| Type | Monthlynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Community journalism |
| Founder | Betty Branch |
| Editor-in-chief | Gino Renzulli |
| Managing editor | Michael Argento |
| Founded | 1937 (asThe Canyon Crier) |
| Language | English |
| Website | thetolucantimesla |
The Tolucan Times is a community weekly newspaper based in theToluca Lake area ofLos Angeles, California.[1] Founded in 1937, it is one of the oldest newspapers in the San Fernando Valley.[2][3] It covers politics and local news, as well as books, films, theatre and art reviews for the Los Angeles region. It has a readership in the Los Angeles entertainment industry, as the newspaper is carried on all of the studio lots and is featured in various production businesses.[4]
In 1937, theThe Canyon Crier, a newspaper in theLaurel Canyon neighborhood ofLos Angeles, was founded.[5] It was created by Betty Branch while her husband Russel Branch was away serving in the military.[6][7] Around 1948, Betsy and Norman Rose become proprietors. Mr. Rose previously worked as a radio writer until returning home fromWorld War II. He quit his job and then bought the paper.[8] The couple grew it into an eight-page tabloid with a circulation of 6,500.[9] One local columnist described theCrier as a "New Yorker magazine with no shoes on."[8] Another called it an "odd little example of free and enterprising journalism" that grew a national following with its brand of "personalized journalism."[10]
TheCrier hailed itself as "the only paper that makes sense."[10] It reported on area locals and the famous residents ofHollywood andBeverly Hills alike, includingHumphrey Bogart,Risë Stevens andNelson Eddy. The paper got an exclusive interview withEugene Ormandy, andCollier Young promised to schedule his wedding so theCrier wouldn't get scooped. The paper also reported on the problems of planting pansies in the hillside land and a opossum stealing goldfish.[8] Around 1952, the Roses sold the Crier to publicist Jim Bishop.[11]
In 1958, Ellis Morcos foundedThe Tolucan, a newspaper inToluca Lake.[5] In 1956, Bishop, owner of an advertising and public relations firm, sold theCrier to Richard Sharpe and his wife Gya Sharpe.[12] Mr. Sharpe was a well-known gourmet who wrote about restaurants for several publications. AsCrier publisher, a columnist said he "made life pure misery for the carless civil servant" and was "not afraid - or bound by journalist tradition - to get in there and really slug it out."[13]
In 1968, Mrs. Sharpe sold theCrier to Ty Jurras, a publicist for the wine industry from Los Angeles.[14][15] A year later John H. Eccleston was appointed editor.[16] Jurras operated theCrier until 1977, when he sold it along with his public relations firm, moved to Vermont and opened abed and breakfast.[15] At some point Morcos acquired theCrier.[5] In 1981,Hearst Communications acquired a number of community papers in southern California includingThe Tolucan, The Canyon Crier andThe Magnolian.[17] Those there papers were merged together to a form a single publication.[18] In 1985, Hearst soldThe Tolucan to Iraqi film producerMardi Rustam.[19] He soon renamed the paper toThe Tolucan Times and published the paper until his death in 2023.[20] His daughters then sold theTimes to Nico Renzulli.[5]
TICOR CORPORATION: Publishers of: The Tolucan Times, Canyon Crier, Hollywood Entertainment, Hollywood News, The Magnolian