Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, born on 24 September 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota, began studying literature at Princeton University after his school years, which he finally abandoned in 1917 to join the army. Fitzgerald then moved to New York to become a journalist. His literary debut This Side of Paradise (1920) made him famous overnight. Eight days after its publication, he married Zelda Sayre. A year later, their daughter Frances was born. Fitzgerald worked for Hollywood as a screenwriter. Privately, the family had increasing problems as F. Scott became addicted to alcohol and his wife became mentally ill. Fitzgerald died on 21 December 1940 in Hollywood after a second heart attack. In 1948, his wife Zelda died in a hospital fire.