Ted Thackrey
Encyclopedia
Theodore O. "Ted" Thackrey was an American
journalist and publisher, best known as the editor of the New York Post
in the 1940s, and the founder of the leftist New York City
newspaper
The Daily Compass
.
newspaper
PM
, published from June 1940 to June 22, 1948, and that paper's first successor, the New York Star, published from June 23, 1948, to January 28, 1949, Ted Thackrey founded The Daily Compass. Thackrey had been the features editor of the New York Post
before marrying Post owner Dorothy Schiff
in 1943, after which the two became co-publishers/co-editors. In 1948, he become solo publisher of the Post at the behest of his wife, leading to a disastrous three-month tenure in which major advertisers dropped the paper and Schiff returned to take over. Thackrey "left with a following of firebrand writers to start his own paper", buying the building and physical plant at which PM and the Star had been published, at Duane Street and Hudson Street
in Manhattan
. With private financing, he founded The Daily Compass as its publisher and president. The paper began publishing on May 16, 1949, and ceased publication in November 1952.
After The Daily Compass ceased publication, Thackrey joined the public relations
firm Ruder Finn
. In 1959, Thackrey and Goldstein testified at the U.S. Senate's "Hearings Before the Select Committee in Improper Activities on the Labor or Management Field", which investigated alleged improprieties by the newspaper deliverers union and forcible payoffs in order to ensure Compass distribution.
, whose stepmother was Dorothy Schiff
, later worked as a reporter for The Wichita Eagle
in Wichita, Kansas
, before joining the Los Angeles Examiner in the 1950s. He went on to the Los Angeles Times
in 1968, where he eventually became a rewrite man. He died in July 2001.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and publisher, best known as the editor of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
in the 1940s, and the founder of the leftist New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
The Daily Compass
The Daily Compass
The Daily Compass was an American leftist newspaper in New York City, New York, published from May 16, 1949 through November 1952. It is best known for its columns by the investigative journalist I. F...
.
Biography
Following the demise of the leftist New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
PM
PM (newspaper)
PM was a leftist New York City daily newspaper published by Ralph Ingersoll from June 1940 to June 1948 and bankrolled by the eccentric Chicago millionaire Marshall Field III....
, published from June 1940 to June 22, 1948, and that paper's first successor, the New York Star, published from June 23, 1948, to January 28, 1949, Ted Thackrey founded The Daily Compass. Thackrey had been the features editor of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
before marrying Post owner Dorothy Schiff
Dorothy Schiff
Dorothy Schiff was an owner and then publisher of the New York Post for nearly 40 years. She was a granddaughter of financier Jacob H. Schiff...
in 1943, after which the two became co-publishers/co-editors. In 1948, he become solo publisher of the Post at the behest of his wife, leading to a disastrous three-month tenure in which major advertisers dropped the paper and Schiff returned to take over. Thackrey "left with a following of firebrand writers to start his own paper", buying the building and physical plant at which PM and the Star had been published, at Duane Street and Hudson Street
Hudson Street (Manhattan)
Hudson Street is a north/south oriented street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Running from TriBeCa to Greenwich Village and through Hudson Square, Hudson Street has two distinct one-way traffic patterns that meet at Abingdon Square, at the street's intersection with Eighth Avenue and...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. With private financing, he founded The Daily Compass as its publisher and president. The paper began publishing on May 16, 1949, and ceased publication in November 1952.
After The Daily Compass ceased publication, Thackrey joined the public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm Ruder Finn
Ruder Finn
Ruder Finn is an United States public relations firm founded in 1948 by David Finn and William Ruder.Ruder Finn is a privately held, family-owned company that employs more than 600 people...
. In 1959, Thackrey and Goldstein testified at the U.S. Senate's "Hearings Before the Select Committee in Improper Activities on the Labor or Management Field", which investigated alleged improprieties by the newspaper deliverers union and forcible payoffs in order to ensure Compass distribution.
Family
His son, Ted Thackrey, Jr. (1918–2001), the editor, associate publisher and general manager of the New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, whose stepmother was Dorothy Schiff
Dorothy Schiff
Dorothy Schiff was an owner and then publisher of the New York Post for nearly 40 years. She was a granddaughter of financier Jacob H. Schiff...
, later worked as a reporter for The Wichita Eagle
The Wichita Eagle
The Wichita Eagle is a daily newspaper published in Wichita, Kansas. It is owned by The McClatchy Company, which publishes 31 other newspapers, including The Kansas City Star.It is the largest newspaper in Wichita, Kansas and the surrounding area....
in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, before joining the Los Angeles Examiner in the 1950s. He went on 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....
in 1968, where he eventually became a rewrite man. He died in July 2001.