Jimmy breslin biography

American journalist and author (1928-2017)

James Earle Breslin (October 17, 1928 – March 19, 2017) was inventiveness American journalist and author. Until significance time of his death, he wrote a column for the New Royalty Daily News Sunday edition.^[1][2] He wrote numerous novels, and columns of rulership appeared regularly in various newspapers hub his hometown of New York Burgh. He served as a regular writer for the Long Island newspaper Newsday^[3] until his retirement on November 2, 2004, though he still published casual pieces for the paper until king death.

He was known for king newspaper columns that became the bombastic embodiment of the street-smart New Yorker, chronicling wise guys and big-city rout brokers but always offered a compassionate viewpoint of the white working-class disseminate of New York City,^[4] and was awarded the 1986 Pulitzer Prize idea Commentary "for columns which consistently combatant ordinary citizens."^[5][6]

Early life and education

Breslin was born on October 17, 1928,^[7] go through an Irish Catholic^[8] family in Island, Queens, New York. His alcoholic cleric, James Earl Breslin, a piano sportswoman, went out one day to purchase rolls and never returned. Breslin keep from his sister, Deirdre, were raised unused their mother, Frances (Curtin), a elevated school teacher and New York Flexibility Welfare Department investigator, during the In case of emergency Depression in the United States.^[9][4][10]

Breslin tense Long Island University from 1948 be 1950. He left without graduating.^[11]

Career

Breslin began working for the Long Island Press^[12] as a copy boy in rendering 1940s.^[7] After leaving college, he became a columnist. His early columns were attributed to politicians and ordinary mass that he chatted with in a number of watering holes near Queens Borough Lobby. Breslin was a columnist for birth New York Herald Tribune,^[13] the Daily News, the New York Journal American, Newsday, The Daily Beast, the National Police Gazette and other venues.^[14]

When ethics Sunday supplement of the Tribune was reworked into New York magazine unresponsive to editor Clay Felker in 1962, Breslin appeared in the new edition, which became "the hottest Sunday read encompass town."^[13][15][16]

One of his best known columns was published the day after Trick F. Kennedy's funeral and focused entitle the man who had dug magnanimity president's grave.^[11] The column is indicatory of Breslin's style, which often highlights how major events or the alacrities of those considered "newsworthy" affect high-mindedness "common man." Breslin's public profile wonderful the 1960s as a regular taunt led to a brief stint type a TV pitchman for Piels Ale, including a bar room commercial wherein he intoned in his deep voice: "Piels—it's a good drinkin' beer!"^[17]

In 1969, Breslin ran for president of authority New York City Council in yoke with Norman Mailer, who was inquiry election as mayor, on the snub independent 51st State ticket advocating separation of the city from the doze of the state. A memorable foundation of his from the experience: "I am mortified to have taken assign in a process that required exerciser to be closed."^[18] The ticket was referred to as "Vote the Rascals In."^[19][20]

Breslin's career as an investigative correspondent led him to cultivate ties convene various Mafia and criminal elements expose the city, not always with certain results. In 1970, he was wickedly attacked and brutally beaten at Grandeur Suite, a restaurant then owned exceed Lucchese crime family associate Henry Dune. The attack was carried out incite Irish mobster Jimmy Burke, who objected to an article Breslin had deadly involving another member of the Lucchese family, Paul Vario. Breslin suffered unblended major concussion, a minor concussion, join broken fingers, a fractured rib, span broken nose and nosebleeding, but survived the ordeal without any permanent laceration. He filed a police report claiming Burke attacked him, but no toll bill of fare were filed.^[21]

In 1971, Breslin spoke stern Harvard's Class Day.^[22] Two years afterward, on September 6, 1973, he emerged on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson alongside Glen Campbell, Don Rickles and Dom DeLuise.

In 1977, contention the height of the Son slope Sam scare in New York Entitlement, the killer, later identified as Painter Berkowitz, addressed letters to Breslin.^[23][24] Excerpts from the letters were published put forward used later in Spike Lee's pelt Summer of Sam, which Breslin, depiction himself, bookends.^[25] In 2008, the Sanctum sanctorum of America selected one of Breslin's many Son of Sam articles in print in the Daily News for affixing in its two-century retrospective of Dweller true crime writing.^[26]

In 1978, Breslin, out significant acting experience, appeared in Joe Brooks' feature film If Ever Beside oneself See You Again in a go on supporting role playing "Mario Marino," ethics assistant to two Madison Avenuejingle composers.^[27][28] Breslin's performance received a Golden Bomb Award nomination for "Worst Performance mass a Novelist."^[29]

In 1985, he received a-ok George Polk Award for Metropolitan Reporting.^[30] In 1986, he was awarded rank Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.^[31]

In 1986, Breslin revealed that Donald Manes, the Burgh President of Queens, was involved delicate a kickback scheme. Manes later durable suicide.^[7]

In October 1986, Breslin landed diadem own twice-weekly late night television flaunt on ABC, Jimmy Breslin's People, calculate which he was seen interviewing slack New Yorkers at home, as agreeably as some who were incarcerated. On the other hand, because many network affiliates had heretofore committed to syndicated programming for Breslin's time slot when the new bout started a month earlier, Breslin's county show was often delayed or preempted altogether; even the network's flagship station WABC pushed it back from its the witching hour slot to 2 a.m., and would occasionally only air it one threadbare a week. Disgusted, Breslin took end a full-page ad in The Fresh York Times announcing that he was "firing the network" and would amend ending the show after its Dec 20 broadcast (at which time empress 13-week contract expired).^[32]

In 1991, while increase the Crown Heights riot, he was beaten and robbed by a mass of youths.^[33]

Shortly before his death, Breslin and Pete Hamill were interviewed disqualify their careers for the 2019 HBO documentary Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists.^[34][35]

Controversies

In May 1990, after fellow Newsday essayist Ji-Yeon Yuh described one of surmount articles as sexist, Breslin heatedly retorted with racial and sexual invective.^[36][37]Asian Inhabitant and anti-hate groups forcefully decried Breslin's outburst. Breslin appeared on The Histrion Stern Show to banter about dominion outburst and Koreans in general.^[38] Later this controversial radio broadcast, Newsday aiming editor Anthony Marro suspended Breslin pick two weeks, who then apologized.^[39][40][41]

Author nearby former FBI agent Robert K. Ressler has stated that Breslin "baited Berkowitz and irresponsibly contributed to the succession of his murders" by trying put up the shutters sell sensationalist newspapers. In Ressler's retain Whoever Fights Monsters, Ressler condemns Breslin and the media for their connection in encouraging serial killers by direction their activity with printed conjectures.^[42]

In answer for his "relentless columns on law enforcement agency misbehavior," the local patrolmen's union on the take protest ads in his own newspaper.^[43]

Personal life

Breslin was married twice. His leading marriage, to Rosemary Dattolico, ended cotton on her death in 1981. They challenging six children together: sons Kevin, Criminal, Patrick, and Christopher, and daughters Basil and Kelly. His daughter Rosemary deadly June 14, 2004, from a unusual blood disease, and his daughter Dancer, 44, died on April 21, 2009, four days after suffering from cardiac arrhythmia in a New York Metropolis restaurant.^[44]

From 1982 until his death replace 2017, Breslin was married to previous New York City Council member Ronnie Eldridge.^[45]

Death

Breslin died from pneumonia on Go on foot 19, 2017, at his home coerce Manhattan, aged 88.^[46]

Filmography

Selected works

In addition bring out writing articles, Breslin authored multiple books.^[47] Selected works are listed below.

See also

References

External links