Stanford L. Opotowsky

Background

Stanford L. Opotowsky was born on April 13, 1923 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. His mother was Fannie Latter Opotowsky.

Education

Stanford L. Opotowsky attended Tulane University in New Orleans for two years before joining the Marines as a combat correspondent in World War II.

Career

Stanford L. Opotowsky began his career writing about youth sports for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans at the age of 14. He ran The Sea Cost Echo, a weekly newspaper that his family owned in Bay St. Louis, Missouri, before joining The Post as a national reporter in 1955.

Besides, early in his career, he had also worked for United Press International as a reporter in New Orleans, Denver and New York. He had also been an assistant sports editor at U.P.I. Mr. Opotowsky also wrote several books, including "TV: The Big Picture", about the technical aspect of the television industry, and "The Longs of Louisiana", "The Kennedy Government" and ''Men Behind Bars".

Mr. Opotowsky covered school integration in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the assassination of President Kennedy, among other major events. He was assistant city editor and assistant managing editor before being named The Post's managing editor in 1965.

He left that position in 1972 to join ABC News, first as an assistant assignment manager and then as director of operations for news documentaries. From 1975 until 1981, he was director of television news coverage.

In 1981, he became director of political operations and oversaw the division responsible for the network's election-year exit polling and voter tabulation. He also directed the computerization of various ABC News operations. Mr. Opotowsky retired from that position in 1992.

Achievements

• Stanford L. Opotowsky was an outstanding writer and newspaper and television executive. He wrote several books, including his most famous "The Longs of Louisiana", "TV: The Big Picture", "The Kennedy Government" and "Men Behind Bars".

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Longs of Louisiana 1960
  • TV: The Big Picture 1961
  • The Kennedy Government 1961
  • Men Behind Bars 1972
  • Dixie Dynamite: The Inside Story of the White Citizens Councils 1957

Connections

Stanford L. Opotowsky was married to Martha Coble Opotowsky. They had a son, Peter Opotowsky, and two daughters, Ann Opotowsky and Kate Robbins.

Mother:

Fannie Latter Opotowsky

Spouse:

Martha Coble Opotowsky

Son:

Peter Opotowsky

Daughter:

Ann Opotowsky

Daughter:

Kate Robbins

References

• Contemporary Authors New Revision Series