high opinion of Bemelmans writing: A curious, beguiling combination of innocence and sophistication, of sweet humor and shrewd, worldly insight, Bemelmans has a sunny tolerance for his fellow creature's private or personal failings that illuminates all of his writings and goes far beyond the little gray virtues generally suggested by the word "tolerance". Despite the appreciation for Bemelmans writing by New York critics, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep lasted for only 44 performances, closing on April 8, 1950. Personal life Bemelmans is said to have met his future wife, Madeleine "Mimi" Freund, as a model in Metzl's studio. They had one daughter, Barbara, and three grandchildren, Paul Marciano, James Marciano, and John Bemelmans Marciano. Bemelmans died in New York of pancreatic cancer, aged 64 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Books 1934: Hansi 1936: The Golden Basket 1937: My War with the United States 1937: The Castle Number Nine 1938: Life Class – An autobiographical sketch. 1938: Quito Express (travel book) 1939: Madeline 1939: Small Beer (humorous memoirs based on his experiences in Europe and Hollywood) 1940: Fifi 1941: At Your Service 1941: Hotel Splendide 1941: The Donkey Inside 1942: Rosebud 1942: I Love You, I Love You, I Love You 1943: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep 1945: The Blue Danube 1946: Hotel Bemelmans 1947: A Tale of Two Glimps 1947: Dirty Eddie 1948: The Best of Times: An Account of Europe Revisited 1949: The Eye of God 1950: Sunshine: A Story about the City of New York 1952: How to Travel Incognito 1952: The Happy Place 1953: Father, Dear Father 1953: Madeline's Rescue 1953: The Borrowed Christmas 1954: The High World 1955: Parsley 1955: To the One I Love the Best – Bemelmans narrates his friendship with Elsie de Wolfe, Lady Mendl. 1956: Madeline and the Bad Hat 1957: The Woman of My Life 1958: My Life in Art 1959: Madeline and the Gypsies 1960: Welcome Home! 1960: Are You Hungry, Are You Cold 1960: How to Travel To Europe All to Yourself 1961: Italian Holiday 1961: Madeline in London 1962: Marina 1962: On Board Noah's Ark 1963: The Street Where the Heart Lies 1964: La Bonne Table. Excerpts and essays involving food and drink, edited by Donald and Eleanor Friede 1966: The Elephant Cutlet 1985: Tell Them It Was Wonderful: Selected Writings (compilation of various autobiographical stories, published posthumously) 1985: Madeline's Christmas (published