Andre Sennwald
BornAugust 4, 1907
DiedJanuary 12, 1936(1936-01-12) (aged 28)
New York, New York
Alma materColumbia University School of Journalism

Andre David Sennwald (August 4, 1907 – Jan 12, 1936) was a motion picture critic for The New York Times.

Life

After graduating from Columbia University School of Journalism,[1] Sennwald was hired as a reporter for The New York Times in 1930. As the film critic Mordaunt Hall gave up his post in October 1934, Sennwald became his successor.[2]

He lived at 670 West End Avenue, Upper West Side.[3] He was married to the former Yvonne Beaudry.[4]

He died on January 12, 1936, as a result of gas poisoning before his penthouse apartment exploded because of a gas leak.[5][6] The explosion wrecked the penthouse and the top three floors of the 17-story building.[7] Sennwald had an appointment with his ex-wife Yvonne Beaudray and did not appear, which is why she went to see him, only to find him dead in the ruins of his home. Since Sennwald was believed by friends to be in good health[8] and no suicide note was found, nor was one ever officially released, whether it was an accident or a suicide is unknown.[5]

His last review was for The Ghost Goes West.[9]

His successor as chief film critic of the New York Times was Frank Nugent.

References

  1. ↑ "New York Critic Killed By Blast". The Pittsburgh Press. Jan 13, 1936. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  2. ↑ Stanley Kauffmann; Bruce Henstell (1972). American film criticism, from the beginnings to Citizen Kane: reviews of significant films at the time they first appeared. Liveright. p. 308. ISBN 978-0-87140-557-9. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Gotham Film Critic Killed By Gas Blast". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. 13 Jan 1936. p. 1. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Police Investigate Gas Death of Film Critic; Hint Suicide". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 13 Jan 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "Andre Sennwald Killed". The Montreal Gazette. Jan 13, 1936. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  6. ↑ "Found Dead in Debris". The Ottawa Journal. 13 Jan 1936. p. 13. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Penthouse Wrecked By Blast; One Killed". The Salt Lake Tribune. 12 Jan 1936. p. 11. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Andre Sennwald Found Dead After Explosion". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Jan 13, 1936. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  9. ↑ "The last quote". Reading Times. Reading, Pennsylvania. 16 Jan 1936. p. 6. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading

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