E.V. Durling
Encyclopedia
E.V. Durling was one of the first journalists to cover the Hollywood motion picture industry and later became a nationally syndicated
newspaper columnist
in the United States, with his column "On the Side."
Durling was born in Manhattan, New York City, on July 24, 1893, and moved to Brooklyn
with his family at the age of seven. He attended Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts, where he played baseball and football, and graduated from Wesleyan University
in Connecticut. He began work as a journalist while still at Wesleyan, as a correspondent for the Springfield Republican
in Massachusetts. He was the Pacific Coast correspondent
of the New York Morning Telegraph from 1915 to 1918, thus becoming one of the first Hollywood reporters. He was in the Coast Guard during World War I, then worked for the New York Evening Globe and the New York Herald
. In 1924 he left journalism
briefly to head the writing department of a Hollywood comedy studio. In 1925 he was general manager of the Fine Arts Motion Picture Company.
He returned to journalism in 1931 as a columnist on the Los Angeles Express
and then moved to the Los Angeles Illustrated Daily News
, where his column was called "Town Talk." He moved to the Los Angeles Times
on February 16, 1936; his new column, "On the Side" (on the left side of the first page of the local section) was welcomed as a "whimsical, good-natured and slyly philosophical outlook on life." He left the Times in November 1939 when he received an offer from King Features Syndicate
to write for national distribution.
Durling died in New York City on September 13, 1957, at the age of sixty-four. He was survived by his wife, Joan Marie Durling.
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
newspaper columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
in the United States, with his column "On the Side."
Durling was born in Manhattan, New York City, on July 24, 1893, and moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
with his family at the age of seven. He attended Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts, where he played baseball and football, and graduated from Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in Connecticut. He began work as a journalist while still at Wesleyan, as a correspondent for the Springfield Republican
Springfield Republican
The Republican is a newspaper based in Springfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Newhouse Newspapers, a division of Advance Publications. It played important roles in the United States Republican Party's founding, Charles Dow's career, and the invention of the pronoun "Ms."-Beginning:Established...
in Massachusetts. He was the Pacific Coast correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
of the New York Morning Telegraph from 1915 to 1918, thus becoming one of the first Hollywood reporters. He was in the Coast Guard during World War I, then worked for the New York Evening Globe and the New York Herald
New York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
. In 1924 he left journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
briefly to head the writing department of a Hollywood comedy studio. In 1925 he was general manager of the Fine Arts Motion Picture Company.
He returned to journalism in 1931 as a columnist on the Los Angeles Express
Los Angeles Express
The Los Angeles Express was a team in the United States Football League based in Los Angeles, California. Playing at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Express competed in all three of the USFL seasons played, 1983-1985.-Pre-history:...
and then moved to the Los Angeles Illustrated Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News (historic)
The Los Angeles Daily News , often referred to simply as the Daily News, was a newspaper published from 1923 to 1954. It was operated through most of its existence by Manchester Boddy...
, where his column was called "Town Talk." He moved to the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
on February 16, 1936; his new column, "On the Side" (on the left side of the first page of the local section) was welcomed as a "whimsical, good-natured and slyly philosophical outlook on life." He left the Times in November 1939 when he received an offer from King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
to write for national distribution.
Durling died in New York City on September 13, 1957, at the age of sixty-four. He was survived by his wife, Joan Marie Durling.