Edgar Vincent Durling (1893–1957), usually known as E. V. Durling, was one of the first journalists to cover the Hollywood motion picture industry and later became a nationally
syndicated newspaper
columnist
A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (newspaper), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the fo ...
in the United States, with his column "On the Side".
["E.V. Durling, Former Times Columnist, Dies", Associated Press, ''Los Angeles Times'', September 14, 1957, page 3]
''Access to this link requires the use of a library card.''
Biography
Durling was born in
Manhattan, New York City
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...
, on July 24, 1893, and moved to
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
with his family at the age of seven. He attended
Phillips Andover Academy
("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness
, address = 180 Main Street
, city = Andover
, state = Ma ...
in Massachusetts, where he played baseball and football, and graduated from
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...
in Connecticut. He began work as a journalist while still at Wesleyan, as a correspondent for the ''
Springfield Republican
''The Republican'' is a newspaper based in Springfield, Massachusetts covering news in the Greater Springfield area, as well as national news and pieces from Boston, Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester and northern Connecticut. It is owned by ...
'' in Massachusetts. He was the Pacific Coast
correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...
of the ''New York Morning Telegraph'' from 1915 to 1918, thus becoming one of the first Hollywood reporters. He was in the
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, then worked for the ''
New York Evening Globe'' and the ''
New York Herald
The ''New York Herald'' was a large-distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between 1835 and 1924. At that point it was acquired by its smaller rival the ''New-York Tribune'' to form the '' New York Herald Tribune''.
His ...
.'' In 1924 he left
journalism
Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
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
The ''Daily News'' (originally the ''Illustrated Daily News'') was a newspaper published in Los Angeles from 1923 to 1954. It was founded in 1923 by Cornelius Vanderbilt IV and bought by Manchester Boddy who operated it through most of its exis ...
,''[ where his column was called "Town Talk." He moved to the '']Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' 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, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...
to write for national distribution.["On the Side: Announcement," ''Los Angeles Times,'' November 20, 1939, page A-1]
''Access to this link requires the use of a library card.''
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.[
]
Partial filmography
*'' Almost Married'' (1919)
*'' Forbidden'' (1919)
* '' Reported Missing'' (1922)
*'' Manhattan Madness'' (1925)
*'' Mickey's Eleven'' (1927)
*''Mickey's Movies
''Mickey's Movies'' is a 1928 silent short film in Larry Darmour's '' Mickey McGuire'' series starring a young Mickey Rooney. Directed by Albert Herman, the two-reel short was released to theaters on September 2, 1928 by FBO.
Plot
Excitemen ...
'' (1928)
*''Mickey's Champs
''Mickey's Champs'' is a 1930 short film in Larry Darmour's '' Mickey McGuire'' series starring a young Mickey Rooney. Directed by Albert Herman, the two-reel short was released to theaters on February 2, 1930 by RKO.
Plot
Mickey and the Gang ...
'' (1930)
* ''Air Eagles
''Air Eagles'' is a 1931 American pre-Code action film starring Lloyd Hughes, Norman Kerry, and Shirley Grey.Pitts, p. 134
Cast
* Lloyd Hughes as Bill Ramsey
* Norman Kerry as Otto Schumann
* Shirley Grey as Eve
* Berton Churchill as Windy ...
'' (1931)
See also
* List of newspaper columnists
This is a list of notable newspaper columnists. It does not include magazine or electronic columnists.
English-language
Australia
* Phillip Adams (born 1939), ''The Australian''
* Piers Akerman (born 1950), ''The Daily Telegraph''
* Janet Al ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durling, E.V.
Wesleyan University alumni
American newspaper journalists
1957 deaths
1893 births