Walter Winchell dead

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32847, 22 February 1972, Page 17

Walter Winchell dead

(N.Z. Press Assn. —CopurfflhD LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21. Walter Winchell, the fast-talking song-and-dance man who became America’s best-read newspaper columnist and the mostheard newscaster on radio, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 74. For three decades the most powerful journalist in the United States, Mr Winchell wrote with stinging wit about actors, politicians and artists. His radio broadcasts were top-rated during the 1930 s and 19405. Throughout his long career, Mr Winchell was a storm centre of controversy; his gossip items could infuriate celebrities, and make unknown newcomers famous. At one time, his column was syndicated in early 1000 newspapers. When he was 22 he began writing a typed page of per-

sonal items about members of the cast of the show in which he was appearing as a song-and-dance msn. He entitled the sheet “Newsense” —the first of his wordcreations which later became associated with his writing. It was “Newsense” that led directly to his articles appearing in the "Billboard and Vaudeville News."

Because of his background it was natural that he should be a popular figure in the show business hurly-burlv for 35 years. 3

For the last 25 years of his life, Mr WircfieU had directed efforts to find a cure for cancer through the Damon Runyon Memonal Fund for Cancer R^ea^ h ‘ rv Mr Winchell and the Direct©- of the Federal Bureau of Investiaa founded the fund in 1946 as