Vera Louise Caspary (November 13, 1899 – June 13, 1987) was an American writer of novels, plays, screenplays, and short stories. Her best-known novel, Laura, was made into a highly successful movie. Though she claimed she was not a "real" mystery writer, her novels effectively merged women's quest for identity and love with murder plots. Independence is the key to her protagonists, with her novels revolving around women who are menaced, but who turn out to be neither victimized nor rescued damsels.Following her father's death, the income from Caspary's writing was at times only just sufficient to support both herself and her mother, and during the Great Depression she became interested in Socialist causes. Caspary joined the Communist party under an alias, but not being totally committed and at odds with its code of secrecy, she claimed to have confined her activities to fund-raising and hosting meetings. Caspary visited Russia in an attempt to confirm her beliefs, but nonetheless became disillusioned and wished to resign from the Party, although she continued to contribute money and support similar causes. She eventually married her lover and writing collaborator of six years, Isidor "Igee" Goldsmith; but despite this being a successful partnership, her Communist connections would later lead to her being "graylisted", temporarily yet significantly affecting their offers of work and income. The couple split their time between Hollywood and Europe until Igee's death in 1964, after which Caspary remained in New York where she would write a further eight books.
November 13, 1899, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died
June 13, 1987, New York City, New York, United States
Place Of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height
5' 1" (1.55 m)
Profession
Writer
Spouse
Isadore Goldsmith (m. 1948–1964)
Parents
Paul Caspary, Julia Caspary
Movies
Laura, A Letter to Three Wives, The Blue Gardenia
Star Sign
Scorpio
#
Fact
1
Published eighteen novels, and wrote four stage plays and ten screenplays. She was best known for her murder mysteries. The most famous of these, Laura (1944), was successfully filmed. She also wrote the story for the musical Les Girls (1957), which was voted best-written American musical by the screenwriters branch of the Writer's Guild of America.
2
Left school at eighteen to write advertising copy for a mail-order business.
3
Her father worked as a buyer for a department store.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Letter to Three Wives
1985
TV Movie adaptation
Laura
1968/I
TV Movie novel
Laura
1962
TV Movie novel
Bachelor in Paradise
1961
story
Les Girls
1957
story
The 20th Century-Fox Hour
1955
TV Series novel "Laura" - 1 episode
Give a Girl a Break
1953
story
The Blue Gardenia
1953
story
I Can Get It for You Wholesale
1951
adaptation
Three Husbands
1950
screenplay / story
A Letter to Three Wives
1949
adaptation
Out of the Blue
1947
screenplay / story
Bedelia
1946
novel / screenplay
Claudia and David
1946
adaptation
Laura
1944
novel
Lady Bodyguard
1943
story
Lady from Louisiana
1941
screenplay
Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot
1940
story
Service de Luxe
1938
story
Scandal Street
1938
story "Suburb"
Easy Living
1937
based on a story by
Hooray for Love
1935
contributor to treatment - uncredited
I'll Love You Always
1935
screenplay
Such Women Are Dangerous
1934
contributing writer - uncredited / story "Odd Thursday"