What is "fitzgerald"

Fitzgerald \Fitzgerald\, F. Scott, American Novelist (1896-1940). F. Scott Fitzgerald was born September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Molly McQuillan and Edward Fitzgerald. He was a second cousin, twice removed of Francis Scott Key, the writer of the "Star Spangled Banner", a fact of which he was very proud and for whom he was named. His father was a failed businessman and his mother was the doting, smothering kind. He had one younger sister. He was extremely ashamed of his mother for her lack of beauty and emasculating of his father. Both parents were thrilled with Scott because he was handsome, popular and later, a famous writer. The family lived off the income of the mother who was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. All of his life Scott aspired to be one of the rich people he socialized with in St. Paul and later at Princeton University, where he was more successful as a participant in performing and writing musical productions in the Triangle Club than as an academic. In 1917 Scott enlisted in the Army when it was apparent that his Junior year at Princeton might be his last, owing to poor grades. He hoped to make a name for himself in World War I doing something brave and heroic. His head was always full of notions of becoming famous, popular and sought-after in high social circles, and the darling of the "top girl" among the elite. Unfortunately for Scott, the war ended before he had a chance to prove his bravery. It was a pivotal point in his life and work, however, as it was while he was in the Army that he met Zelda Sayre. Zelda Sayre was the belle of Montgomery, Alabama, not yet eighteen and already famous in town for her bucking of authority, drinking, dancing all night and beauty. Scott had met his match. He was stationed in Montgomery when he met her at a dance. They had a rocky courtship that continued until Scott mustered out of the Army and got a job in advertising in New York City. He hated the job and when Zelda broke off their engagement citing his dim future in business, he was desolate. He quit his job and went back home to St. Paul where he stayed with his parents and rewrote a novel about his college days that had earlier been rejected. The novel, This Side of Paradise, became THE biggest novel of 1920. Fitzgerald was an instant success known all around the nation and celebrated as the Voice of His Generation. He married Zelda one week after its publication. They then embarked a life of drinking, wild nights, hobnobbing with the rich and famous and becoming the life of every party. This continued on for a few years both in the United States and Paris where they sought refuge from their excesses, but only created more. In Paris, Fitzgerald wrote what was to become his finest work and because of which his place in literary history is secured. The Great Gatsby was like all of Fitzgerald's work, based on his own life. Like the title character, Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald wanted to reinvent himself and become the person he always wanted to be in his imagination; rich, brave, successful in life and as important in his mind if not more, to have the girl of his dreams by his side, appreciating him. Fitzgerald was always sure of one thing -- his own talent. He had been a writer since he was a child and always received special attention for it. Writing was something he could do that none of his classmates could. He reveled in his notoriety and even when his pain of alcoholism and disappointments in life became almost unbearable his talent and belief in it never faltered. Zelda and Scott had one daughter, Frances Scott Fitzgerald, "Scottie." Their marriage became a hell for both of them as they descended into alcoholism and Zelda's mental illness, which surfaced when she was in her late twenties. Through all of the travails, Scott stayed a dedicated writer, mostly turning out short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and Esquire which paid him top dollar. It was through these stories that Fitzgerald was able to support himself, and pay for Zelda's extended periods in mental hospitals. He also sent Scottie to private schools. His alcoholism frequently caused his own need for drying-out cures in sanitariums, also. F. Scott Fitzgerald died of a heart attack on December 21, 1940 in Hollywood in the company of his mistress, gossip columnist Sheilah Graham. He had finally become sober for one year, but it was too late. He had ruined his health. When he died his five novels had been out of print for years and he was considered a relic of the Twenties "Jazz Age", a term he had coined. He had been in Hollywood the last few years of his life trying to be a movie writer for hire in order to continue to support himself, Zelda, who was permanently in a mental hospital, and his daughter, who was in college. It was not until the Fifties that Fitzgerald's literary legacy finally was appreciated. He is now considered to be one of the greatest writers of the Twentieth Century. Sources: Fool for Love: F. Scott Fitzgerald, A biographical portrait by Scott Donaldson, Congdon & Weed, New York, NY, 1983. F. Scott Fitgerald in Minnesota: His Homes and Haunts by John J. Koblas, Minnesota Historical Society Press, St. Paul, MN, 1978.

The FitzGerald dynasty is a Hiberno-Norman or Cambro-Norman noble family.

FitzGerald or Fitzgerald may also refer to:

• FitzGerald (surname)

FitzGerald is a large lunar crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the west-southwest of the crater Cockcroft, and about two crater diameters to the northeast of Morse.

This is an impact crater with features that have become softened and eroded by subsequent impacts in the vicinity. The younger satellite crater FitzGerald W is attached to the exterior along the northwest. Faint ray material extends from the southeastern rim of this satellite across the western floor of FitzGerald, although it is unclear if this impact is the source or if it came from the rayed crater Moore F to the north.

Several smaller craters also lie along the rim of FitzGerald, with a joined pair along the eastern rim and two more along the western edge. The inner walls display some indications of past slumping and terracing, although these features have become smoothed out with time. The interior floor is a nearly level, featureless plain, with some slight irregularities to the northeast.

FitzGerald or Fitzgerald is a surname derived from the Hiberno-Norman FitzGerald dynasty. The article on that dynasty links to biographical articles about nobles surnamed FitzGerald.

Other notable people with the surname include:

• Alexis FitzGerald, Snr (1916–1985), Irish politician
• Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr (born 1945), Irish politician
• Barry Fitzgerald (1888–1961), Irish actor
• Barry Fitzgerald (investigator), paranormal investigator for SyFy Channel's Ghost Hunters International
• Brian Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Brinsley FitzGerald (1859-1931), British stockbroker
• Charles Fitzgerald (1791–1887), Governor of Gambia; Governor of Western Australia
• Charles Patrick Fitzgerald (1902–1992), Scholar of China
• Ciaran Fitzgerald (born 1952), Irish rugby union player
• Dai Fitzgerald (1872–1951), Welsh international rugby player
• Desmond FitzGerald (politician) (1888–1947), Irish revolutionary, poet and politician
• Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin, president of the Irish Georgian Society
• Edmund Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Edward FitzGerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Eithne FitzGerald (born 1950), Irish politician
• Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996), U.S. jazz singer
• F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), American novelist and short story writer
• Frances FitzGerald (journalist) (born 1940), U.S. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist
• Frances Fitzgerald (politician) (born 1950), Irish politician
• Frank Fitzgerald (1885–1939), U.S. governor of Michigan
• Frankie Fitzgerald (born 1985), British actor
• Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011), seventh Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland
• Garrett M. Fitzgerald (1806-1859), American politician
• Gene Fitzgerald (1932–2007), Irish politician
• Gerald Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Geraldine Fitzgerald (1913–2005), Irish-American actress
• George FitzGerald (1851–1901), Irish physicist
• Jack Fitzgerald (1873–1929), founder member of the Socialist Party of Great Britain
• James FitzGerald (1818–1896), New Zealand politician
• Jim Fitzgerald (born 1926), American businessman and philanthropist
• Joan Fitz-Gerald (born 1948), American politician
• John Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• John F. Fitzgerald, Mayor of Boston Massachusetts and grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
• John Fitzgerald Kennedy, United States president
• John Fitzgerald (Medal of Honor) (1873–1948), American Medal of Honor recipient
• John D. FitzGerald, Irish economist
• Joseph Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Judith Fitzgerald (born 1952), Canadian poet
• Judkin-Fitzgerald baronets (Created 1801), of Lisheen, Co Tipperary, Ireland
• Kevin Fitzgerald (born 1951), U.S. veterinarian; appeared on the television programme Emergency Vets
• Larry Fitzgerald (born 1983), American football player
• Lawrence J. Fitzgerald (died 1918), NYS Treasurer 1886–1889
• Lewis Fitz-Gerald (born 1958), Australian actor and television director
• LeMoine FitzGerald (1890–1956), Canadian artist, a member of the Group of Seven
• Lorna Fitzgerald (born 1996), English actress
• Lou Fitzgerald (1919–2013), American baseball player, scout and manager
• Michael Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Pamela Fitzgerald (camogie) (born 1984), Irish camogie player
• Pat Fitzgerald (born 1974), U.S. football coach
• Patrick Fitzgerald (born 1960), U.S. attorney; special prosecutor in the CIA leak scandal
• Penelope Fitzgerald (1916–2000), British poet, novelist and biographer
• Peter Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Robert Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ryan Fitzgerald (born 1976), Australian television presenter
• Sarah Fitz-Gerald (born 1968), Australian women's squash player
• Scott Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Susan Fitzgerald (1949–2013), Irish actress
• Tara Fitzgerald (born 1967), British actress
• Thomas Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tom Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• William Fitzgerald (disambiguation), multiple people
• Zelda Fitzgerald (1900–1948), wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald

Category:Surnames of Irish origin