Shirley Gordon (writer) explained

Shirley Gordon
Pseudonym:Shirl Gordon
Birth Date:December 29, 1921
Birth Place:Geneva, Illinois, U.S.
Alma Mater:Pasadena City College
Period:1943–1989
Nationality:American
Genre:radio, television,
children's books
Education:East Aurora High School
Death Place:Glendale, California, U.S.

Shirley Gordon (1921 – 2008) was an American writer of radio programs, television shows, and children's books.

Early life

Gordon was born on December 29, 1921, in Geneva, Illinois, to Russell Gordon, a police officer, and Viola LaVoy Gordon. She graduated from East Aurora High School in Aurora, Illinois in 1938.[1]

Writing career

Early in her career, Gordon wrote for and was assistant editor of Radio Life magazine.[2] She was also a publicist for CBS.[3]

Radio and television shows

During the Golden Age of Radio, Gordon wrote scripts for anthology series Suspense ("The Statement of Mary Blake" in 1950[4] and "Death Parade" in 1951[5]), The Whistler, and Elliott and Cathy Lewis' On Stage.[6] When dramatic radio was revived in the 1970s, Gordon wrote scripts for The Hollywood Radio Theatre and Sears Radio Theatre.[7]

From the 1950s-1970s, Gordon, sometimes credited as "Shirl Gordon", wrote episodes of popular sitcoms, including Bewitched, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and My Three Sons. She wrote 49 episodes of The Bob Cummings Show.[8] [9]

Children's books

Gordon published eight books for children in the 1970s and 1980s. Six are picture books and two are chapter books.

Four of the books were narrated by a girl named Susan about her friend Crystal. All of the Crystal books were illustrated by Edward Frascino.

Personal life

Gordon had one son, David Russell Gordon, whom she adopted. Two of her books, The Boy Who Wanted a Family and Me and the Bad Guys, were based on her son's experiences.

Gordon and several of her friends, including actress Barbra Fuller, met every Saturday for years to take walks around Hollywood; in a 1994 episode of Visiting... with Huell Howser, the "Hollywood walking ladies" reminisce about their experiences in Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s.

Gordon died on February 22, 2008, in Glendale, California.[32]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Speculum. Aurora East High School. 1938. East Aurora, Illinois. 32.
  2. News: Radio Life. November 18, 1945. 4 May 2019. 2.
  3. Shirley Gordon. Something About the Author. 48. 95–96. OCLC.
  4. News: Between the Commercials. 1950-05-04. Berkeley Daily Gazette. 24. NewspaperArchive.
  5. Book: Smith, Ronald L.. Horror Stars on Radio: The Broadcast Histories of 29 Chilling Hollywood Voices. 2010-03-08. McFarland. 978-0-7864-5729-8. en.
  6. Web site: Shirley Gordon. Goldin. J. David. 2019. radiogoldindex.com. 27 April 2019.
  7. Book: Ellett, Ryan. Radio drama and comedy writers, 1928–1962. 978-1476665931. 976239218. October 25, 2017. McFarland .
  8. Web site: Shirley Gordon. IMDb. 11 May 2019.
  9. News: 1986-05-02. 'Whistler' Writer to Speak at School. 2. The Signal. 2020-08-11.
  10. Book: The green hornet lunchbox. Gordon. Shirley. Graham. Margaret Bloy. 1970. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. en. 102290.
  11. Book: The Green Hornet Lunchbox by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  12. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Grandma zoo. 1978. Harper & Row. Darrow, Whitney, 1909–1999.. 006022049X. 1st. New York. 3844217.
  13. Book: Grandma Zoo by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  14. Chatfield. Carol. Gerhardt. Lillian N.. January 1979. Reviews. School Library Journal. 25. 5. 42. EBSCOhost.
  15. Book: Gordon, Shirley. The boy who wanted a family. 1980. Harper & Row. Robinson, Charles, 1931–. 0060220511. 1st. New York. 5499030. registration.
  16. Book: The Boy Who Wanted a Family by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  17. Ritter. Karen. Gerhardt. Lillian N.. April 1980. Reviews. School Library Journal. 26. 8. 93. EBSCOhost.
  18. News: 1980-05-11. For Young Readers. 26. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 2020-08-11.
  19. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Me and the bad guys. 1980. Harper & Row. Frascino, Edward.. 006022116X. 1st. New York. 6249673.
  20. Book: Me and the Bad Guys by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  21. Bearden. Joseph. January 1981. Reviews. School Library Journal. 27. 5. 60. EBSCOhost.
  22. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Crystal is the new girl. 1976. Harper & Row. Frascino, Edward. 0060220244. 1st. New York. 2078042.
  23. Book: Crystal Is the New Girl by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  24. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Crystal is my friend. 1978. Harper & Row. Frascino, Edward. 0060221127. 1st. New York. 3311735.
  25. Book: Crystal Is My Friend by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  26. Klingberg. Delores R.. Gerhardt. Lillian N.. March 1978. Reviews. School Library Journal. 24. 118. EBSCOhost.
  27. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Happy birthday, Crystal. 1981. Harper & Row. Frascino, Edward.. 0060220066. 1st. New York. 7275835.
  28. Book: Happy Birthday, Crystal by Shirley Gordon Kirkus Reviews.
  29. Stebbins. Pamela Warren. February 1982. Happy Birthday, Crystal. School Library Journal. 28. 6. 67. EBSCOhost.
  30. Book: Gordon, Shirley. Crystal's Christmas carol. 1989. Harper & Row. Frascino, Edward. 0060221275. 1st. New York. 17297398.
  31. Hepler. Susan. October 1989. Crystal's Christmas Carol (Book).. School Library Journal. 35. 14. 41. EBSCOhost.
  32. Web site: Library of Congress LCCN Permalink n79095489. lccn.loc.gov. 19 April 2019.

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