Shulman, Irving

Irving Shulman was a novelist, screenwriter and biographer of Rudolph Valentino, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Jean Harlow. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania on May 21, 1913. Shulman received his BA from Ohio University in 1937, his MA from Columbia in 1938, and his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1972. During World War II he worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C. He married Joan Grager in 1938, and they had two daughters.The Dukes of Amboy, his first novel (and biggest literary success), mined the neighborhoods in which Shulman had grown up and was published in 1947. Shulman moved to Los Angeles in the late 1940s, where he worked as a contract screenwriter and continued to write novels. As a screenwriter, he is best known as the author of the screenplay for the 1955 movie Rebels Without a Cause. Shulman later adapted the movie's plot for his novel Children of the Dark. In the 1960s, Shulman wrote biographies of Jean Harlow (1964), Rudolph Valentino (1967), and Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis (1970). Shulman passed away on March 23, 1995.

From the description of Irving Shulman papers, 1931-1970. (San Leandro Community Library). WorldCat record id: 700509576

Biographical Note

Irving Shulman was a novelist, screenwriter and biographer of Rudolph Valentino, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Jean Harlow. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania on May 21, 1913. Shulman received his BA from Ohio University in 1937, his MA from Columbia in 1938, and his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1972. During World War II he worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C. He married Joan Grager in 1938, and they had two daughters.

The Dukes of Amboy, his first novel (and biggest literary success), mined the neighborhoods in which Shulman had grown up and was published in 1947. Shulman moved to Los Angeles in the late 1940s, where he worked as a contract screenwriter and continued to write novels. As a screenwriter, he is best known as the author of the screenplay for the 1955 movie Rebels Without a Cause . Shulman later adapted the movie's plot for his novel Children of the Dark . In the 1960s, Shulman wrote biographies of Jean Harlow (1964), Rudolph Valentino (1967), and Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis (1970). Shulman passed away on March 23, 1995.

From the guide to the Irving Shulman papers, 1931-1970, (USC Libraries Special Collections)

Irving Shulman (IS) was an American author and screenwriter whose works were adapted into movies. His books included The Amboy Dukes, Cry Tough and The Square Trap, all of which were adapted into movies. He wrote the screen adaptation of the James Dean movie Rebel Without a Cause, and the novelization for the film West Side Story .

IS was born on May 21, 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his bachelor's degree, majoring in English, German, Philosophy, and Education at Ohio University (1933-1937) and his master's at Columbia University (1937-1938). He also studied at New York University (1938-1941) and George Washington University (1941-1943). At the age of 59 (1972), IS received his doctorate at UCLA. He was employed by the United States government as a statistician and information specialist with War Department, occupational analyst with Foreign Economic Administration, and administrative assistant with Department of State. He was also an instructor at George Washington University (1943-1947), UCLA (1961-1964), and California State University, Los Angeles (1964-1965).

IS's firsthand knowledge of his native borough launched his literary career. His first and most popular novel, The Amboy Dukes (1947), about juvenile street gangs in a Brooklyn slum, sold five million copies in the 1940s and 50s, establishing the reputation of the novelist. Hired as a contract writer by Warner Brothers, he adapted a few of his books for film: The Amboy Dukes became the film "City Across the River" (1949), The Square Trap (1953) became "The Ring" (1952), and Children of the Dark (1955) became "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955).

His credits include more than fifteen published novels, six screenplays, and three biographies: Harlow: An Intimate Biography in 1964, Valentino in 1967, and Jackie: The Exploitation of a First Lady in 1970. He was one of the first novelists to convert screenplays into novels, authoring West Side Story . He was also a contributor of many short stories to popular magazines.

Besides a novelist and screenwriter, IS was a member of the Writers' Guild of America (West), Modern Language Association of America, American Association of University Professors, Phi Epsilon Pi, Zeta Beta Tau, and Alumni Association of Southern California (president, 1959-1965).

From the guide to the Irving Shulman papers, 1947-1990, (Ohio University)