Famous New Yorker Walter Winchell Walter Winchell fulfilled his dream of becoming an entertainer in an unexpected way. As America’s first modern gossip columnist, he entertained millions by telling them about the lives of other entertainers. Born in Harlem on April 7, 1897, Winchell’s real name was Walter Weinschel. Walter became a successful writer despite dropping out of the sixth grade to become an entertainer. As part of the singing “Lawrence, Stanley & McKinley” trio and Gus Edwards’ “School Days” troupe, Walter broke into vaudeville, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [reproduction number LC-USZ62-01214] the national network of variety-show theaters in the early 20th century. Vaudeville audiences often saw singers, dancers, comedians, animal acts, acrobats and more in one evening. Vaudeville performers toured the country constantly, measuring their success by their spot in each theater’s schedule. Winchell never became a vaudeville star. After serving in World War I, he and his wife had a song-and-dance act. Making friends with fellow performers, he realized that many shared his interest in what other performers were doing. In 1920 he started a newsletter for fellow vaudevillians called “Newsense.” It caught the attention of Vaudeville News magazine, which hired Winchell to write a regular column. In 1924 he broke into the mainstream news media, starting a column for the New York Evening Graphic newspaper. In 1929 he moved to a more popular New York paper, the Daily Mirror. He stayed there until the Mirror went out of business in 1963. Walter Winchell’s column, “On Broadway,” was available to local papers across the country through the King Features Syndicate. The column eventually appeared in more than 2,000 newspapers around the world. His fast-talking voice became recognizable everywhere when he started radio broadcasts in 1929. The voice matched the unique style of his column. Winchell made up words and catchphrases that became part of American slang for generations. As Winchell’s readership grew, the content of his column changed. His first newsletters focused on where performers were playing. His columns for the daily newspapers focused more on gossip, the personal lives and scandals of entertainers and celebrities. As Winchell grew more popular, he became more influential. His praise could assure success for a play or movie. If he disliked a show, performers’ careers could suffer. Entertainers and press agents competed for his attention, hoping for favorable mentions in his column. His influence expanded outside the entertainment world when he befriended F.B.I. Director J. Edgar Hoover. His columns more often included political commentary, as he joined Hoover’s crusades against Nazi and Communist influence in the U.S. Some people believed that Walter Winchell had too much influence and abused his power. He also used his influence for good causes, helping to found the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund for Cancer Research. While he gained new popularity as the narrator of the Untouchables TV program in 1959, Americans’ changing entertainment habits during the 1960s eventually ended his influence. He reached fewer readers as many newspapers went out of business, and never had the same success on TV. He retired in 1968, attempted a comeback in Harlem is a large 1971 and died on February 20, 1972. In the 21st century, many neighborhood within the people still recognize Winchell’s voice as part of the sound of northern section of the the 20th century. New York City borough of Manhattan. To hear digitized recordings of Walter Winchell broadcasts go to http://tinyurl.com/ArchiveWinchell.This is one of a series of Famous New Yorker profiles written by Kevin Gilbert for the NYNPA- Newspaper In Education. All rights reserved 2013.