ODD PRESS

Recent Coverage of ‘An Odd Book’

Gallipolis Daily Tribune / February 21, 2018
McIntyre presented at Smithsonian
Passed Gallia resident and iconic newspaper columnist Oscar Odd McIntyre’s life was presented before researchers at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Feb. 13 by Newseum COO Scott Williams. Williams, author of the biography “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” visited Gallipolis in April of last year to present his research to the community in the form of a question and answer session in the Ariel Opera House. More

Designated Drinker Podcast / January 25, 2018
Odds & Ends
Check out our latest episode featuring Scott Williams, a truly interesting man about town who wrote a great book about another interesting man about town, Odd McIntyre. More or Download on iTunes

Point Pleasant Register, Point Pleasant, West Virginia / Nov. 17, 2017
Different Ways to Thanksgiving
The death of premier gossip columnist Liz Smith at 94 on Nov. 12 occurred the day after I finished reading R. Scott Williams’ richly-detailed biography of Oscar Odd McIntyre, “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York.” Comparing the journalist who grew up in Gallipolis to the work of Smith is an apples-and-oranges exercise in that Ms. Smith reported on a world of entertainment and celebrity far different than the one McIntyre first presented to the people back home and throughout America starting in the post-World War I era. More

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee / August 16, 2017
The Odd ‘Media Superstar’ who was America’s First ‘Pop Culture Reporter’
Born in Missouri, based in New York and famous — for a time — around the country, the oddly named Oscar Odd McIntyre was “the first modern pop culture reporter,” according to a new biography that chronicles McIntyre’s career and his interactions with such celebrated “Jazz Age” figures as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charlie Chaplin, George Gershwin and Valentino. More

CityBeat, Cincinnati, Ohio / June 21, 2017
Two Books; One Odd, One Unusual
Journalism is an unsure route to either fame or fortune, but early in the last century, Oscar Odd McIntyre, once of the Cincinnati Post, went to New York City and achieved both in spades. A recently released biography of McIntyre, An Odd Book by R. Scott Williams (Newseum), recounts “how the first modern pop culture reporter conquered New York.” It’s a story that catches the reader’s interest because, like McIntyre, we are likely to find vicarious fascination in his fame and fortune. Also, McIntyre is an appealing protagonist. More

Literary Features Syndicate / June 1, 2017
An Odd Book
“Since my earliest recollection, I wanted to be a newspaper reporter and I cannot tell you why.” –Odd McIntyre
At the height of his career, Oscar Odd McIntyre (1884-1938) reached millions of readers across America and Europe through his daily column that chronicled the glittering spectacle that was Manhattan of the early twentieth century. Odd’s “New York Day by Day” was syndicated in over 400 newspapers in the 1920s. His prolific output and widespread popularity more than paid the bills; Odd’s daily columns brought home an estimated $200,000 a year–no small potatoes in 1920 or 2017. More

Journalism History Magazine / Spring 2017
An Odd Book
A show of hands: How many readers have heard of O.O. McIntyre?
I thought so.
McIntyre was the Forrest Gump of the 1920s and 1930s, befriending a who’s who of cinema, Broadway, literature, sports, and politics. His friends, acquaintances, and
co-workers included Rudolph Valentino, Flo Ziegfeld, Theodore Dreiser, Gene Tunney, Charlie Chaplin, and Will Rogers. All of them, and more, found their way into McIntyre’s newspaper column, “New York Day by Day,” which he and his wife selfsyndicated until it was picked up by hundreds of newspapers nationwide as well as Cosmopolitan magazine. More

Gallipolis Daily Tribune / April 24, 2017
Remembering the Odd Legacy
GALLIPOLIS — Folk from near and far gathered at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre Saturday evening in memory of famed Gallipolis columnist and pop culture reporter Oscar Odd McIntyre. A question and answer session was held by author R. Scott Williams, chief operating officer of Washington, D.C.’s Newseum, over his recently published book “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York.” Area actor Seth Argabright, who would later do monologues in character as McIntyre as if he were alive during the concert performance, led questions with Williams. More

Funk Soul Cafe Podcast / April 20, 2017
Episode 27R, R. Scott Williams
R. Scott Williams is the author of -An Odd Book, How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York- available April 1 on Amazon.com. Williams is the chief operating officer and senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Williams earned his degree in journalism from the University of Memphis. He then held positions at several advertising agencies and organizations, including Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Listen

WOUB Digital / April 18, 2017
An Odd Happening In Gallipolis April 22
April 22, something a little odd is coming to Gallipolis’ historic Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre. That Saturday marks yet another visit to the little town on the banks of the Ohio River by writer R. Scott Williams, who will be signing copies of his most recent work A Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York, in conjunction with an exciting performance later in the evening by Philip Armstrong and the Ohio Valley Symphony. More

Point Pleasure Register / April 14, 2017
And Just who was O. O. McIntyre?
When I first came to Gallipolis some 38 years ago this summer, one of the first things asked of me, as a college student studying journalism, was if I was familiar with Oscar Odd “O.O.” McIntyre. I confessed that I was not and was informed that he was one of the pre-eminent of what they used to call Broadway columnists of that golden period of popular newspaper content in the 1920s and ’30s. More

Gallipolis Daily Tribune / April 12, 2017
An ‘Odd’ Night to Remember
GALLIPOLIS — The Ariel Opera House is gearing for a pair of events to be held April 22 in honor of Gallipolis pop culture reporter Oscar Odd McIntyre. A concert featuring music composed by McIntyre friend Meredith Wilson will be held at 7:30 p.m. with The Ohio Valley Symphony and visiting author R. Scott Williams will speak at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the history of McIntyre’s rise to fame as one of the first syndicated columnists and pop culture reporters in the US. Gallia native Phillip Armstrong is anticipated to sing at the event as well. More

The Advice Sisters / April 1, 2017
A Review of 7 Sensational New Books to Help You Have A Fabulous Spring!
Being a writer is hard work, mostly not appreciated and not very glamorous. It isn’t any different today than it was in the early 20th Century, as you will discover when you read An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York by R. Scott Williams. More

Broadway World / March 1, 2017
‘An Odd Book’ Explores Life and Career of First Modern Pop Culture Reporter
On April 1, 2017, R. Scott Williams will release “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” a biography of the life of Oscar Odd McIntyre, the first modern pop culture and entertainment reporter. It will be available on Amazon.com and through IngramSpark. More

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Press Releases

June 30, 2017

‘An Odd Book’ Event at the Circuit Playhouse on August 18

Scott Williams returns home to Memphis to discuss his new biography that explores the life and career of Odd McIntyre, the first modern pop culture reporter.

WASHINGTON — On Friday, August 18, 2017 at 3 p.m., R. Scott Williams, author of “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” will appear in a program and book signing in the Memphian Room at the Circuit Playhouse in Memphis, Tennessee. The program will be hosted by Emmy award-winning Memphis FOX Chief Meteorologist Joey Sulipeck and will take place during Elvis Week 2017.

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June 30, 2017

‘An Odd Book’ Signing at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center

Scott Williams to sign copies of his latest biography

WASHINGTON — On Saturday, August 19, 2017 from 2-4 p.m., R. Scott Williams will be at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center signing copies of his latest biography, “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York.” Williams, whose ancestors were among the original settlers of Haywood County in West Tennessee, has also spent many hours researching his ancestry and sharing the forgotten stories from the past on his website, haywoodcountyline.com.

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April 1, 2017

‘An Odd Book’ Now Available

New Biography Explores Life and Career of First Modern Pop Culture Reporter, Odd McIntyre, who achieved great fame and fortune in the early decades of the 20th century.

WASHINGTON — On April 1, 2017, R. Scott Williams released “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” a biography of the life of Odd McIntyre. It is available on Amazon.com and wholesale through IngramSpark (ISBN: 978-0998699707).

As the highest-paid and most-read columnist of his era, Odd McIntyre achieved great fame and fortune in the early twentieth century. Raised in Gallipolis, Ohio, eventually he moved to New York and became close friends with many of the leading personalities of the day, including writers Edna Ferber, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald; entertainers Fred Astaire, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., Billie Burke, and Will Rogers; composers George Gershwin and Meredith Willson; actors Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin. and many others.

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March 9, 2017

Q ‘n’ A with R. Scott Williams about ‘An Odd Book’

How did you get started writing about history?
I’ve loved history my entire life. Several years ago, I worked for Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. at Graceland. I was at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., where I work now, to participate in the opening of an Elvis exhibit. During the same time, they also had an exhibit based on James Swanson’s book “Manhunt.” I almost missed my plane because I spent so much time in the exhibit. I took the time to run to the Newseum’s gift shop to buy the book and I devoured the whole thing on the plane headed back to Memphis. I’ve probably read it 20 times since then. Because of that exhibit and book, I began researching the Civil War and my own family ancestry, and posting the information to a website and a blog. One thing led to another, and I ended up writing my first book, “The Forgotten Adventures of Richard Halliburton: A High-Flying Life from Tennessee to Timbuktu” for the History Press. That book was about an explorer and writer who was from my hometown of Haywood County, in Tennessee. I loved the whole research and writing experience, so when it was over, I began thinking about another book.

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February 27, 2017

“An Odd Book” Explores Life and Career of First Modern Pop Culture Reporter

New biography tells the story of writer who achieved great fame and fortune in the early decades of the 20th century.

WASHINGTON — On April 1, 2017, R. Scott Williams will release “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” a biography of the life of Oscar Odd McIntyre, the first modern pop culture and entertainment reporter. It will be available at select bookstores, on Amazon and through IngramSpark.

As the highest-paid and most-read columnist of his era, Odd McIntyre achieved great fame and fortune in the early twentieth century. Raised in Gallipolis, Ohio, eventually he moved to New York and became close friends with many of the leading personalities of the day, including writers Edna Ferber, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald; entertainers Fred Astaire, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., Billie Burke, and Will Rogers; composers George Gershwin and Meredith Willson; actors Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin. and many others.

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Feb. 3, 2017

‘An Odd Book’ Launch

Scott Williams, author of upcoming Odd McIntyre biography, to hold launch program before historic performance of Meredith Willson’s “O. O. McIntyre Suite” at the Ariel Theatre in Gallipolis, Ohio

WASHINGTON — R. Scott Williams and the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre announced today that the launch program for “An Odd Book: How the First Modern Pop Culture Reporter Conquered New York,” will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. at the Ariel Opera House in Gallipolis, Ohio.

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Dec. 15, 2016

‘An Odd Book’ Explores Life and Career of First Modern Pop Culture Reporter

New biography tells the story of Odd McIntyre who achieved great fame and fortune in New York and Hollywood in the early decades of the 20th century.