Life, love, lust and lunacies from the Sage of Topanga · The Chandlers Invent and Reinvent L.A.

They were the golden years at the Los Angeles Times under Otis Chandler. Staff members flew first class to cities across the country and sometimes around the world to gather news and features first hand. Editorial budgets were fat and reporters were eager to go where the stories were, vying for the front page’s favored Column One, set aside for original and innovative work, running down the left hand side of the page.

Ambitious and eager for self-aggrandizement, we were equally proud of what we did and what the Times had accomplished in shedding its old reputation of right wing, union-hating, race baiting rag to emerge as one of three great dailies in the country, alongside the New York Times and the Washington Post. It was a time of pride as well as profit, and we all knew that we were a part of something real and meaningful.

Like Camelot, magical kingdoms eventually turn to dusty memory, as the Times, now a shadow of what it was in the Otis Chandler era, struggles just to stay afloat, its advertising and circulation down, its staff pared to an almost skeletal size, observing the future of print journalism with concern and trepidation.

I was a part of that Golden Era as reporter, feature writer and eventually a columnist until last January when I too was downsized. And so I have a special interest in “Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times” from Angel City Press, which artfully parallels the growth of Los Angeles and the newspaper under three generations of the Chandlers. Based on the PBS documentary by Peter Jones, complete with more than 200 photos dating back to the 1800s, this is not only an important book but an exceptional book, laced together by ex-Timesman Bill Boyarsky’s faultless prose, the merger of a reporter’s terse observations and a columnist’s insights, jobs he held during 30 years at the Times, leaving as city editor in 2001.

The book isn’t just about Otis Chandler. It begins with Civil War veteran Gen. Harrison Gray Otis who joined the newspaper that was to become the Times in 1882, followed shortly thereafter by the first Chandler, Harry, who later became the General’s son in law. They were not only the founders of the Times but pitchmen for the city itself, seeing it grow almost overnight from a sleepy town of 12,000 to a metropolis of 320,000 in the 30 years from 1880 to 1910, and the growth never ended.

Virulently anti-union, the Times was bombed into debris and 21 employees killed in 1925 by what the General called “anarchic scum,” one of the many epithets employed in the free-wheeling Times by the man Boyarksy regards as “the old master of vitriol.” Two union men, brothers Jim and John McNamara, went to prison for the bombing, saved from execution by the wit and skill of celebrated defense attorney Clarence Darrow, whose fame would increase five years later in the Scopes “Monkey Trial.”

Norman Chandler followed Harry and while less bombastic than his predecessor still lobbied for those elements that would transform a village into a world class city. The Chandlers had gone all out for a deep water harbor, water for the San Fernando Valley and a general development of the urban areas, but their hucksterism included a less appealing side of them, and that was a campaign to sell L.A. to the world as “the White Spot.” Boyarsky points out that the phrase could be translated as a land of sunshine, but more likely was an appeal to those who preferred a city devoid of non-whites, a slogan that might have helped stoke the fires of brutal attacks on Chinese-Americans and Latinos, and later contributed to the hysteria that landed American citizens of Japanese descent into internment camps during World War II.

Otis Chandler followed Norman, and the newspaper that encouraged a neo-conservative agenda, racism and union-busting was a thing of the past. The Golden Age at the Times became the measured voice of a city which by now had achieved world class status, a power on the Pacific Rim that would not be denied. Those of us who were a part of the Golden Age cannot hope to see its likes again in today’s faltering fortunes of print journalism. Perhaps a sequel to this book would be not so much inventing L.A., but reinventing the Los Angeles Times.

Almtz13@aol.com

you were fortunate to live when your profession was experiencing a high.

Ah, for the glory days of the TIMES! That would include, at least in my personal cosmos, the writing of Al Martinez and Martin Bernheimer. And everything else is just gravy, but hey, REALLY GOOD gravy.

I loved the Los Angeles Times when it was published during the 1960’s and ’70’s - the editorial section with Conrad’s cartoon and the living section with it’s many columnists including Erma Bombeck. I enjoyed the wedding announcements, the parties and the Woman of the Year. When Otis Chandler took over religion bating disappeared. During the ’50’s Jehovah’s Witnesses were depicted as common criminals just because they refused blood transfusions. Then, in 1966, I was happy to see a feature story about some close friends of mine who went to Norway as special pioneers.

I’ve lived through the last two Chandlers and observed the Golden Age, and revere it as much as a reader and you people who created it. Looking forward to the full documentary.

I did watch the PBS special on the Chandlers. Your comment adds to the history beautifully. Thanks. Good luck with your writing class. I do take a autobiog. class at Emeritus College with a wonderful teacher, Mary Jane Roberts. You should read our Emeritus Chronicles book that we publish every year containing stories and poems by students from the two Saturday classes. (Available at Emeritus College office on 2nd Street, below Wilshire). Ellie Kane

Thanks for the latest blog. I was born and raised in LA and watched the PBS broadcast about the owners of the Times with great interest. This newspaper was my first reading (ok, it was the funnies).
The program was full of data but skipped one aspect which I remember–possible inaccurately?In the 30’s and 40’s, and possibly 50’s as well, the columns about the important citizens, the one who traveled, who got married, who were seen at the opera or some fancy restaurant, were only the well-to-do Catholics. I assume the family, with the many children, were of this religion. Even the preference was for the Catholic actors–Bing Crosby, Mc Laughlin, McHugh, etc etc. This reference was omitted.
I continue to write my novel, now nearly finished and would love your feedback. With your permission I may send you a synopsis and a few chapters for your opinion. the charge? Whatever, you are worth it.
Warm regards,
Claire P. Gordon

Still miss your columns in the Times, but enjoy seeing them occasionally in the Dail News. I subscribe to both papers and hate to see what is happening to all of them. Hope your daughter is doing well.

I watched this special on PBS and love knowing that you were part of the “golden age” of the times.

Love you, too! Please give Cinell a hug for me.

Grandma June in Orange

Hi, Al:
Good piece on the Chandlers and their paper.

However, there’s a mixup of dates you’ll want to fix in the graf beginning “Virulently anti-union. . .:

The bombing, as you know, occurred in 1910, not in 1925 (which was the year of the Scopes trial).

After fixing that, the end of the graf should read “whose fame would increase 14 years later” etc. (not five).

I look forward to reading this book. I’ve read the other one by Dennis McDougal, and found it good as well.
Indeed, the tale of the LA Times is sad, but it’s not the only paper that is on the wane and whose future is uncertain.

This weekend I was at Blog World Expo. It was interesting to see the mainstream media there in a defensive position, as they pondered how fast the news stream is changing. I think of all of them, CNN’s Don Lemon was the most defensive, and obviously overwhelmed by the multitude of bloggers. Jay Rosen from the NYU Jouno Dept. seemed more open to the blogosphere, and Hugh Hewitt was pretty much done with traditional journalism and already running with his show. Anyway, I’ve written about part of it over here on BlogCritics at War Wife Weekly. (And pardon he 2 mistakes in the final paragraph. Obviously, the editor was doing his job prior to his publishing it, and I had missed them completely before I hit “save.”)

Dear Al, I’m a third generation Californian and a second generation Times reader…I saw the review of this book Sunday and I sure will buy it! My sister lives and works in Lone Pine and the wonderful photo of Mulholland (John Huston, “Noah Cross” in ‘Chinatown’?) posed with Whitney and the Alabama Hills in the background is great! I sure will see “Amelia”! I had a distant relative who worked with Hughes during WWII on the “Spruce” Goose. Another pioneer here was builder Cliff May, a sixth generation Californian who gave us the Ranch style home. My parents built one in Riverside in 1953. By the way, I met the late Jack Smith years ago and he sure was interesting…finally, I worked in downtown San Diego in the late 60s and early 70s and I often drank after work in a classic dive bar next door to the old San Diego Union paper. There were many boozing reporters who would often grouse about the right wing slant of the paper. I think a marine general (Brute Krulak?) was a honcho there at the time. Also, I spent a few weekends at the defunct Elysium Field in Topanga years ago–clothing was optional with many attractive women…great times! Thanks, Sincerely, MBD

Your proposal of putting your writers’ workshop online sounds interesting. Please send more details as you have them. Keep up the good work, still miss seeing your column in the paper. Now that they feature a columnist everyday on P. 2, you would fill the bill perfectly.

Sylvia

Always enjoyed your writing, so please continue doing it……….Good luck on the new blog……..Morrie

Great, as always. Sure do miss you at the Times. I only get the Sunday now and stopped it for awhile because it just was not the same. But am getting it again and see how it goes.

at 92 I still print out and read whatever you send, as I did for the column year after year and bought the book of columns.

Thanks for all of it and keep the blogs coming. Pacemaker checkup says its good for five years but it can’t promise me anything!

My, my … I’ve been away too long, Al! Can you perk up my blog page? I’m mean considerin’ you’re a sage. Page/sage, get it?

Anyhow, I’ve been sittin’ all these long lonely months thinkin’, how come Al’s not blogin’? Huh? Whoops, lots of barding since “The McBush Interview” I see.

We all know that Cinelli views you with suspicion. Uncertainty? No, she’s certain. Now, Al is it necessary to announce this?

Apparently. I’m cool with it … Looks like I’ve got some reading to do. On-line class for real?

I’m curious about your writer’s workshop….I don’t feel worthy, but would love to be inspired by you and others. I’m in a small, Central Coast town where I’m sure there are others interested in writing, but I haven’t been able to coax them, or myself, out of the closet.

My husband forward’s your emails and I would prefer to receive them directly. Please add me to your mailing list.
Thanks,
Pamela

p.s. the only thing sadder than the scrawny morning Times is what passes as a paper in our small town…the Lompoc Record is often three pages plus advertising.

I have been a reader of Al’s for several years now. He has had to substitute for Jack Smith in the years since Jack has been gone. Chris Erskin occasionally has a good column, but he is no mach for Al. Al also answers your email, and we have had some good conversations over the years, so I am glad to see that he is back writing again.

I live in northern California, and I would love to be able to take his workshop, and maybe I will by email. We will see.

As for the reader commenting on the Lompoc Record, we have the Sacramento Bee, and it is the apex of a cow town paper. Here we are in the capital and no one reporter seems to be able to give us a capital report. The front page carries the high school sports scores, and a couple of local interest stories, what a joke. Well at least in this day and age, I can read the NY times.

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