R. Beers Loos R. Beers Loos Richard Beers Loos (October 4, 1860 – March 6, 1944), was an American journalist and newspaper publisher. Loos was the father of Anita Loos, a famous American playwright and author who wrote, among other titles, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Loos most often used the shortened form of his name for official work: R. Beers Loos. Anita Loos was born to Richard Beers Loos and Minnie Ellen Smith while the family lived near Sisson, California (today Mount Shasta). At that time, Loos owned a local newspaper called the "Sisson Mascot". Most accounts indicate that Loos moved from Sisson to
Anita Loos ""Blondes"" would see three more printings sell through by year's end, and 20 in its first decade. The little book would see 85 editions in the years to come and eventually be translated into 14 languages, including Chinese. When asked who the models for her characters, Loos would almost always say they were composites of various people, but when pressed, admitted that toothless flirt Sir Francis Beekman was modeled after writer Joseph Hergesheimer and producer Jesse L. Lasky. Dorothy Shaw was modeled after herself and Constance Talmadge, and Lorelei herself most closely resembled acquisitive Ziegfeld showgirl, Lillian Lorraine, who was