4/30/07

Walter Winchell



Born: April 7, 1897New York, New York

Died: February 20, 1972Los Angeles, California

Newspaper columnist and broadcaster who reported news and gossip items. His trademarks were his fedora (imitated by Matt Drudge) and his opening line, “Good evening Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the ships at sea.”
In song, Winchell was often a cynical lyric reference. In the Tony-award-winning "The Producers" musical, Leo Bloom (played by Matthew Broderick) sings, "I want to read my name in Winchell's column" during the song "I Want to Be A Producer"; the Cole Porter composition "Let's Fly Away," include the lines, "Let's fly away/ And find a land that's so provincial/ We'll never hear what Walter Winchell/ Might be forced to say." Pianist Buddy Greco's version of "The Lady Is A Tramp" features the lyric "why she reads Walter Winchell and understands every line." Winchell is also mentioned in Billy Joel's history-themed song "We Didn't Start the Fire".

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