Joe Knowland(1930-2019)
- Actor
Born in Oakland, California, during the depression, Joseph William
Knowland (Joe) was named after his grandfather, (Joseph R. Knowland)
former U.S. Congressman and active owner/publisher of a newspaper; and
Joe's father, (William F. Knowland) United States Senator and Senate
Majority Leader during the Eisenhower administration. Joe graduated in
1963 from the University of California (Berkeley) with two BA degrees:
"Speech" and "Communications & Public Policy". Joe went into the
newspaper business in 1964 as a cub reporter, trained in all
departments of the business, and was elected by the board to position
of Editor & Publisher of the "Oakland Tribune" (1974-77). In 1975 Joe
was voted "Publisher of the Year" award by the California Press
Association for the progressive changes in the newspaper and its
operations. Then in 1977, the relatives sold the paper, and Joe entered
show business (film and television actor) as well as working in TV
commercials and print modeling. In 1986 he unsuccessfully ran for
United States Senate. One of his films (a 1995 docu-drama in which he
stars as a 146-yr-old sea captain in San Francisco) is still playing at
a Cinemax Theater on "Pier 39". He served on two college Boards
("Mills" and "California College of Arts & Crafts"), and Oakland
Coliseum; co-chaired with his wife (Dee) to head fund campaign
restoring Oakland's "Paramount Theatre of Arts", and served on S.F.
Executive Board of Screen Actors Guild.
