Smith, Jack, 1916-1996

Smith was born on Aug. 27, 1916 in Long Beach, CA; attended Bakersfield College; copy editor, Honolulu advertiser, 1940-42; reporter for LA daily news (1946-49) and LA herald-express (1950-53); reporter and rewrite man (1953-58) and author of 'Jack Smith' column beginning in 1958 for LA times; published several collections of his columns, including Three coins in the birdbath (1965), Smith on wry; or, The art of coming through (1970), Jack Smith's LA (1980), and How to win a pullet surprise (1982); also wrote Alive in La La Land (1989); he died on Jan. 9, 1996 in LA.

Jack Clifford Smith, born August 27, 1916, in Long Beach, Calif., was a journalist and author who began his career in Bakersfield in 1937; he served in the USMC, 1944-1945. Smith was a reporter for several newspapers before coming to the Los Angeles Times as a reporter in 1953; he became a columnist in 1958 until his death on January 9, 1996. Smith is also the author of Three Coins in the Birdbath, 1965, Smith on Wry, 1970, God and Mr. Gomez, 1974, The Big Orange, 1976, Spend All Your Kisses, Mr. Smith, 1978, Jack Smith's L.A., 1980, How to Win a Pullet Surprise, 1982, Cats, Dogs, and Other Strangers at My Door, 1984, Alive in La La Land, 1989; a compilation of his columns, Eternally Yours, was published posthumously in 1996.

Smith married Denise Bresson in 1939 and they had two sons, Curtis B. Smith and Douglas F. Smith. They lived for many years in the Mt. Washington area of Los Angeles as well as in Baja, California.

Biography / Administrative History

Jack Clifford Smith, born August 27, 1916, in Long Beach, California, was a journalist and author who began his career in Bakersfield in 1937; he served in the USMC, 1944-1945. Smith was a reporter for several newspapers before coming to the Los Angeles Times as a reporter in 1953; he became a columnist in 1958 until his death on January 9, 1996. Smith is also the author of Three Coins in the Birdbath, 1965, Smith in Wry, 1970, God and Mr. Gomez, 1974, The Big Orange, 1976, Spend All Your Kisses, Mr. Smith, 1978, Jack Smith's L.A., 1980, How to Win a Pullet Surprise, 1982, Cats, Dogs, and Other Strangers at My Door, 1984, Alive in La La Land, 1989; a compilation of his columns, Eternally Yours, was published posthumously in 1996.

Smith married Denise Bresson in 1939 and they had two sons, Curtis B. Smith and Douglas F. Smith. They lived for many years in the Mt. Washington area of Los Angeles as well as in Baja, California.

Biography

Smith was born on August 27, 1916 in Long Beach, California; attended Bakersfield College; copy editor, Honolulu advertiser, 1940-42; reporter for LA daily news (1946-49) and Los Angeles herald-express (1950-53); reporter and rewrite man (1953-58) and author of “Jack Smith” column beginning in 1958 for Los Angeles times ; published several collections of his columns, including Three coins in the birdbath (1965), Smith on wry; or, The art of coming through (1970), Jack Smith's LA (1980), and How to win a pullet surprise (1982); also wrote Alive in La La Land (1989); he died on January 9, 1996 in Los Angeles.