Oral Histories

Interview of Arnold B. Larson

Reporter and publicist. Publicity director for the United Seamen's Service.
Subtitle:
Newspaper Reporting in the Twenties: Reflections
Series:
Interviews not in a series, part one
Topic:
Journalism
Biographical Note:
Reporter and publicist. Publicity director for the United Seamen's Service.
Interviewer:
Dixon, Elizabeth I.
Interviewee:
Larson, Arnold B.
Place Conducted:
Larson's home in Manhattan Beach, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Elizabeth I. Dixon, Head, UCLA Oral History Program; B.A., International Relations, USC; M.L.S., Library Service, UCLA.
Processing of Interview:
Editing of the verbatim transcript of the interview was completed by Jack Vaughn in September 1968. The transcript was edited to obtain correct punctuation, paragraphing, and spelling. Slight changes were made In syntax and grammar as required. Personal and corporate names were verified by the editor or by the interviewee at the time of his review. The transcript was reviewed by the interviewee and returned to the Oral History Program on October 30, 1969. Larson made extensive corrections and changes. The material contained in the final manuscript is in the order in which it was spoken on the tape. When the editor has added words or phrases not actually spoken by the interviewee on the tape, they have been bracketed, except in the case of short connective words.The index was prepared by Melanie Rangno, UCLA Oral History Program.
Length:
11 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Abstract:
Known as "Wolf" Larson; growing up in Cedar Rapids, Denver, Omaha, and Cheyenne; influence of high school English teacher; scholarship to Dartmouth College; service in merchant marine, 1920; early job experiences in Wyoming, 1920-25; reporter, Los Angeles Record, 1925-26, Evening Herald, 1926-29, and Los Angeles City News Service, 1929; Robert W. Kenny as reporter on Record; Gilbert Brown and tendency of radicals to become reactionaries; communists, 1930s and 1940s; new Hearst building for Evening Herald; working the criminal courts beat; Judge Charles S. Burnell and "Famous Case of the Thirty-Two Reversible Errors"; Gilmore Millen at Evening Herald; Aimee Semple McPherson case; Charles Crawford case; Reuben Borough on Record staff; indictment of Asa Keyes; conditions of work for reporters; San Francisquito dam disaster; employment on Chicago Herald-Examiner, 1929, and Chicago bureau of United Press, 1929-31; Clarence Darrow; Samuel Insull; Jake Lingle and other gangsters; struggle with tuberculosis, 1931-35; work as publicist in Los Angeles until 1959; reminiscences of Los Angeles during Frank Shaw regime, Chicago during Depression, and Long Beach earthquake of 1933.