Walter Winchell, 1897 - 1972
Winchell broadcasting from Pennsylvania Ave. at Washington City during Eisenhower's inaugural parade, 20 January 1953
Born: 7 April 1897, New York, New York
Died: 20 February 1972, Los Angeles, California
As a teenager Winchell took to vaudeville, posting gossip on backstage bulletin boards. He became a journalist in the '20s and, at a time when newspapers didn't mention celebrity personal lives until divorce papers were filed, invented the gossip column. By the '30s he was intimate with New York mobsters but left for Hollywood in fear for his life for "knowing too much". His contracts required the media that carried his work to defend and pay any libel actions, so Winchell was reckless about the accuracy of his work, and he didn't hesitate to use his columns to attack those he differed with. His work brought about major changes in American journalism, perhaps not particularly positive ones, but he was popular: by 1948 his audiences were the largest in radio. He wrote simple declarative sentences, often incomplete ones, delivered at a rapid pace. His show opened with him randomly clicking a telegraph key and saying, "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the ships at sea. Let's go to press.".
Biography from Wikipedia
Additional quotes from Wikiquote. Wikiquote entries are often "sourced" and may include items longer than those included here, particularly for poets, lyricists, and dramatists.
Walter Winchell quotes:
Quotes found : 20 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 2) 1 2 Next
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- A pessimist is one who builds dungeons in the air. permalink
Walter Winchell - A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. permalink
Walter Winchell - An optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery. permalink
Walter Winchell - Broadway is a main artery of New York life - the hardened artery. permalink
Walter Winchell - Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America, from border to border and coast to coast and all the ships at sea. Let's go to press. permalink
Walter Winchell - Gossip is the art of saying nothing in a way that leaves practically nothing unsaid. permalink
Walter Winchell - Hollywood is a place where they place you under contract instead of under observation. permalink
Walter Winchell - Hollywood is where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors. permalink
Walter Winchell - I never lost a friend I wanted to keep. permalink
Walter Winchell - I usually get my stuff from people who promised somebody else that they would keep it a secret. permalink
Walter Winchell - Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you. permalink
Walter Winchell - Nothing recedes like success. permalink
Walter Winchell - Remember that nobody will ever get ahead of you as long as he is kicking you in the seat of the pants. permalink
Walter Winchell - She's been on more laps than a napkin. permalink
Walter Winchell - The best way to get along is never to forgive an enemy or forget a friend. permalink
Walter Winchell
Quotes found : 20 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 2) 1 2 Next
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