Origins & Early Life

Bennett Alfred Cerf (born Benoît Cerf; May 25, 1898 – August 27, 1971) was an American writer, publisher, and co-founder of the American publishing firm Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearances lecturing across the United States, and for his weekly television appearances for 16 years on the panel game show What's My Line? Cerf was born on May 25, 1898, on 134 East 80th Street in Manhattan, New York City, to a Jewish family of Alsatian and German ethnicity. Cerf's father Gustave Cerf was a lithographer; his mother, Frederika Wise, was heiress to a tobacco-distribution fortune.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She died when Bennett was 16; shortly afterward, her brother Herbert moved into the Cerf household and became a strong literary and social influence on the teenager. Cerf graduated from Townsend Harris Hall Prep School in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in 1916, the same public school as publisher Richard Simon, author Herman Wouk, and playwright Howard Dietz. He spent his teenage years at 790 Riverside Drive, an apartment building in Washington Heights, which was home to two of his friends who became...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alvar Aalto — Contemporary (Born in 1898) (1898): Pioneering Finnish architect whose total art approach defined modern Nordic design.
• Aubrey Beardsley — Contemporary (Died in 1898) (1898): Pioneering English illustrator known for decadent, erotic black ink drawings.
• Bertolt Brecht — Contemporary (Born in 1898) (1898): Pioneering German playwright and poet, master of epic theatre techniques.
• Adriano Giannini — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Italian actor known for dubbing and roles in film and television.
• Alison Krauss — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Esteemed American bluegrass singer and musician known for her vibrant career.
• Benny Boom — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): American director known for music videos and the film All Eyez on Me.
• Bede — Shared historical date (05-25 · Died) (735): Pioneering scholar and author, credited as the Father of English History.
• Berniece Baker Miracle — Shared historical date (05-25 · Died) (2014): American writer celebrated for her memoir on Marilyn Monroe.
• Baal Shem Tov — Shared historical date (08-27 · Born) (1698): Founder of Hasidic Judaism, a Jewish mystic from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
• Breanna Stewart — Shared historical date (08-27 · Born) (1994): Elite American WNBA star, co-founder of Unrivaled, and multiple MVP winner.
• 1898 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1898
• May 25 (05-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 25
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• August 27 (08-27) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 27