Marjorie Benton Cooke

Marjorie Benton Cooke (November 27, 1876 – April 26, 1920) was an American monologist, playwright, and novelist. She was a specialist in comic dramatic sketches and light romantic fiction, and she also wrote and performed monologues on suffragist issues.

Cooke was born in Richmond, Indiana, to Joseph Henry Cooke and Jessie Benton Cooke. Her father was a salesman and had once served as treasurer for the city of Richmond. Marjorie attended preparatory schools in Detroit and Chicago before entering the University of Chicago, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1899.

After graduating from college, Cooke began working as a journalist. She also began touring the United States as a monologist, performing her own original sketches and monologues. Several of her monologues and one-act plays were published in booklets and collected form.

In 1910, Cooke published her first novel, The Girl Who Lived in the Woods. The novel was a success, and it was followed by a number of other popular novels, including Bambi (1914), The Little 'Fraid Lady (1916), and The Duel Alliance (1915).

Cooke was also a successful playwright. Her plays were often produced on Broadway and in other major cities. Some of her most popular plays include The Mad Marriage (1916), Her Husband's Friend (1917), and Married? (1918).

Cooke was a strong advocate for women's suffrage. She wrote and performed monologues on the subject, and she was a member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Cooke died of pneumonia in Manila, Philippines, in 1920. She was only 43 years old. She is remembered as a talented monologist, playwright, and novelist. Her work was popular in her day, and it continues to be read by fans of classic American literature.