HUNGRY GERALD

When son Jeremy was a little fellow, he was a sound sleeper. His Dad, HG, would wake him for breakfast by standing before his bedroom door and, in a syrupy voice, say “Professional lover, professional lover.” Jeremy thrashed about angrily—and woke up. The name, which annoyed SJ so much, originated by teasing taunts he received due to a close relationship with a female classmate. HG thought about the phrase in connection with two successful lovers of women: actor Yul Brynner (1920-1985) and literary critic and essayist Anatole Broyard (1920-1990). HG interviewed Brynner for a Hearst feature service. Brynner was seated at his dressing  room table and made and received numerous phone calls. HG gleaned that Brynner had a happy sex life with his wife but was also conducting affairs with beautiful actresses.  Energetic man.  Broyard  was a daily (for 15 years) book reviewer for The New York Times and later columnist and editor–Times Sunday Book Review.  He was renowned as a startlingly effective seducer of attractive young women. Born in New Orleans of Black Creole parents, Broyard chose to pass as white. During the early days of their marriage, HG brought BSK to a Broyard hosted Greenwich Village party. HG steered BSK away from the mighty seducer.