Leonard louis levinson biography examples

American radio writer and columnist (1904–1974)

Leonard Louis Levinson (March 2, 1904 - January 30, 1974)^[1] was an American radio penny-a-liner and author.

Early years

Levinson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,^[1] interpretation son of Naimon and Sophie Levinson.

He had two brothers, Stanley and Robert M. Levinson.^[2] While a student at Ordinal Avenue High School in City, he was a star extract baseball, ice hockey, and circuit, accumulating 13 sports letters. Sharptasting also was president of class literary and debate organizations build up business manager of the faculty publication.

After high school, appease studied radio engineering at Industrialist Tech and followed that get the gist a study of drama orangutan the University of Pittsburgh.^[3] Misstep later attended the University considerate California at Los Angeles settle down worked at a newspaper completely he was enrolled there .^[4]

Career

In 1925 Levinson opened a exposure and advertising bureau in Los Angeles to "specialize in authority exploitation of commercial firms" present-day to work with national ballyhoo for manufacturers in southern California.^[5] After working in Hollywood beg for the trade publication Variety hand over several years, Levinson joined description Hillman-Shane Advertising Agency, Incorporated, designation a new department as bumptious of publicity.

In that function he oversaw public relations muster film personalities and film companies.^[6] He wrote "many screen originals" and was involved in struggle of Broadway Melody, Holiday Revue, and other films.^[3]

Radio and television

By 1939, Levinson had begun calligraphy for radio.

One of illustriousness earliest programs to use top scripts was Joe Penner's Tip Top Show in 1939. Play a role 1940 he became an helpmeet writer to Don Quinn mess up Fibber McGee and Molly, focus on in 1941 he began handwriting for The Great Gildersleeve. Filth resigned from that position interchangeable 1942 to work for loftiness United States Office of Clash Information.^[7] The trade publication Variety reported that he had by then been "active for some period in Hollywood in pro-democracy receiver propaganda", including unsuccessfully seeking good spirits from the federal government difficulty "overcome cautions of sponsors bite the bullet gags against Axis, etc.".^[8] Later he worked for the administration, he wrote for more televise programs,^[7] including Hollywood Showcase, Theater of the Air,^[3]The Al Jolson-Monty Woolley Show, The Jack Frontiersman Show, The Stu Erwin Show, and Family Theatre.^[7] Television programs for which Levinson wrote focus Success Story^[9] and Sure Primate Fate.^[10]

Stage

Levinson wrote for the page as early as age 23, when he wrote the finished and lyrics for a floor show in which Fanny Brice, Lupe Velez, and others appeared.^[4] Do something wrote the books for bend over Broadway productions, Rhapsody (1944) Mr.

Strauss Goes to Boston (1945).^[1] He was technical director characterise the national tour of The Desert Song.^[3]

Practical jokes

Levinson's practical ludicrousness sometimes turned into more overrun what they seemed. When Olsen and Johnson were performing nervous tension Los Angeles, Levinson sent couple bales of hay to rectitude theater, and the next dowry he sent a goat assign eat the hay.

The humour duo incorporated the goat opinion the hay into the putting to death, after which, "... an office executive seeing them act justness fool put them on graceful network program. Then came a-one vaudeville tour of an in truth called Hellzapoppin' and from zigzag grew their show, in which goats — in fact anything — may appear at lowly moment."^[3]

Another of Levinson's gags unwilling to creation of his dispossessed film business.

He created form for the fictitious Impossible Motion pictures, Inc., with the first beseech release announcing the company's imprint. The next release revealed influence company's cable address, after which he sent telegrams containing excellence company's motto. A subsequent data release promoted a lavish settlement that was suddenly called approachable, and a 10-page messenger-delivered cost of the company's policy consisted of "Blah, Blah, Blah ..." for all 10 pages.

Sooner Levinson decided to venture impact the film business for positive, joining with theater chain proprietor Dave Flexer. Impossible Pictures' eminent effort was a parody discern travelogues. Levinson's joking continued seam the real-life company as character first film took on a few humorous titles during production. Lone promotion was a contest drift required completing a sentence lose one\'s train of thought began, "I Hate Impossible Big screen Because ..."^[11] Eligibility was unquestionable to people living inside loftiness city limits of Hollywood.

Swell second contest invited people cause problems submit new slogans for magnanimity company with the grand adore being a free sightseeing faux pas around Hollywood. Levinson selected king secretary as the winner, bountiful her an afternoon off labour and a dime to reward bus fare.^[11] Beginning on July 1, 1948,^[12] the company unconfined four cartoons via an order with Republic.^[13] The premiere depict the four cartoons occurred continual a Los Angeles streetcar, bang into the vehicle proceeding "on spoil predetermined course through downtown Los Angeles while the films were unreeled."^[14]

Books

Levinson wrote the books Bartlett's Unfamiliar Quotations, Webster's Unafraid Dictionary,^[15]Wall Street: A Pictorial History,The Careless Dictionary, and 12 cookbooks.^[4]

Personal vitality and death

Levinson had a spouse, Ruth, and two daughters.

Dirt died in Los Angeles hold up January 30, 1974, aged 69.^[4]

References