Corey Ford
Corey Ford was an American writer and humorist born in the early 1900s in New York City. He graduated from Columbia University in 1923, where he contributed to the school's humor magazine. Following his graduation, Ford established himself as a freelance magazine writer and became associated with Hollywood as a writer for RKO studios in 1934. His service in World War II as part of the U.S. Army Air Force’s Office of Strategic Services influenced his later writing, which shifted towards more serious themes, particularly regarding American espionage. Ford is celebrated for his satirical works, including "The John Riddell Murder Case," a parody published in 1930, and "Salt Water Taffy." After the war, he wrote military histories such as "Short Cut to Tokyo" and "War Below Zero," while also maintaining a humorous column in Field and Stream. In the 1950s, he focused on short humorous books, with his final publication, "A Peculiar Service," released in 1965. Ford's ability to blend humor with serious subject matter made him a distinctive voice of his time.
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Subject Terms
Corey Ford
Writer
- Born: April 29, 1902
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: July 27, 1969
Biography
Cory Ford was born in the early 1900’s in New York City. He attended Columbia University. While at Columbia, he served on the staff of its humor magazine. After graduating from Columbia in 1923, Ford became a freelance magazine writer. In 1934, he worked as a writer for RKO studios in Hollywood, California. During World War II, Ford served with the U.S. Army Air Force in the Office of Strategic Sources. After the war, Ford became an associate editor of Field and Stream magazine.
Outside of his career as a magazine editor, Ford was a well-known humorist who authored over thirty books and many articles in publications such as Life and Vanity Fair. In the 1920’s, Ford was associated with the Algonquin Round Table, a loose-knit society of satirists. After World War II, Ford’s writing took on a more serious tone as he wrote about American espionage.
Ford’s most enduring satirical work is The John Riddell Murder Case: A Philo Vance Parody, published in 1930, which spoofed the work of a popular mystery writer of the era. Another notable satire of Ford’s was Salt Water Taffy. The first of his more serious works was 1943’s Short Cut to Tokyo: The Battle for the Aleutians, which studied the military history and significance of the Alaskan island chain. His next book, published the following year, was another in-depth military study, War Below Zero: The Battle for Greenland. However, Ford didn’t abandon satire entirely, and he maintained a humorous column in Field and Stream magazine. He later published a collection of these columns called You Can Always Tell a Fisherman: The Minutes of the Lower Forty Shooting, Angling, and Inside Straight Club. In the 1950’s, Ford mainly published short humorous books, such as Has Anybody Seen Me Lately? and How to Guess Your Age. Ford published his last book, A Peculiar Service, in 1965.