Robert Montgomery Bird (February 5, 1806 â€" January 23, 1854) was an
American novelist, playwright, and physician.Bird was born in New
Castle, Delaware on February 5, 1806. He was born into a pioneer
family. His father was a prosperous partner in the firm of Bird and
Riddle, Navy agents. Following the death of his father when Bird was
four years old, his mother and brothers moved to Philadelphia, but he
was taken in by a rich uncle, Nicholas Van Dyke, in New Castle. Bird
then attended New Castle Academy, where he was encouraged to develop
his musical skills. He later wrote that his school years were not
pleasant. After attending the New Castle Academy and Germantown
Academy, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1824.Bird
started to write commentary on Latin, American, and English
literature, particularly the Elizabethan playwrights. He then started
to write short poems and fiction during his time in medical school. He
had little passion for medicine. By 1827, he had published items in
the Philadelphia Monthly Magazine along with two comedies, 'Twas All
for the Best and News of the Night. After graduating from medical
school, he attempted to begin a medical practice, but became
discouraged after one year and left medicine to pursue a literary
career.In a small notebook labeled "Useful Works- if well prepared,"
Bird set his goal to write nine biographies, thirty volumes of
miscellaneous studies, three volumes of tales, some select novels of
Boccaccio, the Arabian nights, eleven tragedies, twelve comedies,
thirty three melodramas, and twenty-five novels. He did not approach
his career casually. When he learned of Forrest's contest, he entered.
And, in 1828, Bird's play Pelopidas won a $1000 prize offered by the
actor Edwin Forrest, but was never produced because Forrest found the
play unsuitable to highlight his strengths as a performer. With
Forrest's guidance, Bird wrote another play, The Gladiator, which was
produced in 1831. It was perfect to showcase Forrest's muscular acting
style. It also went really well in the theatre. It was the first play
to be performed so often in the author's lifetime. This launched Bird
as a playwright. Bird and Forrest quickly became friends. Bird wrote
several other plays for Forrest, some of them being "Oralloossa, Son
of the Incas" and "The Broker of Bogota." Forrest had promised to pay
Bird more for these plays if they proved successful. Though they were,
Forrest refused to give Bird additional money. He did not want to
share in his success (which must have been at least a hundred thousand
dollars on "Gladiator" alone).Bird's frustration with Forrest pushed
him into writing novels. These include Calavar (1834), The Infidel
(1835), The Hawks of Hawk-Hollow (1835), Sheppard Lee (1836), Nick of
the Woods (1837) (his most successful novel), and The Adventures of
Robin Day (1839). Calavar and The Infidel are notable for their
graphic and accurate details and descriptions of Mexican history. His
final novel was "A Belated Revenge", and it was finished by his son,
Frederick M. Bird (1889).
American novelist, playwright, and physician.Bird was born in New
Castle, Delaware on February 5, 1806. He was born into a pioneer
family. His father was a prosperous partner in the firm of Bird and
Riddle, Navy agents. Following the death of his father when Bird was
four years old, his mother and brothers moved to Philadelphia, but he
was taken in by a rich uncle, Nicholas Van Dyke, in New Castle. Bird
then attended New Castle Academy, where he was encouraged to develop
his musical skills. He later wrote that his school years were not
pleasant. After attending the New Castle Academy and Germantown
Academy, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1824.Bird
started to write commentary on Latin, American, and English
literature, particularly the Elizabethan playwrights. He then started
to write short poems and fiction during his time in medical school. He
had little passion for medicine. By 1827, he had published items in
the Philadelphia Monthly Magazine along with two comedies, 'Twas All
for the Best and News of the Night. After graduating from medical
school, he attempted to begin a medical practice, but became
discouraged after one year and left medicine to pursue a literary
career.In a small notebook labeled "Useful Works- if well prepared,"
Bird set his goal to write nine biographies, thirty volumes of
miscellaneous studies, three volumes of tales, some select novels of
Boccaccio, the Arabian nights, eleven tragedies, twelve comedies,
thirty three melodramas, and twenty-five novels. He did not approach
his career casually. When he learned of Forrest's contest, he entered.
And, in 1828, Bird's play Pelopidas won a $1000 prize offered by the
actor Edwin Forrest, but was never produced because Forrest found the
play unsuitable to highlight his strengths as a performer. With
Forrest's guidance, Bird wrote another play, The Gladiator, which was
produced in 1831. It was perfect to showcase Forrest's muscular acting
style. It also went really well in the theatre. It was the first play
to be performed so often in the author's lifetime. This launched Bird
as a playwright. Bird and Forrest quickly became friends. Bird wrote
several other plays for Forrest, some of them being "Oralloossa, Son
of the Incas" and "The Broker of Bogota." Forrest had promised to pay
Bird more for these plays if they proved successful. Though they were,
Forrest refused to give Bird additional money. He did not want to
share in his success (which must have been at least a hundred thousand
dollars on "Gladiator" alone).Bird's frustration with Forrest pushed
him into writing novels. These include Calavar (1834), The Infidel
(1835), The Hawks of Hawk-Hollow (1835), Sheppard Lee (1836), Nick of
the Woods (1837) (his most successful novel), and The Adventures of
Robin Day (1839). Calavar and The Infidel are notable for their
graphic and accurate details and descriptions of Mexican history. His
final novel was "A Belated Revenge", and it was finished by his son,
Frederick M. Bird (1889).
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