By Barbara Falconer Newhall
An item in yesterday’s San Francisco Chronicle reminded me that I had a wonderful father-in-law — Scott Newhall.
Scott was fun to be with, and apparently he was also a fun guy to work with. That according to a San Francisco Chronicle column republished yesterday and originally published on November 2, 1992. The author was Herb Caen, San Francisco’s all-time favorite columnist.
Herb describes Scott as “my oldest friend on The Chronicle, my editor for 13 years, a man with . . . a sense that the mad world of journalism could be madly entertaining.”
Herb goes on to say that in 1952, when Scott took on the job as the paper’s editor, Scott gave the Chronicle “a jolt in every joint. He was not afraid of being silly — “Cupcakes in The Sky” was the Page One headline on a series about airline hostesses — nor was he afraid of being a crusader: thanks to him, The Chronicle was the first major U.S. newspaper to oppose the war in Vietnam.”
Scott Newhall’s years, says Herb, “were much too short and went too fast, but he made them unforgettable.”
So true. We miss you, Scott.
More family stories at “Would My Husband Like to Add My Name to His?” Also, “Something Old — Ten Ideas, Old and New, From a Mother of the Bride.”
Thanks, Barbara, for this anecdote, Herb Caen was a good friend of Scott’s and was himself a legend and a gentleman.
I read Herb’s column every morning. Made me feel like a San Franciscan. Another columnist “created” by Scott was Count Marco, the bane of my and every other local feminist’s existence. It took me a while to realize The Count was all a big put-on designed to raise the hackles of folks like me. Not sure The Count knew he was kidding, however.
Everyone read Herb Caen back then. Three dot journalism… that’s what he called it. I was beyond thrilled one day to be mentioned in his column for rabble-rousing about the cafeteria food at King Jr High in Berkeley.
I wonder how the King JH cafeteria fare is faring these days . . .
Agreed! Great that the Chronicle is still remembering him.