TV Writer Jerry Krupnick 1926-2008

[Zoneboy]

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Jerry Krupnick, who wrote about television for The Star-Ledger almost as far back as there was television to write about, died Thursday of complications from congestive heart failure. He was 82.
After serving in the Army in World War II, Mr. Krupnick came to work at The Star-Ledger in 1950, and within a few years was the paper's go-to man for coverage of that newfangled medium called television. He created TV Time of the Week, one of the nation's first Sunday TV magazines, and wrote about TV for the paper up to, and even after, his retirement in August of 1998.

"Jerry loved TV and he loved his work, which he executed with charm, wit and wisdom," said Susan Olds, The Star-Ledger's Assistant Managing Editor for Features. "It was an incredible career to be sure -- for its longevity, yes, but more so for the energy and sense of purpose he delivered day in and day out. The Star-Ledger is richer for his years of service."

Mr. Krupnick had a distinctive flair for language. He referred to public television pledge drives as "begathons" and was fond of explaining the distinction between "trash" (genuinely bad television) and "supertrash" (so-bad-it's-good television). He wrote using the royal "we," and was fond of inserting his wife of 58 years, Phyllis, into the column, referring to her as "Our Favorite Wife," or "OFW" for short.

"He always wrote I was his 'OFW,'" said Phyllis Krupnick. "Everybody called me that, because they read his column and they got a kick out of it.

"One of Jerry's favorite words to describe (bad) shows was 'wallow,'" recalled Star-Ledger copy editor David Lieberfarb, "which was probably less negative than it sounds. He also used to love to run words together, as in something 'camethisclose' to being one of his top picks."

Though he was best known for his television coverage -- he was a two-time winner of the New Jersey Press Association Award for Critical Writing, and was named the 1990 Television Columnist of the Year by the International TV Society -- Mr. Krupnick also spent 15 years as Sunday editor for The Star-Ledger. He was responsible for assembling all but the Sports and Real Estate sections for each Sunday's paper, often with the help of only a single assistant.

"Seemed to me as a kid growing up, he did every single thing there," recalled son Neil Krupnick, who, like brothers Bruce and Michael, worked different jobs at The Star-Ledger.

"He was so capable with all the aspects of it," said Michael. "I looked at the paper every Sunday as, this is his creation for the week."

"What most people don't know about Jerry is that he was a tremendous newsman," said Robert Rastelli, now the paper's Deputy Lifestyle Editor, who apprenticed under Mr. Krupnick in the 1970s. "I'll always remember what I learned from Jerry, and what I learned was how to survive at The Star-Ledger for 35 years."

Mr. Krupnick's newspaper career -- and his relationship with Phyllis -- began at Weequahic High School in Newark, where he was editor-in-chief of the school paper.

"I wanted to work on the school paper, and he was the editor," recalled Phyllis Krupnick, whose father and brother also worked in the newspaper business. (Brother Robert Kalter worked for The Star-Ledger for 50 years.) "He took me under his wing. He helped me feel that I could write."

He enlisted in the Army at age 17 and became a Staff Sergeant in the 69th Division of the infantry, doing combat patrols in France and Germany during World War II. He also wrote for the Army's Stars and Stripes newspaper, and re-enlisted after the war to become public relations director for a series of "soldier shows" in Europe.

His sons all recall their father working long hours, particularly while putting out the Sunday paper, but never complaining.

"He said to me a couple of weeks ago that he loved going to work every day," said Neil Krupnick. "Not a lot of people can say that, especially not after doing that for 48 years."

Though he missed out on family time, he made it up to the boys with special trips, or with VIP treatment courtesy of having a TV critic for a dad. Neil Krupnick remembered his father bringing home press kits for "Get Smart," or taking the family to a special premiere for the '60s "Batman" series at Grossinger's in the Catskills.

"I remember the World's Fair in 1964, going to a press breakfast with Lucille Ball," said Bruce Krupnick. "I sat in very close proximity to Lucille Ball, and I lost my contact lens in my scrambled eggs. She was concerned that I find it. It was interesting that, through my dad, I got to find that some of these people who were bigger than life were real people to. As he wrote about them and he related to them, he treated them all well and recognized that, while every human being has flaws, it's not about pointing out their flaws to the world -- it's about pointing out their goodness."

Krupnick is survived by his wife, his three sons and five grandchildren.

The memorial service will be on Sunday, August 24th. More information was not available at press time, but will be published when it becomes available.

[TJL]

What a shame. I grew up reading his TV columns in The Star Ledger.

[Scoobiedoo30]

rest in peace