17 things you probably didn't know about Dr. Seuss

Dr Seuss

Dr. Seuss has a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.
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  • Dr. Seuss is well known for his classic children's books, like "The True cat in the Hat."
  • The late author'due south existent name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, and he wrote dozens of books before he died.
  • His work has been highly debated for its racist and insensitive depiction of sure characters.

Dr. Seuss is a pen name.

Theodor Seuss Geisel used the pen name Dr. Seuss.
AP Photograph

Dr. Seuss's existent name was Theodor Seuss Geisel.

He had several pen names in addition to Dr. Seuss, including L. Pasteur, D.G. Rossetti '25, T. Seuss, and Seuss.

The title "Dr." was just a moniker, as Seuss himself did not have a doctorate. He would eventually, however, earn several honorary doctorates throughout his career.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He was awarded the star later his death.
REED SAXON/AP Images

Amidst the picture stars and television personalities included on Hollywood'south Walk of Fame is Dr. Seuss.

The star was awarded posthumously in 2004 and is located nearly 6600 Hollywood Blvd.

You've probably been pronouncing "Seuss" incorrect.

Dr. Seuss isn't said exactly how information technology's spelled.
John Bryson / Contributor / Getty Images

Seuss is not pronounced "Soose" or "Zeus."

Instead, Dr. Seuss and his family pronounce the proper name "Soice" (or "Zoice").

He wrote and illustrated 47 children's books earlier his decease.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is a popular Dr. Seuss story.
Universal

According to his obituary in the LA Times, the author wrote and illustrated 47 children's books earlier his death in 1991. Those books were also translated into xx different languages by that fourth dimension.

His estate has since published a few books posthumously.

Dr. Seuss reportedly pretended to have a daughter.

Her proper noun was Chrysanthemum-Pearl.
Mark Kauffman / Contributor / Getty Images

Although he and his beginning wife were unable to have children, Smithsonian mag and other sources accept reported that Dr. Seuss oftentimes boasted to friends nearly the achievements of the couple'due south imaginary girl, Chrysanthemum-Pearl.

Dr. Seuss even defended "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" to his imaginary daughter and included her on Christmas cards.

He treated his books like his "children."

Dr. Seuss didn't accept a favorite book.
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Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss' second wife, once told Reading Rockets that the writer didn't have a favorite of his books.

"Outset of all ... he was like a father, he liked all his children ... Particularly in the time of their formulation," she said.

"The Lorax" may take been inspired by a monkey species found in Kenya.

The characters resemble the patas monkey.
Random House

Dr. Seuss may have written "The Lorax" afterward seeing a detail species of monkey on a trip to Kenya.

Co-ordinate to Pop Science, when evolutionary biologist Nathaniel Dominy was researching in Kenya, he noticed a monkey nigh Mount Republic of kenya, the patas monkey, that bore a strong resemblance to the fictional Lorax.

It turns out Dr. Seuss stayed at a resort in Republic of kenya before writing the book, strengthening the statement that the monkey was an inspiration.

He served in Earth State of war Ii.

His time in the state of war inspired the graphic symbol of Private SNAFU.
Warner Bros. Cartoons

Known as Captain Geisel, Dr. Seuss served every bit a volunteer in the military during Earth War Two, every bit role of the Ground forces's Information and Education Division.

In 1943 he created the cartoon character Private SNAFU, which was inspired past his time in the state of war, according to History.com.

One of his most famous books was reportedly written because of a bet.

The volume has fewer than fifty words.
Random Business firm

In 1960, "Green Eggs and Ham" was reportedly published after Dr. Seuss's publisher bet him that he couldn't write a book with 50 or fewer words.

The result is his all-time-selling creation that involves some interesting breakfast choices.

Dr. Seuss' wife thought he was a medical md when she showtime met him.

Audrey Geisel was married to Theodore Geisel from 1968 to 1991.
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"I wasn't enlightened that there was such a matter as a Dr. Seuss. I taught nursing at IU [Indiana University], and doctors were a very understood name and title," Geisel in one case told Reading Rockets.

She continued, "So, when I was being ushered down this line of well-nigh a dozen M.D. doctors and I came to Ted and they said, 'And this is our very own dear Dr. Seuss,' I immediately thought interns and medicine — just automatically."

He won a Pulitzer Prize.

Children all over still read books by Dr. Seuss.
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In 1984, Dr. Seuss was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his established body of works.

Officially, he won the accolade for "his special contribution over most half a century to the educational activity and enjoyment of America's children and their parents," per the Pulitzer website.

He has two Academy Awards.

He cowrote the documentary "Design for Death."
RKO Pictures

Dr. Seuss won two Oscars in his lifetime.

The first was in 1947 for best documentary feature for "Design for Death," which he cowrote with his married woman, Helen.

He won his 2nd Academy Award a few years afterward in 1951 for all-time animated brusk with "Gerald McBoing-Boing."

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