caption death_date death_place children birth_place name birth_date alt language spouse image article_title birth_name occupation alma_mater
bennett cerf , 1932 photograph by carl van vechten 27 august 1971 mount kisco , new york christopher cerf jonathan cerf manhattan , new york bennett cerf 25 may 1898 black a suit and white image of a white male wearing english sylvia -lrb- 1940 -- 71 -rrb- sidney -lrb- 1935 -- 36 -rrb- phyllis fraser bennettcerf.jpg bennett cerf
 bennett alfred cerf humorist publisherj columbia university
bennett cerf

bennett alfred cerf -lrb- may 25 , 1898 -- august 27 , 1971 -rrb- was an american publisher , one of the founders of american publishing firm random house .
cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns , for regular personal appearances lecturing across the united states , and for his television appearances in the panel game show `` what 's my line ? ''
