WALTER WINCHELL

April 7, 1897

Walter Winchell was born in New York City, the son of immigrants. He left school in the sixth grade and started performing in vaudeville as a tap dancer.  Winchell served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He began his career in journalism by posting notes about his acting troupe on backstage bulletin boards. He was hired on June 10, 1929, by the New York Daily Mirror, where he became the author of the first syndicated gossip column, entitled On-Broadway. 

He made his radio debut on May 12, 1930 with a 15-minute feature that provided business news about Broadway. That same year he made his screen debut (based on his column) in the Warner Brothers short film The Bard of Broadway, in which he played himself. 

In 1933, he appeared as himself in Broadway Thru A Keyhole (aka Walter Winchell’s Broadway Thru a Keyhole), also featuring Lucille Ball. He was given a ‘story by’ credit on the film.  

“Hollywood is a place that must be seen to be disbelieved.” ~ Walter Winchell

His voice was heard in the 1949 Lucille Ball film Sorrowful Jones. His first time on the small screen was on “Damon Runyon Cancer Fund Telethon” in April 1950.  

In real life, Lucille Ball became pregnant in June 1950 and the lab doing the testing leaked the results to Winchell, who announced it immediately. Lucy and Desi heard it on the radio even before the doctor had time to call them. Sadly, Lucy miscarried the baby. 

In 1953, when Lucille Ball was accused of being a Communist, it was Walter Winchell who publicly named her. The FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover was said to rely upon information gathered by Winchell.  Despite this, Lucy and Desi knew the power of the press and kept Winchell as a ‘frienemy’. 

In “Lucy is Enceinte” (ILL S2;E10) in 1952, Ricky sings “We’re Having a Baby (My Baby and Me)” which included

the lyrics:

“You’ll read it in Winchell, that we’re adding a branch to our family tree.” 

As timely as the song is, especially considering Lucy’s miscarriage in 1950, it was actually written in 1941 for the Broadway musical Banjo Eyes by Vernon Duke, Harold Adamson and John La Touche. 

In “Ricky Has Labor Pains” (ILL S2;E14) in January 1953, Ricky reads a item in the paper that says that Lucy is ‘infanticipating’ (a euphemism for the forbidden word ‘pregnant’).

In 1957, Desilu produced “The Walter Winchell File” (1957-59) based on true crime stories that Winchell had reported.  

In 1959, Winchell was narrator of the “Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse” presentation of “Lepke” as well as the two-part pilot of “The Untouchables.” 

When “The Untouchables” went to series, Winchell remained as narrator, doing all 119 episodes over four seasons, although he never appeared on camera.

When Lucille Ball wanted to parody “The Untouchables” on “The Lucy Show” she enlisted most of the now-canceled show’s principal cast, including narrator Walter Winchell. The episode was titled “Lucy the Gun Moll” (TLS S4;E25) and aired March 14, 1966.

Winchell announced his retirement on February 5, 1969.

He was married to Rita Greene from 1919 to 1928. He never legally married June Magee, the mother of his children, because he had been introducing her as his wife for some time before the birth of their first child, Walda, and he did want anyone to know that Walda was illegitimate. He and June kept the secret all their lives. 

Walter Winchell died on February 20, 1972.

His son Walt Jr. committed suicide and his adopted daughter Gloria died of pneumonia. His daughter, Walda, who was mentally unbalanced, was the only person at his graveside when he died.