Irv Kupcinet
Encyclopedia
Irv Kupcinet was an American newspaper columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times
and a broadcast personality based in Chicago, Illinois. He was popularly known by the nickname "Kup".
His daily Kup's Column was launched in 1943 and remained a fixture in the Sun-Times for the next six decades.
. While attending high school, he became editor of the school newspaper and the senior class president. He eventually won a football scholarship to Northwestern University
, but a scuffle with another student led to his transferring to the University of North Dakota
. Upon graduating college, Kupcinet was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
in 1935.
His football career was cut short due to a shoulder injury, which led him to take a job as a sports writer for the Chicago Daily Times (now known as the Chicago Sun-Times) in 1935.
In 1952, Kupcinet became a pioneer in the television
talk show
genre when he landed his own talk show. In 1957, he was one of the set of hosts who replaced Steve Allen
on The Tonight Show
, before Jack Paar
was brought in to change the program's format. Kupcinet's own series ran from 1959 until 1986 and was, at one point, syndicated
to over 70 stations throughout the United States
. The series garnered 15 Emmy Award
s along with a Peabody Award
.
In addition to writing his newspaper column and talk show hosting duties, Kupcinet provided commentary for radio broadcasts of Chicago Bears
football games with Jack Brickhouse
(and popularizing the signature phrase, "Dat's right, Jack"). He made cameo appearances in two movies — 1959's
Anatomy of a Murder
and the 1962
drama Advise and Consent
.
In 1982, Kupcinet was elected to Chicago's Journalism Hall of Fame.
In 1988, Kupcinet published his autobiography
, Kup: A Man, an Era, a City.
in 1941, and a son, Jerry
in 1944.
The Kupcinets' daughter, Karyn, moved to Hollywood in the early 1960s to pursue an acting career. On November 30, 1963, Karyn's nude body was found in her West Hollywood
apartment. To date, her mysterious death, ruled to be a homicide by strangulation, as her hyoid bone
had been broken, has never been solved.
In 2001, Essee Kupcinet died after 62 years of marriage.
at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
, in Chicago. He was 91-years-old.
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
and a broadcast personality based in Chicago, Illinois. He was popularly known by the nickname "Kup".
His daily Kup's Column was launched in 1943 and remained a fixture in the Sun-Times for the next six decades.
Early life
Kupcinet was youngest of four children born to Russian immigrants in the North Lawndale section of ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. While attending high school, he became editor of the school newspaper and the senior class president. He eventually won a football scholarship to Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, but a scuffle with another student led to his transferring to the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
. Upon graduating college, Kupcinet was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1935.
His football career was cut short due to a shoulder injury, which led him to take a job as a sports writer for the Chicago Daily Times (now known as the Chicago Sun-Times) in 1935.
Career
While writing his sports column, Kupcinet also wrote a short "People" section which became officially known as "Kup's Column" in 1948 after The Chicago Sun and the Daily Times merged to form the Chicago Sun-Times. "Kup's Column" chronicled the nightlife of Chicago along with celebrity and political gossip. The column would eventually be distributed to more than 100 newspapers around the world.In 1952, Kupcinet became a pioneer in the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
genre when he landed his own talk show. In 1957, he was one of the set of hosts who replaced Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
, before Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
was brought in to change the program's format. Kupcinet's own series ran from 1959 until 1986 and was, at one point, syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
to over 70 stations throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The series garnered 15 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s along with a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
.
In addition to writing his newspaper column and talk show hosting duties, Kupcinet provided commentary for radio broadcasts of Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football games with Jack Brickhouse
Jack Brickhouse
John Beasley "Jack" Brickhouse was an American sportscaster. Known primarily for his play-by-play coverage of Chicago Cubs games on WGN-TV from 1948 to 1981, he received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983...
(and popularizing the signature phrase, "Dat's right, Jack"). He made cameo appearances in two movies — 1959's
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder is a 1959 American courtroom crime drama film. It was directed by Otto Preminger and adapted by Wendell Mayes from the best-selling novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under the pen name Robert Traver...
and the 1962
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
drama Advise and Consent
Advise and Consent (film)
Advise & Consent is a 1962 American motion picture based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Allen Drury, published in 1959. The movie was adapted for the screen by Wendell Mayes and was directed by Otto Preminger...
.
In 1982, Kupcinet was elected to Chicago's Journalism Hall of Fame.
In 1988, Kupcinet published his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Kup: A Man, an Era, a City.
Personal life
Kupcinet met Esther "Essee" Solomon while she was a Northwestern student, and married her in 1939. The couple would have two children; a daughter, KarynKaryn Kupcinet
Karyn Kupcinet was an American actress who was found dead at her West Hollywood, California home, in the days following the JFK assassination. It has been theorized that her death, officially ruled a homicide, was connected to the assassination or was the result of an accidental fall...
in 1941, and a son, Jerry
Jerry Kupcinet
Jerry Kupcinet is an American television director and producer. Kupcinet has directed shows such as 20/20, ABC’s Home Show, The Mother/Daughter Beauty Pageant, That's Incredible!, The Live Aid Concert, The Dating Game, The Richard Simmons Show, Entertainment Tonight and many others...
in 1944.
The Kupcinets' daughter, Karyn, moved to Hollywood in the early 1960s to pursue an acting career. On November 30, 1963, Karyn's nude body was found in her West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
apartment. To date, her mysterious death, ruled to be a homicide by strangulation, as her hyoid bone
Hyoid bone
The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. At rest, it lies at the level of the base of the mandible in the front and the third cervical vertebra behind.Unlike other bones, the hyoid is only distantly...
had been broken, has never been solved.
In 2001, Essee Kupcinet died after 62 years of marriage.
Death
On November 10, 2003, Kupcinet died from respiratory complications from pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the nation's preeminent academic medical centers and is the primary teaching hospital for Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. It is the second tallest hospital in the United States and the fourth tallest hospital in the world...
, in Chicago. He was 91-years-old.