Jim Bishop
Jim Bishop was a prominent twentieth-century newspaper columnist and author, born in Jersey City, New Jersey, to a policeman and his wife. He began his journalism career as a copy boy at the New York Daily News before advancing to reporter and eventually writing for the New York Daily Mirror. Bishop's notable roles included serving as an associate editor for Collier's during World War II and later as the executive director of Liberty Magazine. His writing gained significant attention in the 1950s when he worked with The Catholic Digest and began a popular column with King Features Syndicate. Bishop is particularly acclaimed for his historical works, especially his "day's books" that vividly recount events in the lives of historical figures, such as "The Day Christ Died" and "The Day Lincoln Was Shot." His contributions to literature earned him several accolades, including the Catholic Institute of the Press Award. Bishop passed away on July 26, 1987, and his research materials and manuscripts are preserved at the Friedsam Memorial Library of St. Bonaventure University.
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Jim Bishop
Writer
- Born: November 21, 1907
- Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey
- Died: July 26, 1987
- Place of death: Delray Beach, Florida
Biography
Jim Bishop was a twentieth century newspaper columnist and author. He was born the son of a policeman and his wife in the early twentieth century in Jersey City, New Jersey. Bishop attended Drake’s Secretarial College until 1923. He married twice. His first marriage to Elinor Dunning took place in 1930; four years after Elinor’s death in 1957, Bishop married Elizabeth Kelly Stone. He had a total of four children, all girls.
Bishop began his career in journalism with a position of copy boy at the New York Daily News. From there he moved up to reporter. In 1930, Bishop began writing for the New York Daily Mirror. He wrote features and did rewrites as well as served as assistant to Mark Hellinger. In 1943, Bishop became an associate editor for the magazine Collier’s. In the final years of World War II, Bishop served as the publication’s war editor. In the late 1940’s, he worked as the executive director of Liberty Magazine. During the 1950’s, Bishop worked with the publication The Catholic Digest and founded the Catholic DigestBook Club. Starting in 1957, Bishop became a King Features Syndicate columnist.
As an author, Bishop wrote many popular historical books, but he was most noted for his “day’s books,” which describe in detail the events of a single day in the life of a famous person. Two of these works include The Day Christ Died and The Day Lincoln Was Shot. These works are praised for making history seem interesting and alive to the reader as well as providing a clear sense of the event.
Bishop was awarded the Catholic Institute of the Press Award and the National Association of Independent School Award for The Day Lincoln Was Shot. He died of respiratory failure on July 26, 1987. His research materials and manuscripts can be found in the Friedsam Memorial Library of St. Bonaventure University.