Arnold Bernhard (b Dec 2, 1901 - Dec 22, 1987, Westport, CT), the son of European immigrants, his father came from Germany and his mother from Romania. Bernhard took an unusual path to success in the stock-picking world. He attended New York City's Stuyvesant High school where he was a distinguished student and a member of The Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity, but failed to graduate by ignoring a graduation requirement. His overall record permitted him to go on to Williams College, where he graduated with honors and membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Bernhard started out on a literary career and wrote several plays and theater reviews for the New York Post and Time. His interest piqued by Edwin Lefèvre's book "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator," Bernhard broke into the investment management business, first as an analyst with Moody's Investor Service and later as an account executive managing investments. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 led to his lay off from Moody's, but he retained some of his clients.