{{Short description|American writer (1901–1967)}} {{Use mdy dates|date = February 2025}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see :Template:Infobox writer/doc --> | name = Roger Garis | image = | imagesize = | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1901|9|10}} | birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, USA | death_date = {{death date and age|1967|10|03|1901|9|10}} | death_place = Amherst, Massachusetts, USA | occupation = Writer | period = | genre = Children's literature | subject = | education = Princeton University, Columbia University | movement = | notableworks = ''The Outboard Boys'' series | spouse = {{married|Adine Haviland|1937|end=div}} {{married|Mabel Robinson Burns|1941|1967|end=death}} | children = 3 | signature = | website = | relatives = {{plainlist| * Howard R. Garis (father) * Lilian Garis (mother) }} }} '''Roger Carroll Garis''' (1901– 1967) was an American writer. He wrote for magazines and also ''The Outboard Boys'' series of books. In addition to his writing of books for children and adults, he contributed to the Waterbury, Connecticut ''Republican'' and wrote for the stage and for television.
== Early life and education == Roger Carroll Garis was born in Newark, New Jersey on September 10, 1901, to Howard R. and Lilian Garis, both of whom were established writers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Roger Garis Papers An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University |url=https://library.syracuse.edu/digital/guides/g/garis_r.htm |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Syracuse University Library |archive-date=July 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723043925/https://library.syracuse.edu/digital/guides/g/garis_r.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Grimes |first=William |date=2007-07-18 |title=Down the Halls of a Wonder House, the Mirrors Cracked |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/books/18grim.html?searchResultPosition=1 |access-date=2025-02-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Garis attended St. Benedict's Preparatory School, Princeton University, and Columbia University, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Laws from New Jersey Law School.<ref name=":0" />
== Career == Garis briefly worked in law before beginning his writing career working for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. From 1930 to 1935, he wrote for the ''Evening News'' in Newark and occasionally wrote for ''Republican'' in Waterbury, Connecticut, as well as ''The New York Times Magazine''.<ref name=":0" />
Garis published his ''Outboard Boys'' series in the 1930s and later published ''Never Take Candy From A Stranger'' and ''My Father Was Uncle Wiggily'' (1966).<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 15, 1966 |title=My Father was Uncle Wiggily |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/roger-garis/my-father-was-uncle-wiggily/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Kirkus Reviews}}</ref> He also wrote the play ''The Pony Cart'', which ran in London and New York in the late 1950s.<ref name=":0" />
After Garis moved from New York to Springfield, Massachusetts, he began publishing a weekly magazine, ''The Pioneer'', in February 1949.<ref>{{cite news |title=New magazine will start end of month |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-union-roger-garis/192024065/ |access-date=February 23, 2026 |work=The Springfield Sunday Republican |date=February 6, 1949 |page=14 A|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref> Publication of the magazine was suspended in May 1949.<ref>{{cite news |title='Pioneer' ends short life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-roger-garis/192024554/ |access-date=February 23, 2026 |work=The Springfield Daily News |date=May 14, 1949 |page=3|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref>
In January 1965 Garis began working at WHYN-TV in Springfield. As a member of the writing and producing staff, he was primarily responsible for writing the ''Bozo'' and ''Admiral and Swabby'' weekday daytime programs.<ref name="ssr">{{cite news |title=Roger Garis joins staff at WHYN-TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-union-roger-garis/192021707/ |access-date=February 23, 2026 |work=The Springfield Sunday Republican |date=January 24, 1965 |page=11 B|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref>
Garis' sister, Cleo F., also wrote a three-book series concurrently with his series.{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
==Personal life== Garis married Adine Haviland on October 23, 1937, in East Orange, New Jersey. She filed suit for divorce on June 30, 1938,<ref>{{cite news |title=Mrs. Garis seeks divorce |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-roger-garis/192023254/` |access-date=February 23, 2026 |work=Atlantic City Press |agency=Associated Press |date=July 1, 1938 |page=8|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref> and they later divorced. In 1941, he married Mabel Robinson Burns, with whom he had three children.<ref name=":0" /> The Garises' daughter, Leslie Garis, wrote a memoir about her family, ''House of Happy Endings'', published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2007.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Joyce |date=2007-08-19 |title=Uncle Wiggily in Amherst |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/books/review/Johnson-t.html?searchResultPosition=2 |access-date=2025-02-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Garis dealt with mental health issues throughout his life.<ref name=":1" />
He died in Amherst, Massachusetts on October 3, 1967.<ref name=":0" />
==Publications== ===Books=== * ''The Outboard Boys At Mystery Island'' [f|1933] * ''The Outboard Boys At Shadow Lake'' [f|1933] * ''The Outboard Boys At Pirate Beach'' [f|1933] * ''The Outboard Boys At Shark River'' [f|1934] * ''Amusement Park'' (D. Appleton-Century, New York/London) [f|1934] * ''Never Take Candy From A Stranger'' [f|1961] * ''My Father Was Uncle Wiggily'' 1966
===Movies=== *Never Take Sweets from a Stranger (1960)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal |Children's literature}} * {{FadedPage|id=Garis, Roger|name=Roger Garis|author=yes}} *[https://stillwoods.blogspot.com/2008/11/outboard-boys-at-shark-river.html The Outboard Boys at Shark River] full text *[http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/g/garis_r.htm Roger Garis Papers] at Syracuse University * {{Find a Grave|94274803|Roger Garis}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Garis, Roger}} Category:1901 births Category:1967 deaths Category:American children's writers