Joe Knowland

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.