Larry Thompson (humorist)

Lawrence "Larry" Thompson

Larry Thompson at work at The Miami Herald, preparing his daily column for publication
Born November 20, 1911
Garrison, Kansas
Died February 18, 1973
Miami, Florida
Cause of death Emphysema
Monuments Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground (Miami Dade County, FL)
Other names "Scoop" Thompson
Education B.S. History
Alma mater Oklahoma State University
Occupation Newspaper Columnist; Newspaper reporter, author, public speaker
Years active 1928-1973
Employer The Miami Herald
Known for Humor column "Life With Larry Thompson," published daily in The Miami Herald for more than two decades.
Notable work Three books published by Wake-Brook House: Life With Caesar, Hogs Under My Bed and Life With Larry Thompson
Home town Stillwater, Oklahoma
Successor Dave Barry
Spouse(s) Penny Thompson
Awards Dale Carnegie Alumni Association Good Human Relations Award 1965; Florida Newspaper Hall of Fame

Lawrence "Larry" Thompson was an American humor columnist and newspaper reporter for 28 years with The Miami Herald, until his death in 1973.

Early Years

Thompson grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma,[1] where he began a newspaper career that would span almost a half-century.[2] After graduating from Oklahoma A. & M. College (now Oklahoma State University),[3] he worked on newspapers throughout the United States as a reporter, including the New York Herald Tribune.[4] In his early days, he was known as "Scoop" Thompson.[5] He came to work for The Miami Herald in 1945 as a general assignment reporter.[6]

Within a few years, Thompson was writing a daily humor column, called "Life With Larry Thompson," which ran in the Comics Section of The Miami Herald for more than two decades. Following his death, the Associated Press described Thompson's column as "down-home humor" that was "one of the first items read over morning coffee by hundreds of thousands of Herald subscribers." [7]

In 1953 Thompson married an aviatrix, Penny Rhodes, after interviewing her for a story about women pilots and her involvement promoting international women’s air races in South Florida.[8] On April Fool’s Day, 1954, they had twins, Carl and Evellen, receiving national publicity in Life Magazine.[9]

In 1965 the Dale Carnegie Alumni Association awarded Thompson the Good Human Relations Award.[10]

Author

Thompson wrote three books.[11] The first was about the family's Siamese cat, "Life With Caesar." [12][13][14][15] The second book was "Hogs Under My Bed" [16] which chronicled the family’s camping trip one summer through Florida, including one night when wild pigs slept under the Thompson’s tent trailer during a rain storm, hence the title.[17] The third book, "Life With Larry Thompson," [18] a collection of Thompson’s most popular columns, was published posthumously in 1975.[19]

Thompson's columns, especially tales of his family's cross-country camping trips each summer, were often reprinted in newspapers throughout America[20][21] and in the United States Congressional Record.[22]

Death and legacy

On February 18, 1973 at the age of 61, Thompson died [23] of emphysema. Thompson’s wife, Penny, died at 57 from acute leukemia in 1975.[24] The Metro Dade County Commission voted to name a 270-acre park/campground in their honor --- the Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park and Campground[25] located in Miami next to Zoo Miami. In 2012, son Carl Thompson donated Larry Thompson's typewriter used to write his columns along with photographs and other family memorabilia to the campground at the 35th anniversary of the park's dedication.[26] These are on permanent display in the campground office.[27] In 2015, Thompson was inducted into the Florida Newspaper Hall of Fame.[28]

References

  1. ↑ Manhattan Mercury, July 12, 1964, Pg. 6
  2. ↑ The Miami Herald, February 19, 1973, Pg. 1
  3. ↑ Oklahoma State Alumnus Magazine, September 1961
  4. ↑ Editor & Publisher Magazine, June 10, 1961
  5. ↑ Stillwater (Oklahoma) News-Press, June 4, 1961, Pg. 7
  6. ↑ The Miami Herald, Pg. 1, February 19, 1973
  7. ↑ Oxnard (California)Press Courier, Associated Press, February 19, 1973, Pg. 3
  8. ↑ The Miami Herald, "What Makes Thompson Tick?" May 5, 1957, Pg. 10-A
  9. ↑ Life Magazine, "Trying Time at Twins' Treat" April 18, 1955
  10. ↑ Stillwater (Oklahoma) News-Press, February 19, 1973
  11. ↑ Publisher: Wake-Brook House, Sanbornville, New Hampshire, later moved to Coral Gables, Florida.
  12. ↑ Los Angeles Examiner, June 18, 1961
  13. ↑ Library of Congress Catalog Card # 61-14143
  14. ↑ New York Herald Tribune, June 14, 1961, By Hy Gardner
  15. ↑ New York Times, June 1, 1961, "Books Today"
  16. ↑ Library of Congress Catalog # 63-15337
  17. ↑ Editor & Publisher Magazine, January 11, 1964, "Books in Review"
  18. ↑ ISBN O-87482-047-2
  19. ↑ Mt. Vernon Register-News, August 7, 1976, Pg. 8-A
  20. ↑ Charleston (West Virginia) Daily Mail, December 7, 1971, Pg. 10
  21. ↑ The North Adams (Massachusetts) Transcript, August 26, 1964, Pg. 20
  22. ↑ Congressional Record, February 23, 1966, Quoted by U.S. Rep. Claude Pepper
  23. ↑ Kansas City Star, February 19, 1973
  24. ↑ The Miami Herald, "Columnist's 'Good Wife' Penny Thompson, Is Dead" September 23, 1975, Pg. 1 Local News
  25. ↑ http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/larry-penny.asp
  26. ↑ http://www.communitynewspapers.com/kendall-gazette/son-marks-35th-anniversary-for-larry-and-penny-thompson-park/
  27. ↑ http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/releases/2013-11-21-larry-penny.asp
  28. ↑ Humor Columnist, Larry Thompson, Inducted into Florida Newspaper Hall of Fame at Editor and Publisher; published July 24, 2015; retrieved August 11, 2015
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