| Later Years Audrey Geisel Audrey and Ted had been friends for a long time before they married on June 21, 1968. She brought order and stability to his life at a time when Ted's popularity was pulling him in various directions. Life with Audrey brought a sense of freshness and renewal to Ted; he became more social and more active in his community. The Geisels were excellent hosts, holding weekly dinner parties that included extensive and varied guest lists. These parties often took on lives of their own; Ted's penchant for funny hats, for example, would weave its way into a dinner party theme or two, and guests were expected to wear their funniest headgear—or risk Ted assigning one from his personal collection! Ted's interest in travel was also revived, and together he and Audrey traveled extensively. One of their more memorable adventures included a photo safari in Africa. Ted looked at the trees and exclaimed, "They've stolen my truffula trees!" Audrey mentioned that Ted started another book during this particular journey, but he did not have the "right" paper with him. Making do with what he did have on hand, Ted simply jotted his thoughts on laundry lists! Friends and colleagues were pleasantly surprised at Ted's newfound zeal. With Audrey's encouragement and inspiration, his imagination soared to new heights. This new "spark" certainly influenced Ted's work! Some of his most critically acclaimed and socially conscious books were written during this period, and Ted began experimenting with the color palette once again. Audrey would often suggest unexpected, unusual color combinations that complemented more meaningful manuscripts. And fortunately for us, we reap the rewards of their efforts; books such as The Lorax, The Butter Battle Book, and You're Only Old Once! are evidence of new challenges and risks that Ted was willing to take. It was also Audrey who suggested that Ted grow a beard—and for the first time in his life, he did. He figured that by doing so, shaving would be one less thing to have to worry about Never one to interfere directly with her husband's affairs, Audrey—a former nurse—saw her role as that of a caretaker and chief supporter, a role she continues to this day as the head of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Honors/Tributes Many honors and awards were bestowed upon Ted, during his lifetime and after, including an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from his alma mater, Dartmouth. In addition to six other honorary doctorates, some of Ted's more notable awards include an Oscar for Gerald McBoing-Boing (Best Cartoon, 1951); two Emmys for Halloween Is Grinch Night and The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (Best Children's Special, 1977 and1982, respectively); a Pulitzer Prize (1984); a Peabody for the animated specials How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and Horton Hears a Who! (1971); and a New York Library Literary Lion (1986). Three of his books received Caldecott Honor Awards: McElligot's Pool (1947), Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949), and If I Ran the Zoo (1950). In 1980, the American Library Association (the same organization responsible for the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Awards) honored Ted with a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. This special award is given to an author or illustrator whose books—having been published in the United States—have made a substantial contribution and lasting impact to children's literature. In 1986 the San Diego Museum of Art, under the watchful eye of Ted himself, featured a retrospective dedicated to his life and work. Several of his paintings and early sketches were included in the mix. The show was well-received by the public and traveled to many locations throughout the United States. The show was cataloged and put into book format as Dr. Seuss from Then to Now: A Catalogue of the Retrospective Exhibition. The book is no longer in print, but it offers a breathtaking array of 60 years of Ted's work. While the show was a hit among patrons, Ted wasn't satisfied that his paintings and position as a true artist were recognized. (Morgan, p. 267). The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden was unveiled in May 2002 at the Springfield Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city in which he was born. Sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates, who is also Geisel's step-daughter, created the endearing bronze sculptures of Dr. Seuss and his most beloved characters for the Springfield Library & Museums Association. In 2004, the American Library Association established the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award which is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner(s), recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading, receives a bronze medal bearing Dr. Seuss's image. Honor Book authors and illustrators receive certificates, which are presented at the ALA Annual Conference. The award was first presented in 2006. Also in 2004, Ted was honored posthumously with the 2,249th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mrs. Audrey Geisel was on hand to accept the honor on behalf of her husband. The star was unveiled on March 11 at 11:30 a.m. Other Media In 1966, Ted received a call from his old friend Chuck Jones, now a successful animator. Jones convinced Ted to adapt How the Grinch Stole Christmas! for television. It was a painstaking task, as Jones used the full-animation technique that had been popular at Disney. The idea behind full animation is that one could follow the story, with or without the benefit of narration. With full animation, a half-hour television program would require approximately 25,000 drawings—over 12 times as many drawings as most animations of equal length. The length of the story, the color of the Grinch, and the development of a script that did not end on a trite or overly religious note also had to be addressed. Again, Ted was always very particular about colors, and it took some convincing by Jones for Ted to concede to paint the Grinch green with evil red eyes. The songs were a collaborative effort between Ted and composer Albert Hague. To resolve Ted's concern that the story end in a way that was not trite or overly religious, the script called for a star to rise to the heavens (rather than drop from the sky) to emphasize the power of the heart. At last, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! aired in time for the 1966 holiday season and it still ranks high in viewer ratings 25 years later. In fact, nearly 30 of Ted's Dr. Seuss books have been adapted for television or video. |