Sept. 6, 1977: RO joined staff of The Hollywood Reporter in Hollywood.
Sept. 26, 1977: R.O.'s first film review byline in THR.
Oct. 4, 1977: In addition to film reviews, RO began
writing ON LOCATION column and continued until started
writing the paper's primary RAMBLING REPORTER column
formerly done by Hank Grant.
Apr. 18, 1983: RO's first RAMBLING REPORTER column;
five-times-weekly thereafter.
Jan. 1987: RO changed locations; moved to New York to
do the CBS Morning Program; continued writing the
RR column from THR's New York office in the Paramount
Building in Times Square; also began writing Broadway
reviews for THR.
Apr. 1994: RO started writing RR column on a once-weekly
basis due to Turner Classic Movies schedule.
Sept. 6, 2007: RO celebrated 30 years with THR.
June 19, 2009: Final RAMBLING REPORTER column on a
daily basis, something which had been part of the trade
paper's tradition since it's first issue Sept. 3, 1930, when
the paper's original owner Billy Wilkerson was the editor-
publisher and the column was written by Wilkerson's
then-wife Edith Gwynn.
Dec. 2009: the current Hollywood Reporter owners, Neilsen
Business Media, sold THR to E5 Global Media at a time the
paper, like newspapers everywhere, was suffering serious
drops in circulation and advertising revenue due to the
internet, economy and other factors.
May 2010: it was announced 80-year-old THR would be
transformed from a daily trade paper to a weekly
magazine in the "US Weekly mode."
Nov. 2010: THR's new weekly magazine format went
into effect, in addition to THR day website.
End of an era. The end of THR as a daily trade paper.
It was for RO a life-changing experience to be able to work
there during a time the paper was a bustling, viable,
necessary, informative and respected part of the
entertainment industry and before Turner Classic Movies
became his primary focus 24/7.