Walter Kiernan
Encyclopedia
Walter J. Kiernan was an American radio, television, and print journalist and author, as well as television game show
host during the early days of the medium.
and started The Town Crier newspaper of West Haven, Connecticut in 1930.
Kiernan was an Associated Press (AP) correspondent from 1928–29 and joined the now long since defunct International News Service (INS) as manager of its Hartford bureau in 1937. The following year he was moved to New York, serving until 1943 as a roving reporter and special assignment writer for INS, during which he spent a remarkable New Year's Eve with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on a train ride from the United States to Canada during World War II.
While a staff correspondent for the INS, Kiernan wrote the syndicated column Manhattan Side Streets which appeared in papers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Indiana and Texas. His column One Man's Opinion was also nationally syndicated by INS. In addition to his fascinating train ride with Winston Churchill, he had previously covered Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan
's return to New York, as well as the royal visit of King George VI and Queen Mary during their tour of the US in 1939. He also wrote a "Broadway
" column in the Dallas Times Herald
.
In 1942, he co-authored with another noted columnist, Damon Runyon
, The Life Story of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
As heard at The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television and Radio), Kiernan's animated reporting and analysis of V-E Day in 1945 remains one of the era's most stirring historical recordings. Walter Kiernan eventually hosted his own news analysis program, Kiernan's Korner, which ran throughout 1948 for ABC Radio. On ABC Radio in 1948 he had a chat program called That Reminds Me, with former New Jersey Governor Harold Hoffman and "Uncle Jim" Harkins. He had an ABC radio chat show in 1951 called Family Circle. Among his guests was Winston Churchill
's actress daughter Sarah.
Kiernan hosted several daytime chat and commentary programs on both radio and television throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, including Kiernan's Corner in 1948, Sparring Partners in 1949, What's the Story
from 1951 to 1953, Who Said That?
from 1951 to 1954, I've Got a Secret
in 1952, Who's the Boss in 1954, and Stroke of Fate historical retrospective (1952–1953) for NBC. After the relative success of Stroke of Fate, he began co-hosting NBC Radio's long-running news magazine, Monitor. Kiernan co-hosted Monitor from 1955 to 1960, when the program's format was dramatically changed.
A familiar baritone voice on New York radio for many years, Kiernan's commentary program on WOR Radio, One Man's Opinion, was heard daily, in addition to co-anchoring WOR-TV's local evening news. He was an early outspoken critic of United States policy in Vietnam, raising objections as early as 1965, and later covering the Paris peace talks.
Walter Kiernan was most remembered in political circles for his reporting of every national political convention from 1940 through 1972. Kiernan retired from journalism after covering the 1968 Republican Convention in Miami. Walter Kiernan died after a protracted struggle with cancer in 1978 at the age of 75.
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
host during the early days of the medium.
Career
Walter Kiernan began his career as a journalist in New Haven in the early 1920s as a feature writer for the Elm City (Conn.) Clarion and the New Haven (Conn.) Union. He was a writer and editor of the New Haven Register from 1926 to 1928. He wrote for The Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
and started The Town Crier newspaper of West Haven, Connecticut in 1930.
Kiernan was an Associated Press (AP) correspondent from 1928–29 and joined the now long since defunct International News Service (INS) as manager of its Hartford bureau in 1937. The following year he was moved to New York, serving until 1943 as a roving reporter and special assignment writer for INS, during which he spent a remarkable New Year's Eve with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on a train ride from the United States to Canada during World War II.
While a staff correspondent for the INS, Kiernan wrote the syndicated column Manhattan Side Streets which appeared in papers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Indiana and Texas. His column One Man's Opinion was also nationally syndicated by INS. In addition to his fascinating train ride with Winston Churchill, he had previously covered Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan
Douglas Corrigan
Douglas Corrigan was an American aviator born in Galveston, Texas. He was nicknamed "Wrong Way" in 1938. After a transcontinental flight from Long Beach, California, to New York, he flew from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, to Ireland, though his flight plan was filed to return to Long...
's return to New York, as well as the royal visit of King George VI and Queen Mary during their tour of the US in 1939. He also wrote a "Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
" column in the Dallas Times Herald
Dallas Times Herald
The Dallas Times Herald, founded in 1888 by a merger of the Dallas Times and the Dallas Herald, was once one of two major daily newspapers serving the Dallas, Texas area. It won three Pulitzer Prizes, all for photography, and two George Polk Awards, for local and regional reporting...
.
In 1942, he co-authored with another noted columnist, Damon Runyon
Damon Runyon
Alfred Damon Runyon was an American newspaperman and writer.He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. To New Yorkers of his generation, a "Damon Runyon character" evoked a distinctive social type from the...
, The Life Story of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
As heard at The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television and Radio), Kiernan's animated reporting and analysis of V-E Day in 1945 remains one of the era's most stirring historical recordings. Walter Kiernan eventually hosted his own news analysis program, Kiernan's Korner, which ran throughout 1948 for ABC Radio. On ABC Radio in 1948 he had a chat program called That Reminds Me, with former New Jersey Governor Harold Hoffman and "Uncle Jim" Harkins. He had an ABC radio chat show in 1951 called Family Circle. Among his guests was Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's actress daughter Sarah.
Kiernan hosted several daytime chat and commentary programs on both radio and television throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, including Kiernan's Corner in 1948, Sparring Partners in 1949, What's the Story
What's the Story
What's the Story was an American television game show broadcast on the DuMont Television Network from July 25, 1951 to September 23, 1955 and aired in eleven different timeslots....
from 1951 to 1953, Who Said That?
Who Said That?
Who Said That? is a 1947-55 NBC radio-television game show, in which a panel of celebrities attempts to determine the speaker of a quotation from recent news reports. The series was first proposed and edited by Fred W. Friendly, later of CBS News....
from 1951 to 1954, I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret is a panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show What's My Line?...
in 1952, Who's the Boss in 1954, and Stroke of Fate historical retrospective (1952–1953) for NBC. After the relative success of Stroke of Fate, he began co-hosting NBC Radio's long-running news magazine, Monitor. Kiernan co-hosted Monitor from 1955 to 1960, when the program's format was dramatically changed.
A familiar baritone voice on New York radio for many years, Kiernan's commentary program on WOR Radio, One Man's Opinion, was heard daily, in addition to co-anchoring WOR-TV's local evening news. He was an early outspoken critic of United States policy in Vietnam, raising objections as early as 1965, and later covering the Paris peace talks.
Walter Kiernan was most remembered in political circles for his reporting of every national political convention from 1940 through 1972. Kiernan retired from journalism after covering the 1968 Republican Convention in Miami. Walter Kiernan died after a protracted struggle with cancer in 1978 at the age of 75.