Drew Pearson

Vocation

Notable

American journalist, author and news commentator. He was a recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi National Award for best Washington Journalism of 1942. Drew was the son of Paul Martin Pearson, educator and first civilian governor of St. Thomas, and Edna Wolfe Pearson. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire in 1915, he went on to Swarthmore College through 1919, where he founded the Intercollegiate Newspaper Association, receiving a bachelor of arts degree and Phi Beta Kappa key. He was director of post-WW I relief in the Balkans for the British Red Cross, having a town in the area, Pearsonavatz, named after him. In 1921 he became an instructor of industrial geography at the University of Pennsylvania for a year, then traveled widely in China, Siberia and Japan as a correspondent. From 1926-33 Pearson was a staff member on the "U.S. Daily" newspaper and also wrote for the "Baltimore Sun" from 1929-32. Teaming with Robert S. Allen, he wrote "Washington Merry-Go-Round" in 1931 and "More Merry-Go-Round" in 1932 with both books reaching the nonfiction top ten lists. He collaborated on a daily syndicated newspaper column with Allen 1932-1942 and later with Jack Anderson, featuring sensational exposés of government figures. His solo books include "The American Diplomatic Game" 1935 and a novel, "The Senator," 1968. At the beginning of 1941 Pearson and Allen spent 13 weeks broadcasting "News for the Americas" on NBC and he also branched out with a political comic strip "Hap Hazard." Pearson organized the Friendship Train to Europe in 1947-48 for which he received the French Legion of Honor, the First Order Star of Solidarity from Italy, the Knights of Columbus International Gold Medal for 1948 and was named Father of the Year in 1948. He became president of the International Platform Association 1950 and was a member of Kappa Sigma and Delta Sigma Rho. His radio program raised more than a few hackles as some saw him as having a right-wing, conspiratorial viewpoint. He had contacts in the CIA and was able to interview Khrushchev, Tito, the king and queen of Greece and many American politicos. Being cash poor near the end of his life he was on the lecture circuit. Pearson married the Countess Felicia Gizycka, daughter of Eleanor Patterson of Washington newspaper fame, in 1925 and they had a daughter, Ellen. His second wife, Luvie, had a son from a prior marriage whom Pearson adopted. When Pearson died in Washington, DC 9/01/1969, he owned valuable property including a 160 acre farm on the Potomac River and over $2 million from which $45,000 in liable suits were paid after his death. Link to Wikipedia biography