Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Ernestine Gilbreth Carey was an American author born in early 20th century New York, known for her contributions to literature and her unique upbringing in a large family. She was the third of twelve children in the Gilbreth family, whose parents, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, were committed to education and ensured all their surviving children attended college. Carey graduated from Smith College with a degree in English and worked for fourteen years in a New York City department store, during which she married Charles E. Carey and had two children.
Carey gained fame through her collaboration with her brother, Frank Gilbreth, Jr., resulting in the beloved book "Cheaper by the Dozen," which humorously depicted their family life and won the French International Humor Award in 1950. The book's success led to a film adaptation in the same year and a modern remake in 2003. They followed this with a sequel, "Belles on Their Toes," which also received a film adaptation. In addition to these popular works, Carey authored several other books, including "Jumping Jupiter," "Giddy Moment," and "Rings Around Us," showcasing her ongoing literary career. Carey's life and works reflect a blend of humor, family dynamics, and the value of education.
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Subject Terms
Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Writer
- Born: April 4, 1908
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: November 4, 2006
- Place of death: Fresno, California
Biography
Born in early twentieth century New York, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey joined what was to become a rather large family—a family that would later be immortalized in a popular and famous novel by that Carey would write with her brother. Carey’s parents, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, had a total of twelve children, of which Ernestine Gilbreth Carey was the third. One of the twelve, Carey’s older sister Mary, died in 1912. Frank Gilbreth died at age fifty-five, long before most of his children had reached adulthood, but he and Lillian Gilbreth were adamant that all their children attend college, and the all eleven of the surviving children did.
Carey received a degree in English from Smith College, and starting in 1930, she spent fourteen years working in New York City department store. During this time, she married Charles E. Carey, and the couple had two children. In the middle of the twentieth century, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and her brother Frank Gilbreth, Jr., collaborated on a project that would garner them the French International Humor Award in 1950. Cheaper by the Dozen recounts the siblings’ childhood and life in the Gilbreth home. After achieving widespread popularity, the book was adapted into a film in 1950, and a modernized remake appeared in 2003.
The brother and sister team followed Cheaper by the Dozen with Belles on Their Toes, which continued the story where Cheaper by the Dozen left off. The sequel found its way to the big screen two years after its predecessor. Carey continued to write, and she published several subsequent books, including Jumping Jupiter, Giddy Moment, and Rings Around Us.