The Real Life Person Who Inspired Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
The beloved curmudgeon was based on an actual person, and one that Seuss knew all too well
Since Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) released the book How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, it has evolved into one of the most popular stories and then movies of all time. The story of a cartoonish cranky loner who hated Christmas to an abnormal degree before finally finding his way back to happiness, celebration of the holiday and community has resonated with multiple generations. While such a fantastic tale sounds like the stuff of pure imagination, it appears it was actually based on a real person — Seuss himself.
Published in 1957 by Random House, Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is the story told in rhymes about the green Grinch, an angry hermit living on the outskirts of Whoville, a town where the inhabitants especially love Christmas. Feeling bitterly different and alone, the Grinch evolved over time into a horrible curmudgeon who ultimately decides to steal gifts and all the other holiday trappings of Whoville residents one Christmas Eve before finally discovering that the holiday is about more than commercialization and greed.
Over the years, the story has been made into multiple feature length films and television specials, becoming a…
