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Little World of Elson Irwin |
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Elson Irwin - journalist |
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Elson Irwin's newspaper journey began in
Los Angeles in 1946 as a "fact gatherer" for United Press International (located
in the old L.A. Daily News building. A few months later, he was hired as an entertainment writer for the Hollywood Reporter.
Then why did he go to Tulare, California? His interests switched to sports and he became sports editor of the Tulare
Bee, owned by Fred Allen. (It was the money that made him make the switch.) At the time Bob Mathias, decathlon champion to-be,
was in high school and Dr Mathias (Bob's dad, was Elson's man-to-go- to for medical needs.)
Here is a rundown of newspapers where Irwin worked during his career. (There
were some he worked only few weeks which are not named.)
United Press International - L.A. 1946
Entertainment writer
Hollywood Reporter - L.A. - 1946
Entertainment writer
Tulare Bee - sports editor 1946
Bakersfield Press - asst. sports editor -
1948 = Covered Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500. also World Series
(Cleveland-Boston) in 1948Los Angeles Mirror - sports and entertainment
= Covered pro wrestling, burlesque, some news -was legman
phoning in quotes for the "Kathy Fiscus Story" on April 8, 1949 - 1948-50
Coral Island Breeze editor
Edited daily for Eniwetok Atoll during Atom bomb tests
- 1950 Watched two A-tests from 27 miles away on T-boat.
US Army 1951-1953
Counter Intelligence Corps - special agent (Korean War) - followed
Rosenberg suspect to Cuba (Baptista was in power).
L.A. Times - Entertainment
writer
Prompter Magazine - owned and edited theater
magazine which was distributed to many small and large theaters in L.A. area.
Bachelor Beat Magazine - free-lance writer
for horny magazine.
Herald-American newspapers
Edited both N. Long Beach and Downey papers/Columnist
Alhambra Post Advocate - reporter
Garden Grove Daily News - Reporter - Columnist
Santa Maria Times - 1958-60 - City editor - Columnist covered Robert Kennedy at Vandenberg AFB.
He covered more than 50 space shots in two years.
Arizona Journal - 1960-1965 = City Editor/Managing Editor/Columnist - "Little World"
Phoenix Times - 1965-1967 = Managing editor/Columnist
San Diego Union - 1967 = Copy editor
Pacific Stars and Stripes - 1967-1970 =
Entertainment editor/Columnist - "Down Front"
Billboard Magazine - Tokyo editor - 1967-1970
= Entertainment writer/Tokyo column
Copley News Service - Free-lancer = 1967-1970
San Diego Tribune = 1970-1990 = Copy editor/tennis writer/some entertainment writing
Drama-Logue - news mag covering drama scene in Southern California
Moonlighted for many firms while working for above newspapers
including CBS Sony in Tokyo, Japan
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Some interesting interviews by Elson Irwin included:
Frankie Laine Steve Allen
Tony Bennett Andy Williams
Benny Goodman Jack
Benny
George Burns Mel Torme
Danny Kaye Frank Sinatra
Charlie Byrd Anita O'Day
Earl Grant
Sammy Davis Jr
Bob Hope
Les Brown
Ann Margret Roosevelt Grier
Art Linkletter
Sen. Carl Hayden Sen.
Lyndon Johnson
Tony Martin
Cyd Charisse
Mort Sahl
Bob McGrath
The Monkees
Connie Mack
Bob Elson
and many many more....
Press conference for Tony Bennett in Tokyo. Bennett was in Tokyo for a series of concerts.
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| Elson with Tony Bennett - 1968 |
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| Tony Bennett in Tokyo - 1968 |
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| Bob McGrath in Tokyo |
From Pacific Stars and Stripes archives: Down Front: Bob McGrath, Tony Bennett 'live' in Tokyo By Elson Irwin, S&S Entertainment Editor Bob McGrath, a guy with a winning smile and a voice to match,
opens next Tuesday night at the Hilton Hotel's Star Hill Club. Meanwhile, Tony Bennett took the spotlight at Shibuya Hall
Tuesday night. McGrath, as I explained before (when he was here for the American Festival a few months back), is a kind of
rarity in this age of "soul," rhythm and blues and group sound. He stands right up there —
as clean as you please — and sings good old and new songs with a clear, tenor voice and by golly you can even understand
the lyrics! He figures to stay at the Hilton for three weeks and while in Japan he'll be cutting some new records for Sony/CBS.
When Bob left Japan the last time (this is his eighth visit to Tokyo), he circulated through some
of the military clubs in Hawaii and came off quite well. Then, he got another shot at the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson
in New York and that doesn't hurt a performer by any means. By now, everyone knows that McGrath "grew up" on the Mitch Miller sing-a-long show.
Several years ago, he decided to go out on his own and has been doing quite well as a single. His records sell quite well in Japan and he has a strong teenage
following here as well as fans from all age levels. The kids have formed Bob McGrath fan clubs throughout Japan and still
meet regularly. At the Hilton, he gets a chance to work with The Star Gazers, a small but excellent
group of musicians who seem to blend well with almost any style of performer. He'll sing one Japanese song to the accompaniment of "shakuhachi" music which must
come under the heading of "something different" for foreign entertainers. It is "Kojo no Tsuki" (Moon Over the Ruined Castle.) Bob now resides in Teaneck, New Jersey but is still an Illinois farm boy at heart.
He has never tried to shed his clean-cut image nor his straight-forward style. He is a handsome guy who should be making motion pictures. The Japanese companies
have missed a bet along these lines although he has been seen numerous times on television here. His present show at the Hilton will be many cuts higher than the usual Star Hill
fare. They have been coming on lately with a variety of Japanese girl singers who really don't make it, or other Japanese
acts which are merely aping American entertainers and who do a poor job of it. TONY BENNETT, the singer's singer, opened in Tokyo Tuesday night
at Shibuya Hall, and through an unfortunate happenstance did not have a huge crowd to welcome him. But Tony, the guy who made San Francisco into everybody's hometown, did a tremendous
job of selling that old soft stuff to insure successes from this point on. In conjunction with Tony's appearance here in Japan, Sony/CBS has released a fantastic
new album entitled "Tony Bennett Sings San Francisco," which should go into every Bennett fan's record cabinet. Tony is Mr. Cool himself and is at his best on the up-tempo numbers. Backing him
for his Tokyo appearances is Nobuo Hara and the Sharps and Flats, the band which scored a terrific success at the Newport
Jazz Festival a few years back. Bennett turns it on in spades. He is a guy who oozes show business. He cradles
up to a mike as if he is making love and undoubtedly he is. because every song he sings becomes his and becomes a standard
at the same time. He diversifies his program somewhat but you can expect to hear him do such tunes
as "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," "Love For Sale" and "I Want to Be Around to Pick Up the Pieces." As far as I'm concerned, Tony can do no wrong. ——— THE ANIMALS, a highly touted group sound gang failed to appear
in Tokyo as advertised, cancelling out with less than 24 hours to showtime, claiming to have mistakenly entered into a "double
contract." It seems they had a previously scheduled date in Los Angeles and "forgot" about
it. This sort of nonsense gives "overseas" talent a very bad name in Japan and I don't
blame the Japanese for starting to get turned off. The publicity had gone out, tickets were sold and even teenage fans
had made the trip to Kosei Nenkin hall in Shinjuku to get a glimpse of the r 'n' r group. When the notices went up outside
the hall explaining the fiasco, some of the girls asked for their train fare back. This kind of thing also gives Japanese
promoters fits because it isn't their fault when they nave to cancel. "The Animals" performance had been set up by the New
JBC, Inc. Now, they have to "foot the bill" for the blackout. JBC could have sued the group and received something like $50,000
to $60,000 in violation of contract fees, but graciously decided not to do so when the management for The Animals said the
group would come in November. But this sort of junk is right out of the "Cry Wolf" stories. Who is going to believe anyone
when they finally DO decide to come? It seems The Animals thought they could get out of the Los Angeles contract to appear
in Japan (where their records are sagging, incidentally) but at the last minute couldn't make the squeeze. Instead, the public
was "squeezed."
Pacific edition, Thursday, September 19, 1968
From the S&S archives:
DOWN FRONT:
By Elson Irwin
Entertainment Editor
Pacific Stars and Stripes
Saturday, October 5, 1968
Monkee fans twist and turn on bedlam at Budokan
 Katsuhiro Yokomura / ©Stars and Stripes The Monkees listen to a question at a Tokyo press conference in 1968. Left to right, Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Peter Tork.  Katsuhiro Yokomura / ©Stars and Stripes The Monkees pose for photographers.  Dave Dardzinski / ©Stars and Stripes Davy Jones, right, and Mike Nesmith of The Monkees at Tokyo's Budokan hall in October, 1968.  Dave Dardzinski / ©Stars and Stripes Mike Nesmith  Dave Dardzinski / ©Stars and Stripes Mickey Dolenz |
TOKYO — It was the rattle of 10,000 tin cans. It was the roar of a herd of elephants. It was an ear-splitting melange
of mass hysteria ... of waving kerchiefs, outstretched arms and the clanging of vocal chords. It was the Monkees. It was the zoo at feeding time. Some call it music; some call it entertainment. For most of the thousands of youngsters
who squeezed into the giant box at the Budokan Thursday night. It was "like wow!" They call it group sound. It was more like group mayhem. There they were — the four primates from America on their first excursion to Japan — Davey Jones, Peter Tork,
Mike Nesmith and Mickey Dolenz, perched high on a stage surrounded by a waterless moat and a five-foot wall. The Budokan seats 10,000 and it was nearly full (except for areas behind the stage) for both performances Thursday night. The Monkees were late in arriving — 25 minutes late to be exact — but the wave of Monkee fanatics merely groaned
its dissatisfaction at being stood up for so long. Sporadic screams of "We want Monkees" and individual cries for each member
of the quartet rose over the din of rustling miniskirts and the shuffle of feet. When they did arrive, it was bedlam. The group didn't disappoint the crowd. They began with "Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees," as if anyone thought differently.
And they continued through their repertoire of record hits with their amplifiers turned up so loud an earthquake was recorded
in Hokkaido by mistake. While the youngsters (and quite a few oldsters) exercised their lungs inside, a crowd of equal size was building up outside.
the long lines serpentining for blocks. Little Davey Jones is the "take charge" guy of the group, but each of the primates took his turn at the microphone to offer
specialty numbers. Davey sang, strutted and danced. Mike Nesmith, maintaining his dour expression, twanged away on lead guitar and sang a few folksy numbers. Mickey Dolenz
flailed away at the drums and screamed into a microphone. Peter, the bearded one, bounced, flounced and jumped around and,
at times, contributed some weird bleeps from the organ. Tork also contributed an electric banjo bit. Dolenz is the screamer, the wildest member of the group. His hair, a mop of black resembling a pom-pon. shot out in all
directions. Nesmith is the only one who never really loses his cool. He is the most serious student of music. although he admits "no
musicians ever buy his records." It wouldn't have mattered what The Monkees did. It was just the fact they were here that pleased the teen-agers. And there was no doubt they were here all right.
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| Elson and Cyd Charisse |
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| Elson and Andy Williams talk it over |
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| Elson with Art Linkletter 1969 - Tokyo |
Down Front:
The comedian is accompanied by an all-star troupe of entertainers
for this "Santa Tour." I am so pumped up over going with him and the troupe to Vietnam. Not that I am happy to
visit a war zone, but to be in the company of such a gang of stars is going to be fun. Cover-girl Raquel Welch, singers Barbara
McNair and Phil Crosby and Les Brown and His Band of Renown are among those in the troupe. Also "Miss World" Madeleine Hartog-Bel
(former Miss Peru) is with the group of entertainers. "Rocky," as some of us are now calling Miss Welch, the statuesque
brownette is currently running the gamut of all stateside magazine covers, and recently completed the motion picture "Bandolero"
not long before takeoff. She is already a world-wide symbol of American beauty although her career began only two years ago.
"Bandolero" marks her eighth motion picture. Barbara McNair is widely known for her recordings and her appearances
on such stateside television shows as "The Dean Martin Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Carol Burnett Show," and "Hollywood
Palace." She has also played a number of dramatic roles on television and has made the circuit as a top-flight nightclub entertainer. Phil Crosby, second of Bing Crosby's sons (or third, depending,
on whether Phil or his twin brother Dennis was born first) is a familiar face to servicemen in Southeast Asia where he has
appeared in USO and nightclub shows for the past two years.He has also performed throughout the U.S. He was a member of the
troupe which toured Greece, Turkey and the Middle East with Hope in 1963. Les Brown will be making his 16th trip with Hope this Christmas
(he missed one during the 17 years Hope has played the G.I. Santa).Brown, who organized his band back in 1940, can claim more
air miles of travel than any other organized band in the history of show business. One of his featured musicians, Butch Stone,
has been with the group since 1941. Hope's entertainment history goes back even further than he
would like to remember, but he started entertaining the troops in 1941, at California's March Field. During World War II and
the Korean conflict, he made many trips to overseas bases.He went to Berlin in 1948 at the request of the Air Force to put
on several shows for American servicemen involved in the airlift. In 1949, Bob packed a parka and left for Alaska at the
instigation of Brig. Gen. Frank Armstrong.By then, he was "hooked'' on the Christmas performing habit, so in 1950, he went
to the Pacific, in 1954 to Greenland, 1955 to England and Iceland, 1956 to Alaska, 1957 to the Orient, 1958 to the Azores,
North Africa, Iceland and Europe, 1959 to Alaska for the third time, 1960 to the Caribbean, 1961 to Newfoundland and Greenland.
1962 again to the Orient, 1963 to Africa, Turkey, Italy and the Greek Isles and 1964 to South Vietnam, Thailand. Guam, the
Philippines and Korea (where he performed during the Korean conflict).He actually remained on California soil from 1951 to
1953, but during those years he was entertaining troops stateside. Hope shrugs off compliments about his holiday treks for the
servicemen, saying that being away over the holidays is his way of not having "to send Christmas cards." But when he's pinned
down, he admits that "the GIs have done a lot more for me than I've ever done for them."His feelings about the conflict in
Vietnam have been stated, however in perfectly serious terms: "We are fighting a common enemy over there, more than the Viet
Cong. It's the Commies. That's our enemy. If we don't win there, we'll be fighting in Pomona." The total number of miles traveled by Hope during the past
26 years now exceeds 7 million. He has acquired two nicknames: "Roving Robert" and "Rapid Robert."Also touring Vietnam on
a separate junket is "Johnny Grant and Friends," a special USO show in association with the Hollywood Overseas Committee.The
validity of the Department of Defence precautionary measures in behalf of the troupe became sharply apparent two years ago.
Delayed when a crew member failed to complete loading of equipment until 20 minutes after the scheduled departure time, the
Hope troupe arrived at its destination in Saigon somewhat after they were expected. Twenty minutes prior to their arrival, the officers' barracks
across the street from their hotel was bombed.This past spring, a captured cache of Viet Cong documents, when translated,
revealed the Viet Cong member assigned to set-off the explosion was severely reprimanded for having missed his target —
Bob Hope. Two years ago, as the plane carrying the Hope troupe flew over
hotly disputed Vietnamese territory, loaded down with souvenirs the cast had picked tip during their stops at the various
bases, one of the actresses remarked to Hope: "What would happen if this plane had to ditch over enemy territory?"Hope glanced
around the plane nonchalantly, observing the trinkets stacked in the aisles and quipped: "Relax, honey, with all the souvenirs
we've got, we could hold 'em off for a month with ash trays alone."This will undoubtedly be a trip I will not soon forget.
The excitement always surrounds a trip like this, and I know the guys in Vietnam will appreciate a "touch of home."
Elson Irwin received thousands of letters a day from soldiers in Vietnam asking
every kind of question regarding entertainment celebrities. He attempted to answer every one in his daily column "Down
Front." 
Elson Irwin goes over his huge stack of mail as entertainment editor of Stars&Stripes - Pacific 
Passport Photo - 1967 From the Stars & Stripes archives:
'Ski-nosed Santa'
is back in Southeast Asia for laughs and some HopeBy Elson
Irwin
S&S staff writer
(Pacific edition, Sunday, December 17, 1967)
Bob Hope, the ski-nosed Santa Claus who saves all of his goodies for American troops
serving in the war zones, "tooled up" his sleigh and began winging across the sky yesterday on his way to Southeast Asia.For
the fourth consecutive Christmas, Hope will be in Vietnam. Thailand and Guam also are on the itinerary of the 17th annual
Yule tour lasting through Dec. 30.
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