BEN BEZOFF PAPERS

Ben Bezoff (1914-1979) was born in Denver, Colorado on April 18, 1914 to Russian immigrants Max and Mary Bezoff. He attended Denver's Cole Junior High School and graduated from North High School at age 16. Following graduation, Bezoff entered the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he became interested in the theater. Beginning in 1932, Bezoff studied drama at the University of Wisconsin, at Madison. He returned to Denver in 1934 and performed with Walter Huston in the Central City Opera's production of Othello. Huston encouraged Bezoff to move to New York to try to perform on Broadway.

Bezoff returned to Denver in 1935 and starred in local radio soap opera productions for radio stations KLZ and KOA. By late 1935, he had become an announcer for Denver radio station KLZ. From 1936 to 1941, Bezoff worked as news and special events director for radio station WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where Walter Cronkite worked as one of his newsmen. In 1941, following a brief engagement with radio station WHLD in Niagara Falls, New York, Bezoff again returned to Denver, Colorado where he became the head of the news department and principal announcer for radio station KMYR.

During World War II, Bezoff served as a regional director in the Office of War Information. He also served briefly as a war correspondent in France and Belgium. In 1944, the British government asked Bezoff to present a Christmas broadcast, which in previous years had been presented by Edward R. Murrow.

After the war, Bezoff returned to radio station KMYR in Denver, Colorado, where the quality of his political commentary resulted in calls for him to run for public office. Bezoff's political experience had begun many years earlier when, at age 14, he passed out leaflets for presidential candidate Al Smith. At age 18, Bezoff worked for the election of Colorado Senator Edward P. Costigan.

Following a successful campaign for Colorado State Representative in 1946, Bezoff resigned from KMYR to avoid any conflict of interest. He was re-elected in 1948 and served both as majority floor leader and Speaker of the Colorado State House of Representatives. In 1950, he was elected to the Colorado State Senate. In 1952, Bezoff was urged to run for Colorado Governor, but was defeated in the State's primary election. He declined to seek reelection to the State Senate in 1954.

In 1947, Bezoff opened Ben Bezoff and Company, an advertising and public relations agency, which he operated successfully for nineteen years. He also returned to radio to host the popular program Concert on radio station KDEN during the 1950s and 1960s.

Bezoff began to work for the City and County of Denver in 1966. He served as a top advisor in the administrations of Denver Mayors Tom Currigan and William McNichols. He was also named director of information for Denver's Stapleton International Airport. Citing health concerns, Bezoff resigned in 1976 and died in 1979 from pancreatic cancer.

Bezoff and his wife, Cherie, had two daughters.