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20th Century Children's Authors - Gramatky
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20th Century Children's Authors - Hardie Gramatky - Little Toot
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Little Toot
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Year: 1939
Real Name: Hardie Gramatky Pen Name: same
What do you family and friends call you?: Hardie
A. YOUR BACKGROUND
Date of birth: April 12, 1907 Place of birth: Dallas, Texas
Father's occupation: Clerk - died 1918 Number of Brothers: 2 and sisters:
none
Father's nationality: American Mother's nationality: American
Kind of home during childhood (farm, small town, city apt. etc):
city dwelling-house Where: Hollywood and Wilmar, California
Amount of schooling (high school, college, etc.): 2 yrs. Stanford Univ.
Economic status during childhood (poor, middle class, wealthy):
poor-mid.cl.
Special interests as a child (sports, books, games, etc.): cartooning--
sketching and painting out-doors--traveling on my own.
Childhood ambitions: to have my own comic-strip (as writer and artist)
When did you begin to write?: At Stanford
Why?: Primarily for classes in writing--then for campus publications.
Who encouraged you?: My mother and my aunt who helped raise us three boys.
What and when was your first success or recognition: Sold my cartoons to
newspapers as far back as 1923; but no recog. as writer until "Little
Toot".
How did you happen to write for children?: I've worked with children a
great deal and taught classes of them in water-color painting, etc. I loved
it.
Anything else about your background which has a bearing on your writing.:
I guess I was an idea-man from the start whether in pictures or in story,
always seeking new experiences--not restless, just curious. One summer out
of Stanford I got a job in a logging camp in Gray's Harbor, Washington just
for the lark of doing something entirely different. (Mel Sayre on the
Seattle P.I. might give you a slant on this, altho I knew him indirectly.)
I quit a $300 a week job in Hollywood (as animator for Walt Disney) to
start a life anew in New York on our own. Neither my wife nor I knew a soul
in the big city when we arrived. That was in June 1936.
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B. THE WRITING OF THE BOOK
Where did you get the idea for the book?: I had an old loft of a studio in
downtown New York overlooking the East River. The boats on the river
fascinated me; and I made sketches of them classify them as definite
characters. Soon one small tug-boat seemed to be in evidence more than all
the rest.
When? (Season as well as year): June- December, 1937
Were the characters real people, or based on real people?: Based on my
personification of these real boats-freighters, tugs ocean-liners.
Where were you living at the time?: 13 East 9th St. New York City
What was your major occupation?: Hack artist and free-lance illustrator--
I also exhibited and sold watercolors in a gallery on 57th St.
Names (also nicknames) and identities of members of your household
at the time. (if children, give ages.):
My wife Dorthea; nicknamed "Doppy". (No children at the time.)
Did you talk the book over with any of them?: Yes, with my wife.
Did you discuss it with an editor?: Certainly not.
Where and how did you get the material? (library research, travel,
personal experience, etc.): Personal experience and observation.
When did you begin to write the book?: August 1937
Where?: In that loft studio on Hanover Square (just off Wall Street). How
much had you had published when you began it? (Give names of books)
Nothing
What was your purpose in writing this book?: Henry holt Co. had a contest-
(the Julia Elsworth Ford award). My book placed tenth out of 1500 entries.
How do you write? (typewriter, long-hand, dictate): long-hand then type.
Where? (study, office, etc.): Studio.
Do you keep regular office hours?: Yes. If so, what are they?: 9 A.M. to 10
P.M.
with nice days off if I have the time.
Do you revise much?: very much Write easily or laboriously?: Depends on the
day.
Do you let your family or friends read your work, or try it out on
children?: My wife first; then any child that is available, including
our own Linda.
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Who makes your final copies? (yourself, private secretary, public
typist, etc.): myself
Did you make an outline before writing the book?: No
Did you decide on the title first or last?: About middle
How long did it take you to write the book?: two days
Did you work on it steadily?: Revisions took much longer.
Did it go fairly smoothly or did you hit rough spots? (Details of any
particular difficulty and its solution would be appreciated.) No
particular difficulty.
Was your book accepted immediately by a publisher?: Not for a year.
Was it immediately popular on publication?: Very popular.
Anything else about your writing that might be of interest, especially
anything that concerns this book.: When I submitted the book to one
reputable publishing house they said "Children aren't thinking that way
this year."
C. ILLUSTRATIONS
How much did you have to do with the illustrations of your book?:
Did all the illustrations
If you did them yourself, which came first, the pictures or the text?
In this case the pictures did. I was just doing them for fun.
What medium did you work in?: Water-color.
How much experience had you had in illustrating?: no children's books--
cartoons and a few commercial drawings, only. These illustrations
were based primarily upon impressions set down in watercolor of the
actual scene before me.
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D. WHAT SORT OF PERSON YOU ARE
What did you look like when you wrote this book? Dark or Fair?: fair
Tall or short?: medium Thin or plump?: medium
Color of eyes?: hazel Wore glasses?: occasionally
Color of hair?: sandy Kind of hair--long or short?: don't know
Curly or straight?: curly
How did you wear it?: parted on left
Are you quiet or talkative?: quiet Friendly or reserved?: friendly
Do you laugh a great deal or are you usually grave?: not grave
Are you quick-tempered or calm and placid?: don't know
What sort of clothes do you wear most when writing?: (sports, suits
slacks, etc.) old clothes
Favorite occupations and hobbies?: gardening and sketching
What is your normal speech like?: (Meticulously correct, colloquial,
slangy, abrupt, rambling, etc.) short statements
Can you direct me to any articles or books which have been written about
you?:
American Artist Magazine - March 1947
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Hardie Gramatky
Roseville Road
Westport, Comm.
April 21, 1948
Dear Miss Montgomery:
When I look at the date of you last letter I blush with
shame. I am so sorry to have delayed answering you. I just
finished a new book myself call Creeper's jeep and believe
me you have my sympathy. and the lest of luck to you.
I realize it must be very difficult writing about some-
one you have never met. I must say you are game to tackle
Such a proposition; and I think you have done darn well. how-
ever, you have asked for criticism and I believe you are a
person who can take it. So far, your story sound like a
hollow shell--just mere words. I think I can help you both
with notations on you story and with the following:
In the first place, take the point of view. Please don't
make this a sob story, My life has always been a very exciting
one. Money has never been my aim. I loved drawing life as I
felt if existed. That spirit could be captured in many forms
of art. Corny as it sounds--I loved life.
I had six years at Disney's to think of what I wanted to
spend my life doing; and when my contract was up I knew where
I was going. all the fellows at the studio knew too--and they
were all for it. Many men had left the studio before only to
be the one who could leave and not have to return. It was
done more in the spirit of a game. Walt Disney is still one of
my best friends no one has ever worked for a finer or a more
liberal employer. He deserves all success because of his high
ideals. Walt knew that I was going to art school four nights
a week for the six years I worked for him. I was doing good
work, but he realized my interests were elsewhere; and he would
be the last to stand in my way. When I left for New york he
gave me several letters to magazine editors he knew. I had to
use only one of the letters to find our that I would have to
work it out my own way.
The July issue of TRUE magazine is running quite a spread
on my paintings around New York Harbor. They asked me to write
a couple of thousand words to supplement their article. I am
sending you my copy in case it may be of help in your getting
a feel of this locale.
Please forgive me if I cut corners. I am a very direct
person. I sincerely appreciate what you are doing. I know
it will be swell.
Kindest regards,
Hardie Gramatky