GINGER ROGERS - DR SEUSS PUBLISHER DIES AGED 90

Writer, actress and publisher PHYLLIS CERF WAGNER died in a New York hospital on Friday (24NOV06). She was 90. Wagner, the cousin of GINGER ROGERS, died following complications from a fall. She appeared in several films in the 1930s including WINDS OF THE WASTELAND opposite JOHN WAYNE, before moving to New York City to work in advertising and write soap operas. She later published DR SEUSS books THE CAT IN THE HAT COMES BACK and GREEN EGGS AND HAM after she founded the Beginner Books imprint at publishers Random House. She also appeared regularly on TV panel show WHAT'S MY LINE? and wrote columns for magazines including Good Housekeeping. She married BENNETT CERF, the founder of Random House, in 1940 and the couple remained together until he died in 1971. She married former New York City mayor ROBERT F WAGNER JR in 1975, remaining with him until his death in 1991. She is survived by her two sons by Cerf, Grammy Award winning SESAME STREET composer CHRISTOPHER and board game champion JONATHAN.