Individuals >> Goodrich, Frank Boott ( Dick Tinto ) (1826-1894)

Playwright, Journalist, Historian, Translator.

Frank Goodrich was born in Hartford, CT to Mary Boott Goodrich and Samuel Griswold Goodrich, the popular author of the "Peter Parley" tales of geography and adventure. After graduating from Harvard, Goodrich moved to Paris when his father was chosen as the United States consul. Goodrich’s literary career began there when, under the pseudonym of "Dick Tinto," he wrote letters to the New York Times about Paris and its government (J. Derby 123).

Goodrich’s association with Pfaff’s began after his return to the United States in 1855. He was one of the "brightest and most popular humorous men of the day," and he often had lunch in the “Broadway basement” of Pfaff’s (J. Derby 239). He married Ella Schmidt in 1859 and in 1860 he began translating the novels of Balzac along with Orlando Williams Wight. Unfortunately, the books were not well-received by American readers (241). Goodrich also collaborated on writing plays such as The Poor of New York with Dion Boucicault, Romance after Marriage with Frank L. Warden, and The Dark Hour Before the Dawn with Pfaff’s regular John Brougham (“Goodrich, Frank Boott”). A supporter of the Union during the Civil War, Goodrich published The Tribute Book, a Record of the Munificence, Sacrifice, and Patriotism of the American People during the War for the Union (1865).

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References & Biographical Resources

Derby, J.C. Fifty Years among Authors, Books and Publishers. New York: G. W. Carleton and Co., 1884. [more about this work]

Derby recalls that shortly after the establishment of the New York Daily Times, letters from the Paris correspondent, Dick Tinto, were printed in the paper. "Dick Tinto" was Goodrich's nom-de-plume; Goodrich was the only son of Samuel G. Goodrich (Peter Parley). These letters caught the public's attention and were printed in Harper's (123).

He is mentioned as one of the "brightest and most popular humorous men of the day," known to rally around the book store of George W. Carleton. Derby notes that "the noonday hour frequently found most of them at Pfaff's celebrated German restuarant, in a Broadway basement, near Bleecker-street, the rendezvous at that day of the so-called Bohemians." Derby notes that his pen name was "Dick Tinto" (239).

According to Derby, Goodrich was a classmate and life-long friend of Nathaniel Hawthorne (113).

For publisher George W. Carleton, Goodrich translated the entire novels of Balzac. "The work was well done and although Balzac was the most popular novelist in France, and is even now talked of as the greatest French novelist, the books proved a failure." Goodrich was also the author of the "Court of Napoleon" and other popular works. He was one of "Peter Parley's" sons and had been the French correspondent to the Times, writing under the name "Dick Tinto" (241). [pages: 113,114,123-126,239,241]

Dodo [O'Brien, Fitz-James]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. 23 Oct. 1858: 2-3. [more about this work]

[pages: 3]

"Goodrich, Frank Boott, 1826-1894." Literature Online biography. Cabridge: Chadwyck-Healey, 2003. [more about this work]

Haynes, John Edward. Pseudonyms of Authors: Including Anonyms and Initialisms. New York, 1882. [more about this work]

This text identifies the following pseudonym: Dick Tinto (28). [pages: 28]

Leland, Charles Godfrey. Memoirs. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1893. [more about this work]

[pages: 56]

"Literary Items." Saturday Press. 27 Nov. 1858: 3. [more about this work]

A note mentions Goodrich as the editor of Women of Beauty and Heroism, from Semiramis (?) to Eugenie (3). [pages: 3]

"Literary Items." Saturday Press. 4 Dec. 1858: 2-3. [more about this work]

A note reports that the Saturday Press has prinited the profile of Nell Gwynn from Goodrich's Women of Beauty and Heroism on its first page (2). [pages: 2]

"Literary Items." Saturday Press. 11 Dec. 1858: 2. [more about this work]

A note lists Goodrich among the members of the newly formed literary club, the "Athanaeum," in New York (2). [pages: 2]

Lukens, Henry Clay. "American Literary Comedians." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Apr. 1890: 783-797. [more about this work]

[pages: 793]

Maurice, Arthur Bartlett. "Literary Clubland II: New York's Literary Clubs." The Bookman: A Review of Books and Life. Jun. 1905: 392-406. [more about this work]

He is described as one of the "others who rallied" at Pfaff's. His pen name is given as "Dick Dinto." [pages: 396]

O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 25 Dec. 1858: 3. [more about this work]

O'Brien writes that he, Brougham, Goodrich are currently working on a three act play titled "The Dark Hour Before Dawn" to be performed by amateurs for a Dramatic Fund Association benefit in the chief cities of the Union (3). [pages: 3]

Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 19 Mar. 1859: 3. [more about this work]

Personne writes that "society" has heard Brougham and Goodrich's The Dark Hour Before the Dawn read and has enjoyed it (3). [pages: 3]

Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 9 Apr. 1859: 2. [more about this work]

Personne mentions Brougham's and Goodrich's five-act play, the dedication of the piece, and the authors' repeated claims to originality (2). [pages: 2]

Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. 26 Feb. 1859: 2. [more about this work]

Personne notes that Goodrich and Brougham have worked on The Dark Hour Before the Dawn (2). [pages: 2]

Quelqu'un [Winter, William]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 26 Mar. 1859: 2. [more about this work]

Quelqu'un mentions Brougham's and Goodrich's The Dark Hour Before the Dawn (2). [pages: 2]