Philip Van Doren Stern was an American editor and author best known for his short story The Greatest Gift (1943). Later it was adapted into the classic Christmas It's a Wonderful Life (1946) starring James Stewart.
Stern was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, and grew up in New Jersey. He attended Rutgers University and earned a degree in English.
After graduating from Rutgers in 1924, Stern worked in advertising before switching to a career as a designer and editor in publishing.
He worked as an editor at various publishing houses in New York City, where he worked on literary and historical works.
Philip Van Doren Stern also wrote several books, including biographies of Benjamin Franklin and John Paul Jones, novels, and short stories.
His most famous work is The Greatest Gift. The story is about a man named George Pratt who, in deep despair on Christmas Eve, is visited by an angel who shows him what life would have been like if he had never been born.
Inspired by a dream that recalled the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, Stern began it in 1939 and finished it in 1943 but could not find a publisher for it. He self-published the tale as a Christmas card and sent it to his friends and family.
The story was published as a book in December 1944, with illustrations by Rafaello Busoni. An Italian-born American film director Frank Capra adapted the tale into It's a Wonderful Life in 1946.
He was a historian and author of some 40 works and was best known for his books on the Civil War.
During World War II, Philip Van Doren Stern played an important role in the United States Office of War Information. He served as the general manager of the Armed Services Editions, which resized books to fit in the pockets of military uniforms.
In addition to his wartime work, Stern compiled and edited numerous collections and anthologies of short stories, pictorial books, annotations, and books on historical subjects.
One of his most notable works was The Viking Portable Poe, which he edited, compiled, and introduced in 1945. This compact collection of letters, short stories, poems, and essays by Edgar Allan Poe included Stern's biographical introduction and introductory essays on the varying genres.
The anthology became the classic single-volume book of Poe's works for nearly fifty years.
Stern died at the age of 83 in Sarasota, Florida.
Stern was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, and grew up in New Jersey. He attended Rutgers University and earned a degree in English.
After graduating from Rutgers in 1924, Stern worked in advertising before switching to a career as a designer and editor in publishing.
He worked as an editor at various publishing houses in New York City, where he worked on literary and historical works.
Philip Van Doren Stern also wrote several books, including biographies of Benjamin Franklin and John Paul Jones, novels, and short stories.
His most famous work is The Greatest Gift. The story is about a man named George Pratt who, in deep despair on Christmas Eve, is visited by an angel who shows him what life would have been like if he had never been born.
Inspired by a dream that recalled the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, Stern began it in 1939 and finished it in 1943 but could not find a publisher for it. He self-published the tale as a Christmas card and sent it to his friends and family.
The story was published as a book in December 1944, with illustrations by Rafaello Busoni. An Italian-born American film director Frank Capra adapted the tale into It's a Wonderful Life in 1946.
He was a historian and author of some 40 works and was best known for his books on the Civil War.
During World War II, Philip Van Doren Stern played an important role in the United States Office of War Information. He served as the general manager of the Armed Services Editions, which resized books to fit in the pockets of military uniforms.
In addition to his wartime work, Stern compiled and edited numerous collections and anthologies of short stories, pictorial books, annotations, and books on historical subjects.
One of his most notable works was The Viking Portable Poe, which he edited, compiled, and introduced in 1945. This compact collection of letters, short stories, poems, and essays by Edgar Allan Poe included Stern's biographical introduction and introductory essays on the varying genres.
The anthology became the classic single-volume book of Poe's works for nearly fifty years.
Stern died at the age of 83 in Sarasota, Florida.
years of life: 10 September 1900 – 31 July 1984
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