Paul Block (November 2, 1875 – June 22, 1941) was president of Paul Block and Associates (later Block Communications) and publisher of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Toledo Blade, and a dozen other newspapers.[1]
Paul Block | |
|---|---|
 Block at the White House, 1928 | |
| Born | November 2, 1875 Königsberg, East Prussia |
| Died | June 22, 1941 (aged 65) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Newspaper publisher |
| Spouse | Dina Wallach |
| Children | William Block Paul Block Jr. |
Biography
editBlock was born on November 2, 1875, to a poor Lithuanian Jewish family in Königsberg, East Prussia.[2] In 1885, his parents immigrated to Elmira, New York, where his father worked as a ragpicker.[3] Block attended Elmira public schools[1] and at the age of 10, he worked as a part-time newsboy and office messenger with Harry Brooks, the founder of the Elmira Telegram, where he learned the newspaper business.[3] In 1900, he left the Elmira Telegram and formed his own advertising rep firm which sold national advertising for client newspapers, Block Communications,[4] and is credited with pioneering the concept of national news advertising. He developed a close friendship and business relationship with William Randolph Hearst frequently serving as a frontman for Hearst's newspaper acquisitions[3] (Block's mistress Marion Davies would become Hearst's mistress and Block would later serve as Hearst's executor)[3] as well as purchasing several papers outright beginning with the Newark Star-Eagle and the Detroit Journal.[3]
In 1926, he acquired the Toledo Blade and in 1927, he created the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.[5] He went on to own 14 papers, including The Milwaukee Sentinel, the Brooklyn Standard-Union, the New York Evening Mail, the Los Angeles Express, the Memphis News-Scimitar, The Toledo Times, the Lancaster New Era, the Duluth Herald, and the Duluth News-Tribune.[3][6][7][8]
Block was a close friend of New York City mayor Jimmy Walker (often letting Walker use his apartment for liaisons with his mistress Ziegfeld Follies dancer Betty Compton) and president Calvin Coolidge.[3] Block also played a key role in advancing the career of future president Franklin D. Roosevelt by supporting his 1928 campaign for governor.[3]
Philanthropy
editBlock was active in Jewish philanthropy and headed the 1931 campaign of the New York Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies.[1]
Personal life
editHe was married to Dina Wallach;[9][10] they had two sons:[1] William Block and Paul Block Jr. Block died of cancer in 1941;[3] funeral services were held at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Jewish Journal: "Services Held for Paul Block, Famous Publisher" June 24, 1941
- ^ Brady, Frank (2001). The Publisher: Paul Block: A Life of Friendship, Power and Politics. University Press of America. pp. xiii, xxiii. (Brady rejects Block's claim of having been born in Elmira, New York in 1877.)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Toledo Blade: "Paul Block: Story of success" BY JACK LESSENBERRY January 9, 2013
- ^ Block Communications Website Archived 2015-02-08 at the Wayback Machine retrieved December 1, 2014
- ^ American Journalism Review: "Blocked Out - The Block family shutters its newspapers’ Washington bureau" by Jodi Enda April / May 2006
- ^ "PAUL BLOCK GIVES $100,000 TO YALE". The New York Times. May 2, 1930. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ "Dina Wallach Block, 98; Co-Owner of Newspaper". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ "PAUL BLOCK TO OFFER $4,300,000 NOTE ISSUE;". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ Pittsburgh Post Gazette: "Obituary: William Block / Longtime publisher of Post-Gazette dies - Unassuming leader of 60 years with wide interests in arts, community" by Michael McGough and James O'Toole June 21, 2005
- ^ New York Times: "Dina Wallach Block, 98; Co-Owner of Newspaper" June 14, 1981
