House. He had a deep affection and respect for books and the people who made them. He was the sort of person whose simple presence could help you solve your problems. He believed publishers had a special obligation; he once told a writer whose politics he disagreed with that he would publish his book if no one else would. When we gave a dinner for Ayn Rand at the publication of Atlas Shrugged one of her minions announced ahead of time that everyone from Random House was to toast her and that she would then judge each persons loyalty to her. Of course, this minion said, Mr. Klopfer doesnt have to give a toast if he doesnt want to. Hes a gentleman.

Bennett was a perfect complement to Donald, but there were never two people who were so close yet so different. Bennett loved lifeBill Styron called him a life-enhancer at his funeral. He loved publishing, authors, and publicity. Everything about books excited himas these letters so delightfully demonstrate. His eagerness and openness made him a perfect target for practical jokesand this was strangely endearing. Tony Wimpfheimer, who was the managing editor, had once had the first few copies of Bennetts newest joke book bound upside down, and then we waited for Bennett to come screaming down the hall to his office. Another time Lew Miller, our sales manager, dressed up in a fake mustache, goatee, and a suit from central casting and was ushered into Bennetts office by Bob Haas, who introduced him as the French author of a novel we had just published. Bob tried to keep a straight face as he translated gentleman Lews Fractured French. Bennett was bug-eyed when Lew pulled off his mustachebut he laughed as hard as they did. Once one of these jokes backfired. Chris, Bennetts son, sheepishly entered Bennetts office one Monday morning and confessed that he had gotten married over the weekend. He showed his father Polaroid wedding pictures. Bennett was dumbfounded, and then he burst into tears.

The only thing I can think of that Bennett disliked was meetings. If he walked into a room with more than two people he would turn around and leave.

Bennett and Donald saw Random House pretty much as a big family, and they acted accordingly. If someone needed help they were there. They once tried to tell a senior editor that while he could remain as long as he wanted to he might be happier if he found a job elsewhere. The editor said he was under a lot of strain because he wasnt able to buy a house in New Jersey that his wife wanted. Bennett and Donald immediately loaned him the money. The same thing happened to me, though I said nothing at all to them about wanting to buy a co-op that I couldnt afford. Out of the blue they called me into Bennetts office and Donald wrote out a personal check and handed it to me. Id been at Random House only six months. One morning Bennett came to work and found our sterling receptionistDebbie DeBanziecrying. Bennett stopped and asked her what was the matter. She showed him a letter from RCA that congratulated her on her retirement. Sobbing, she said she wasnt able to go back to Scotland yet. Bennett immediately told her that she could sit there as long as she wanted and from then on he would personally pay her salary, and he did.

Donald went to England as an intelligence officer in the 445th Bomb Group, and in his V-mail he modestly related his adventures to Bennett as well as his concern for Random House and even his future there. Bennett in turn wrote fully and faithfullyand with an exuberance unique to himeverything that was happening in the world of books.

As a result we are now the beneficiaries of these wonderful letters. I believe there is nothing quite like them. Not only are they a unique window into publishing, but they portray a perfect partnership. It was almost as though they were born to be together, so perfectly did they fit. The two men had a remarkable affection for one another. Ive never known two men who were so genuinely close and respected each other with such intensity.

Their correspondence flourished, at times almost daily, for two and one half years, a test for any relationship. Many more letters passed between them than are printed here. A few of the letters have been edited where they were repetitious or dealt with personal matters, real estate, insurance, or taxes. Most people who worked at Random House have been identified, but not all of the hundreds of people Bennett and Donald otherwise encountered.

Bob Loomis

We have duplicated Bennetts block paragraph style and use of uppercasing book titles in his typewritten correspondence to Donald exactly per original letters. The letters of Donald to Bennett, on the other hand, were mostly handwritten, and we have retained his indented paragraphs and informal, upper/lowercase style of treating book titles.

WESTERN UNION

BENNETT CERF=
1942 JUN 2 PM 7 41
20 EAST 57 ST NYK=
MY ADDRESS FOR THIRTY DAYS WILL BE AVIATION CADET SECTION SAAAB SANTAANA CALIF GOOD LUCK LOVE=