Douglas Kenney

Douglas Kenney (1946–1980) was an American comedy writer and producer who co-founded National Lampoon and co-wrote Animal House and Caddyshack.

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Henry Beard: An American humorist and editor who co-founded National Lampoon with Douglas Kenney. Beard co-founded the magazine with Kenney and collaborated with him on early National Lampoon writing.
National Lampoon: An American humor magazine founded in 1970 that expanded into radio, stage shows, and film. Kenney co-founded the magazine, which established his national platform and creative circle.
Animal House: A 1978 comedy film about a rebellious fraternity at a fictional college. Kenney co-wrote this influential campus comedy, drawing on the anarchic style developed at National Lampoon.
Gross-out comedy: A comedy style that seeks laughter through deliberately crude, bodily, or shocking material. Animal House helped popularize a mainstream film version of the irreverence associated with Kenney’s writing.
Bored of the Rings: A 1969 comic parody of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings by Henry Beard and Douglas Kenney. The book was an early collaboration that helped establish Kenney’s reputation for irreverent parody.
P. J. O'Rourke: An American journalist and humorist who edited National Lampoon during its influential 1970s period. O’Rourke worked at the magazine Kenney helped build and later chronicled its writers.
Harvard Lampoon: A humor magazine produced by Harvard University students and founded in 1876. Kenney wrote for the Harvard Lampoon before turning its campus satire into a national venture.
Caddyshack: A 1980 comedy film about the eccentric members and staff of a country club. Kenney co-wrote the film, whose chaotic characters reflect his comic sensibility.
College comedy film: A comedy film centered on student life, campus institutions, and collegiate social rituals. Animal House became a defining model for later campus comedies.
A Lively Mind: A 1970 National Lampoon article by Douglas Kenney that satirized contemporary advertising and consumer culture. The piece exemplifies Kenney’s magazine-era satire beyond his better-known film scripts.