MovieChat Forums > Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Discussion > Winchell and Hunsecker

Winchell and Hunsecker

posted 14 years ago by mdudnikov
5 replies | jump to latest

Walter Winchell a one time gossip columnist, was the inspiration for the character of J. J. Hunsecker. Winchell had been an actor, but transitioned to a reporter when jobs were scarce, starting a backstage newsletter. Eventually he became a very powerful man in not only show business, but in the country as a whole. He was very self-absorbed, naming a son Walter Jr. and a daughter Walda, often domineering and cruel, but at times very generous as well, maintaining his influence for more than 30 years.

He had many sources like Sidney Falco and a host of ordinary citizens as well that fed him items. When Lucille Ball became pregnant, Winchell wound up printing the news in his column even before Lucy got the word from her doctor. Talking of the incident Lucy said that she thought she was pregnant, but it wasn't until she read Winchell's column that she was absolutely sure.

And there is a funny story about Winchell and this movie. When he saw a preview of the film he was not insulted and missed the connection to himself. Instead he called up fellow columnist Jimmy Fidler and told him he had just seen a new film that had a very unflattering portrayal of a columnist that was obviously meant to be Fidler. He told Fidler that if I were you Jimmy, I'd sue.

[–] wrfarley 14 years ago

Good info. Wasn't it also Winchell who supported the rumor that Lucille Ball was a "red?"

[–] nyc7 13 years ago

he actually DEFENDED Lucille Ball. he had self-interest because "Desilu" produced The Untouchables, which he narrated. He gave readers Desi's line that the only thing red about Lucy was her hair and even that was fake.

[–] taggerez 14 years ago

Winchell was a superficial man who sided with whomever had the advantage at the time.

Interestingly, Winchell actually had information that Alger Hiss was a Soviet Spy as early as 1940 but dropped it to protect Franklin Roosevelt. Later, after the Hiss case broke, rival columnist Westbrook Pegler nailed Winchell to the wall repeatedly with the revelation that WW sat on the info for political purposes.

[–] jacksflicks 14 years ago

. . . with whoever had the advantage . . .

[–] continuedcraig 14 years ago

Winchell was BSing if he said he thought Hunsecker was based on someone else. The source material for the film was Ernest Lehman's magazine short story titled "Tell Me About It Tomorrow," and even at that point (before the film) Winchell was aware that Hunsecker was based on him. Ernest Lehman tells about it in the book THE CRAFT OF THE SCREENWRITER (a collection of screenwriter interviews edited by John Brady). LEHMAN: "I had lived through most of that story, and the publication of it had caused all kinds of bad vibes, and there were always dreadful fears of retaliation from Winchell, even though he would tell people, `I don't take on the Lehmans of the world. I take on the Peglers.' [a competing columnist] He wouldn't fool around with small fry like me."