Cecil Brown
Encyclopedia
Cecil Brown was the author of the book Suez to Singapore, which describes the sinking of HMS Repulse
in December 1941. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
, at 6410 Hollywood Blvd. for his contribution to radio.. He was a war correspondent who worked closely with Edward R. Murrow
during WWII.
in 1929 Brown left the United States for the Mediterranean and Black Sea
s where he worked as a seaman. He eventually returned to the United States where he worked as a journalist at several small newspapers. By 1937 he was back in Europe working as a freelancer.
hired Brown in 1940 as their correspondent in Rome where he openly criticized the regime of Benito Mussolini. In 1941 the Italian government had enough of Brown's rhetoric and expelled him from the country. After his expulsion from Italy CBS sent Brown to Singapore. Dec. 1941, while Brown was in Singapore he was invited to go out on a mission on the British cruiser HMS Repulse
. The Repulse and the "Prince of Wales" were attacked by land based Japanese bomber aircraft and sunk. Brown narrowly escaped with his life. His experiences in his long journey and dealings with Italian, British and other censorship authorities led him to write Suez to Singapore which was published in 1942. His criticism of the British in Singapore caused him to have his "war corresponent's" credentials revoked and made him a persona non-grata. He narrowly escaped from Singapore before its fall to the Japanese. He was part of a larger group of reporters known as Murrow's Boys
.
In 1942 Brown resigned from CBS but continued to cover the war.
and ABC
. He retired from broadcasting in 1967 and went to work as a professor of communication arts at Cal Poly Pomona where he worked until he died.
Inducted Into The Warren City Schools Hall Of Fame In Ohio http://www.warrenschools.k12.oh.us/alumni_hall_of_fame.html
HMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
in December 1941. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
, at 6410 Hollywood Blvd. for his contribution to radio.. He was a war correspondent who worked closely with Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Edward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
during WWII.
Early career
After graduating from Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1929 Brown left the United States for the Mediterranean and Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
s where he worked as a seaman. He eventually returned to the United States where he worked as a journalist at several small newspapers. By 1937 he was back in Europe working as a freelancer.
Career at CBS
CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
hired Brown in 1940 as their correspondent in Rome where he openly criticized the regime of Benito Mussolini. In 1941 the Italian government had enough of Brown's rhetoric and expelled him from the country. After his expulsion from Italy CBS sent Brown to Singapore. Dec. 1941, while Brown was in Singapore he was invited to go out on a mission on the British cruiser HMS Repulse
HMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
. The Repulse and the "Prince of Wales" were attacked by land based Japanese bomber aircraft and sunk. Brown narrowly escaped with his life. His experiences in his long journey and dealings with Italian, British and other censorship authorities led him to write Suez to Singapore which was published in 1942. His criticism of the British in Singapore caused him to have his "war corresponent's" credentials revoked and made him a persona non-grata. He narrowly escaped from Singapore before its fall to the Japanese. He was part of a larger group of reporters known as Murrow's Boys
Murrow's Boys
Murrow’s Boys, or “The Murrow Boys,” were the CBS broadcast journalists most closely associated with Edward R. Murrow during his years at the network, most notably the years before and during World War II....
.
In 1942 Brown resigned from CBS but continued to cover the war.
Career after CBS
After leaving CBS Brown covered the rest of the war at home, in the United States, for the Mutual Network. When WWII ended Brown continued to work in broadcast journalism as a correspondent for Mutual, NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. He retired from broadcasting in 1967 and went to work as a professor of communication arts at Cal Poly Pomona where he worked until he died.
Honors
- Overseas Press ClubOverseas Press ClubThe Overseas Press Club of America was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member...
: Best Reporter Award - 1941: Peabody AwardPeabody AwardThe George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for Outstanding Reporting of the News - JournalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Inducted Into The Warren City Schools Hall Of Fame In Ohio http://www.warrenschools.k12.oh.us/alumni_hall_of_fame.html