John F. Osborne

John F. Osborne (March 15, 1907 – May 3, 1981)[1] was an American magazine editor and journalist.[2]

For others with this name, see John Osborne (disambiguation).

Background

He was born in Corinth, Mississippi.[2]

Career

Osborne wrote for the Memphis Commercial Appeal and the Associated Press before joining the National Recovery Administration, and then the Tennessee Valley Authority, as a U.S. government public relations officer during the Great Depression.[3]

He became an editor at Time–Life. In 1940, William Saroyan lists him among "contributing editors" at Time in the play, Love's Old Sweet Song.[4] Eventually, he became Time's London editor and then Far East editor (based in Hong Kong) in the 1950s.

After returning to the United States, he lived in Georgetown and in Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York.

He later became senior editor at New Republic.[2]

Awards

Osborne won the Polk Award for magazine journalism in 1973.[5]

His work landed him on the first Nixon's Enemies List, a limited master list of famous people that President Nixon considered his direct political opponents.[6][7]

Personal and death

He married twice. His widow, Gertrude (Trudi) McCullough Osborne, the daughter of an Indiana senator, was also a writer. She died in Washington, D.C. in 1994. She was the mother of his only child, John F. Osborne III (d. 2006) who was married to author Peggy Ann Osborne.

Works

He wrote "The Nixon Watch" column,[8][9] which was noted for its preoccupation with the relationship between Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger,[10] followed by "The White House Watch" column.[11]

In addition to his political books, he co-authored two Time-Life series books, one about Britain, the other about the Old South.

Known for his courtly manners, he had a slow drawl and a quiet demeanor, which belied his sharp political sense. While in Washington, D.C., he was a very respected member-some said the most respected by the other members—of The White House Press Corps.

References
  1. "John Osborne Dies; Editor at Magazine". New York Times. New York, NY. May 3, 1981. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  2. Lloyd, James B., ed. (2009). Lives of Mississippi Authors 1817-1967. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 356. ISBN 978-1-60473-411-9.
  3. "Deaths Elsewhere: John Osborne". Toledo Blade. Toledo, OH. May 13, 1981. p. 10. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  4. Saroyan, William (1940). Love's Old Sweet Song: A Play in Three Acts. Samuel French. p. 72. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  5. "Previous Award Winners". News & Events > George Polk Awards. Long Island University. 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  6. Axtell, Daniel G. (2011). "The First Enemies List". EnemiesList.info. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  7. Staff report (Jun 28, 1973). Lists of White House 'Enemies' and Memorandums Relating to Those Named. New York Times
  8. Osborne, John F. (September 17, 1971). The First Two Years of The Nixon Watch. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-87140-255-6.
  9. Osborne, John F. (1974). The fifth year of the Nixon watch. Liveright. ISBN 0-87140-582-2.
  10. Beisner, Robert L., ed. (2003). American foreign relations since 1600: a guide to the literature, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 1489. ISBN 1-57607-080-8.
  11. Osborne, John F. (1977). White House watch: The Ford years. New Republic Book Co. ISBN 0-915220-26-1.
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