Joe Knowland
Encyclopedia
Joseph William Knowland (born 1930) is an actor
from Oakland, California
. Knowland gained recognition as the editor and publisher of The Oakland Tribune
newspaper, as did his father William F. Knowland
and his grandfather Joseph R. Knowland
before him. Knowland has acted in four feature film
s, a short film, three made-for-TV movies
and two television episodes. In his acting career, Knowland has billed himself as "Joe Knowland" since 1983. 'Joe' is the nickname formerly used by his grandfather.
on July 26, 1930, the second of three children born to William F. Knowland and Helen (née Herrick) Knowland, and the only son. Knowland was raised in Piedmont
, a prosperous city surrounded by Oakland. In 1953, Knowland graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
. His two Bachelor of Arts
degrees covered the subjects of 'Speech' as well as 'Communications and Public Policy', a political science major
.
reported in 1963 that a "jet-setty Joseph W. Knowland" had set himself up in a luxurious office with a bar, refrigerator and television, and an expensive walnut desk grander than the dingy ones used by other Tribune staffers. One employee was reported as complaining, "It's like something out of Playboy." An industry veteran would later describe Knowland-the-publisher as "charming but ineffectual." In 1966, Knowland's grandfather died, leaving The Oakland Tribune newspaper to Knowland's father, the former United States Senator. Knowland was named the vice president and general manager of the paper. In 1974, a hundred years after the founding of the newspaper, and following the suicide of his father, Knowland became editor and publisher. He earned the "Publisher of the Year" award from the California Press Association just one year later.
. At the age of 47, Knowland left the firm to embark on an acting and modeling career. Knowland modeled for print advertisements and appeared in television commercials. Knowland's first feature film role was as a prison guard in Escape from Alcatraz
, released in 1979. Knowland changed from billing himself as "Joseph Knowland" to "Joe Knowland" in 1983, with one television episode in 1986 reverting to using the name "Joseph Knowland" in the credits. Knowland's most recent film was the half-hour short subject San Francisco: The Movie, in which Knowland was featured in the only credited role, the Old Sea Captain.
was lumber and shipping; he gained political power from the amassing of wealth. His grandfather Joseph Russell "J.R." Knowland
served in the California State Legislature
1899–1904 and the United States House of Representatives
1904–1915. Upon leaving elected office, the elder "Joe" Knowland acquired The Oakland Tribune, at the time the third-ranking newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area
, and used it to shape regional political opinion. Knowland's father William F. Knowland
served in the California State Legislature, then was appointed to the United States Senate
in 1945, and reelected twice, serving first as Senate Majority Leader, then as Senate Minority Leader
. The Knowland family built far-reaching political ties.
Steeped in the powerful and politically conservative tradition of his forefathers, Knowland ran for U.S. Senator
in 1986, but in the primary election
received only 1.81% of the vote against a large field of 12 other Republican
candidates dominated by Bruce Herschensohn
and the eventual winner, Ed Zschau
. In the subsequent general election
, Zschau lost to incumbent Alan Cranston
in a narrow race. After that experience, Knowland never again ran for elected office.
. In 2006, veteran columnist
Gerald Nachman observed that, in the 1970s, Knowland's heart was in performing onstage at the Bohemian Club
, not in publishing a newspaper. In October 1982, Knowland played two characters, archenemy supervillain Professor Moriarty
and elder brother Mycroft Holmes
, in a Bohemian Club production entitled An Appointment with Sherlock Holmes.
wife, Dee Knowland, have been active in Oakland; both led the push in 1972–1973 to gain funding for the restoration of the city's Art Deco
masterpiece, the Paramount Theatre, an effort that resulted in the building being designated a National Historic Landmark
. The couple lived in Piedmont for 25 years, then in 1988 moved to the Upper Rockridge neighborhood of the so-called Oakland Hills
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
from Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. Knowland gained recognition as the editor and publisher of The Oakland Tribune
The Oakland Tribune
The Oakland Tribune is a daily newspaper published in Oakland, California, by the Bay Area News Group , a subsidiary of MediaNews Group...
newspaper, as did his father William F. Knowland
William F. Knowland
William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, and as Minority Leader from 1955-1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for...
and his grandfather Joseph R. Knowland
Joseph R. Knowland
Joseph Russell Knowland was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F...
before him. Knowland has acted in four feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s, a short film, three made-for-TV movies
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
and two television episodes. In his acting career, Knowland has billed himself as "Joe Knowland" since 1983. 'Joe' is the nickname formerly used by his grandfather.
Early life
Knowland was born in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
on July 26, 1930, the second of three children born to William F. Knowland and Helen (née Herrick) Knowland, and the only son. Knowland was raised in Piedmont
Piedmont, California
Piedmont is a small, affluent city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is surrounded by the city of Oakland. The population was 10,667 at the 2010 census. Piedmont was incorporated in 1907 and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s...
, a prosperous city surrounded by Oakland. In 1953, Knowland graduated from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. His two Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees covered the subjects of 'Speech' as well as 'Communications and Public Policy', a political science major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
.
The Oakland Tribune
Knowland joined the The Oakland Tribune in 1954 as a cub reporter, and trained in all aspects of running the enterprise. A magazine article in TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
reported in 1963 that a "jet-setty Joseph W. Knowland" had set himself up in a luxurious office with a bar, refrigerator and television, and an expensive walnut desk grander than the dingy ones used by other Tribune staffers. One employee was reported as complaining, "It's like something out of Playboy." An industry veteran would later describe Knowland-the-publisher as "charming but ineffectual." In 1966, Knowland's grandfather died, leaving The Oakland Tribune newspaper to Knowland's father, the former United States Senator. Knowland was named the vice president and general manager of the paper. In 1974, a hundred years after the founding of the newspaper, and following the suicide of his father, Knowland became editor and publisher. He earned the "Publisher of the Year" award from the California Press Association just one year later.
Acting
In 1977, Knowland's relatives sold the newspaper in a "bitter family squabble" to Combined Communications Corporation, owned by Arizona-based outdoor sign mogul Karl EllerKarl Eller
Karl Eller is an Arizona business leader and nationally recognized entrepreneur.Eller grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He played football collegiately at the University of Arizona where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity....
. At the age of 47, Knowland left the firm to embark on an acting and modeling career. Knowland modeled for print advertisements and appeared in television commercials. Knowland's first feature film role was as a prison guard in Escape from Alcatraz
Escape from Alcatraz (film)
Escape from Alcatraz is a 1979 American thriller film, directed by Don Siegel and starring Clint Eastwood. It dramatizes possibly the only successful escape attempt from the maximum security prison on Alcatraz Island. The film co-stars Fred Ward, and also features Patrick McGoohan as the...
, released in 1979. Knowland changed from billing himself as "Joseph Knowland" to "Joe Knowland" in 1983, with one television episode in 1986 reverting to using the name "Joseph Knowland" in the credits. Knowland's most recent film was the half-hour short subject San Francisco: The Movie, in which Knowland was featured in the only credited role, the Old Sea Captain.
Politics
The family business of Knowland's great-grandfather Joseph KnowlandJoseph Knowland
Joseph Knowland was father of United States Representative Joseph Russell Knowland, grandfather of United States Senator William Fife Knowland, and great-grandfather of publisher and actor Joseph William "Joe" Knowland.-New York:...
was lumber and shipping; he gained political power from the amassing of wealth. His grandfather Joseph Russell "J.R." Knowland
Joseph R. Knowland
Joseph Russell Knowland was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F...
served in the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
1899–1904 and the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
1904–1915. Upon leaving elected office, the elder "Joe" Knowland acquired The Oakland Tribune, at the time the third-ranking newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, and used it to shape regional political opinion. Knowland's father William F. Knowland
William F. Knowland
William Fife Knowland was a United States politician, newspaperman, and Republican Party leader. He was a U.S. Senator representing California from 1945 to 1959. He served as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, and as Minority Leader from 1955-1959. He was defeated in his 1958 run for...
served in the California State Legislature, then was appointed to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1945, and reelected twice, serving first as Senate Majority Leader, then as Senate Minority Leader
Party leaders of the United States Senate
The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokespeople for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive...
. The Knowland family built far-reaching political ties.
Steeped in the powerful and politically conservative tradition of his forefathers, Knowland ran for U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1986, but in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
received only 1.81% of the vote against a large field of 12 other Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidates dominated by Bruce Herschensohn
Bruce Herschensohn
Stanley Bruce Herschensohn is an American political commentator and senior fellow at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy in Malibu, California....
and the eventual winner, Ed Zschau
Ed Zschau
Edwin Van Wyck Zschau represented California's 12th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1983-1987. In 1986 he ran as the Republican candidate for a seat in the United States Senate...
. In the subsequent general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, Zschau lost to incumbent Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston
Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star...
in a narrow race. After that experience, Knowland never again ran for elected office.
Clubs
Knowland is a member of several private clubs. In 1975, he served on the Public Relations committee of the Commonwealth Club of CaliforniaCommonwealth Club of California
The Commonwealth Club of California is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization based in Northern California. Founded in 1903, it is the oldest and largest public affairs forum in the United States...
. In 2006, veteran columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
Gerald Nachman observed that, in the 1970s, Knowland's heart was in performing onstage at the Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
, not in publishing a newspaper. In October 1982, Knowland played two characters, archenemy supervillain Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
and elder brother Mycroft Holmes
Mycroft Holmes
Mycroft Holmes is a fictional character in the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. He is the elder brother of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.- Profile :...
, in a Bohemian Club production entitled An Appointment with Sherlock Holmes.
Personal life
Knowland and his realtorReal estate broker
A real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy...
wife, Dee Knowland, have been active in Oakland; both led the push in 1972–1973 to gain funding for the restoration of the city's Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
masterpiece, the Paramount Theatre, an effort that resulted in the building being designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. The couple lived in Piedmont for 25 years, then in 1988 moved to the Upper Rockridge neighborhood of the so-called Oakland Hills
Oakland Hills, Oakland, California
Oakland Hills is an informal term used to indicate the city neighborhoods lying within the eastern portion of Oakland, California.-The geologic feature:...
.