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A photo of Theodor Seuss Geisel

Theodor Seuss Geisel 1904 - 1991

Theodor Seuss Geisel of La Jolla, San Diego County, California United States was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Hampden County, MA to Theodor Robert Geisel and Henrietta Augusta Geisel. Theodor Geisel had siblings Margaretha Christine Dahmen and Henrietta Katherine Geisel. He married Helen Marion Geisel on November 29, 1927 in Springfield, Hampden County, MA, and they were married until Helen's death on October 23, 1967 in Fresno, Fresno County, CA. He also married Audrey Grace Florine Geisel on August 6, 1968 in San Diego, San Diego County, and they were married until Theodor's death on September 24, 1991 in La Jolla.

Theodor Seuss Geisel
Dr. Seuss, Ted
Name
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La Jolla, San Diego County, California United States
Last residence
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March 2, 1904
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
Birth
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September 24, 1991
La Jolla, San Diego County, California, United States
Death
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Theodor Seuss Geisel Theodor Geisel (1904 - 1991)
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Theodor Seuss Geisel's History: 1904 - 1991

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  • Introduction

    The son of Henrietta (Seuss) and Theodor Robert Geisel, "Dr. Seuss" was famed for his children's books. His father ran the family brewery until Prohibition and then was appointed to supervise Springfield Massachusetts' public park system. He had one sister, Maxine. They were of German descent and experienced anti-German prejudice from other children following the outbreak of World War I in 1914. His future wife, Helen Palmer Geisel, encouraged him to pursue a career in drawing and his first nationally published cartoon appeared in the July 16, 1927, issue of The Saturday Evening Post. After this success, he moved to New York City and married Helen. He moved on to advertising and had great success. Then, in 1931, Viking Press published his first book "Boners", a collection of children's sayings that he illustrated. A few children's books followed in the late 1930s, and then "Horton Hatches the Egg" was published in 1940. The previous books were prose but Horton was written in poetry. His later successes would follow this format. During WW2, Ted used his talents to the war effort - drawing political cartoons and later writing films for the Army. But after the war, when he and Helen moved to La Jolla CA, he returned to children's books as well as illustrated short stories, mainly in Redbook magazine. Helen had been ill for many years and died by suicide in 1967. Ted subsequently married Audrey Dimond in 1968 and they remained married until he died. He never had children - and he once said about children: "You have 'em; I'll entertain 'em." Scroll down to see a list or Dr. Seuss books in chronological order.

  • 03/2
    1904

    Birthday

    March 2, 1904
    Birthdate
    Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts United States
    Birthplace
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  • Ethnicity & Family History

    German

  • Nationality & Locations

    United States: Massachusetts, New York, California

  • Early Life & Education

    Dartmouth College (BA) Lincoln College, Oxford

  • Military Service

    Captain in the Army - joined 1943

  • Professional Career

    Writer and illustrator

  • Personal Life & Family

    Author, Cartoonist
  • 09/24
    1991

    Death

    September 24, 1991
    Death date
    Throat cancer
    Cause of death
    La Jolla, San Diego County, California United States
    Death location
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  • Gravesite & Burial

    mm/dd/yyyy
    Funeral date
    ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean
    Burial location
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    Memories
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3 Memories, Stories & Photos about Theodor

Theodor Seuss Geisel "Dr Seuss"
Photo of Kathy Pinna Kathy Pinna
2.74k+ favorites
11/01/2011
Theodor Seuss Geisel "Dr Seuss"
Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr Seuss) in 1957. You know Dr Suess - everyone knows Dr Suess!

Before WWII, he wrote three children's books (one of which was "Horton Hatches the Egg". During WWII, he turned to political cartoons, then drew war effort posters, and finally wrote propaganda films.

After WWII, he moved to La Jolla CA and wrote most of the books we've heard of, including How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which was published the year that this photo was taken.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, Al Ravenna photographer
Date & Place: in California USA
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Dr Seuss drawing the Grinch 1957
Photo of Kathy Pinna Kathy Pinna
2.74k+ favorites
10/20/2011
Dr Seuss drawing the Grinch 1957
Dr. Seuss (Ted Geisel) in 1957 drawing the Grinch for the (upcoming) book "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."

Who doesn't know this book? Who doesn't know the cartoon? Then a movie . . . I bet that Dr. Seuss didn't know how big this book would be over 50 years later. Wouldn't you love to have these original drawings?

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, NYWT&S staff photograph
Date & Place: in USA
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Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
400 favorites
03/02/2022
Theodor Geisel - Dr Suess - was born today in 1904. Starting out as a cartoonist in 1927, then moving on to advertising, his most successful career - and longest - was as a writer of children's books. How lucky we all are that he found his passion!

Happy Birthday Dr Suess! Do you have a favorite book?
Reply
Photo of Filipe Medeiros Filipe Medeiros
214 favorites
10/20/2011
This was so important to me when I was a kid, it's pretty moving to see it in it's nascent stages.
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Photo of Kathy Pinna Kathy Pinna
31.2k+ favorites
02/26/2021
List of Dr. Seuss books in chronological order
And To Think That I Saw it On Mulberry Street (1937)
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938)
The King’s Stilts (1939)
Horton Hatches the Egg (1940)
McElligot’s Pool (1947)
Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose (1948)
If I Ran the Zoo (1950)
Gerald McBoing Boing (1950)
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (1950)
Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953)
Horton Hears a Who! (1954)
On Beyond Zebra! (1955)
If I Ran the Circus (1956)
The Cat in the Hat (1957)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (1958)
Happy Birthday to You! (1959)
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960)
Green Eggs and Ham (1960)
The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961)
Dr Seuss’s Sleep Book (1962)
Dr Seuss’s ABC (1963)
Hop on Pop (1963)
Fox in Socks (1965)
I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew (1965)
The Foot Book (1968)
I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! And Other Stories (1969)
Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You? (1970)
The Lorax (1971)
Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now? (1972)
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? (1973)
The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (1973)
There’s a Wocket in my Pocket (1974)
Great Day for Up! (1974)
Oh, The Thinks You Can Think! (1975)
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut (1978)
Oh Say Can You Say? (1979)
Hunches in Bunches (1982)
The Butter Battle Book (1984)
You’re Only Old Once (1986)
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (1990)
Daisy-Head Mayzie (1995)
Oh, Baby, The Places You’ll Go! (1997)
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! (1998)
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories (2011)
Horton and the Kwuggerbug and More Lost Stories (2014)
What Pet Should I Get? (2015)
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Theodor Geisel's Family Tree & Friends

Marriage

Helen Marion Geisel

&

Theodor Seuss Geisel

November 29, 1927
Marriage date
Springfield, Hampden County, MA United States
Marriage location
Helen's Death
Cause of Separation
October 23, 1967
Helen's death date
Fresno, Fresno County, CA United States
Separation location
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Theodor Seuss Geisel
Theodor Seuss Geisel Mar 2, 1904 - Sep 24, 1991
Helen Marion Geisel Sep 16, 1898 - Oct 23, 1967
Child
Marriage

Audrey Grace Florine Geisel

&

Theodor Seuss Geisel

August 6, 1968
Marriage date
San Diego, San Diego County, CA United States
Marriage location
Theodor's Death
Cause of Separation
September 24, 1991
Theodor's death date
La Jolla, San Diego County, CA United States
Separation location
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Theodor Seuss Geisel
Theodor Seuss Geisel Mar 2, 1904 - Sep 24, 1991
Audrey Grace Florine Geisel Aug 14, 1921 - Dec 19, 2018
Child
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Friendships

Theodor's Friends

Friends of Theodor Friends can be as close as family. Add Theodor's family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood.
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Other Biographies

Other Theodor Geisel Biographies

Geisel, Theodor (Jun 28, 1879 - Dec 9, 1968) Geisel, Theodor (Jun 28, 1879 - Dec 9, 1968)
Geisel, Theodor (Jun 28, 1879 - Dec 1968)

Other Geisel Family Biographies

Geisel, Owen (Born Jul 4, 1890) Geisel, Gertrude (Born Oct 10, 1898) Geisel, Audrey (Aug 14, 1921 - Dec 19, 2018) Geisel, Joseph (Feb 14, 1871 - Oct 1964) Geisel, Patricia (Oct 22, 1932 - May 2, 2004) Geisel, Corana (Sep 20, 1905 - Jul 26, 1992) Geisel, Enes (Nov 22, 1909 - Aug 18, 1993) Geisel, Merle (Apr 19, 1887 - Mar 1973) Geisel, William (Oct 22, 1920 - Mar 15, 1991) Geisel, Adolf (Jul 16, 1898 - Feb 1972)
Geisel, Joan (Oct 6, 1913 - Apr 18, 2006) Geisel, Fred (Jun 8, 1934 - Sep 1985) Geisel, Valda (Oct 25, 1908 - Mar 1977) Geisel, Ethel (Aug 25, 1903 - Aug 31, 2000) Geisel, Eugene (Sep 12, 1900 - Dec 7, 1987) Geisel, Rita (Apr 26, 1932 - May 15, 2009) Geisel, Fred (May 2, 1905 - Jan 19, 1990) Geisel, Emil (Feb 19, 1911 - Aug 1966) Geisel, Adolf (Jul 17, 1881 - Sep 1962) Geisel, Mabel (Aug 31, 1905 - May 1980)
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