The American Spectator : Jim Bellows, RIP

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Jim Bellows, RIP

By Ben Stein on 3.16.09 @ 6:10AM

A letter to a great -- and neglected -- friend and editor.

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"I know you didn't like my hero, Richard Nixon, but some words he said when he left office in 1974 still ring in my ears and they apply to you and all of us who loved you so much, who still love you so much. 'This isn't good-bye. The French have a word for it. "Au revoir." We'll see you again.'

"Au revoir, Jim."

The service was the best prayer service I have ever been to, including an electrifying speech by Jim's dear friend and successor, Mary Anne Dolan, a really smart and eloquent woman. My wife and I stood outside talking about Jim with our pal, John Mankiewicz, a brilliant writer, whom I got a job at the Herald as a rock critic long, long ago. Then we went to a small reception at the Bel-Air Country Club, a club Jim was always trying to get me to join. Keven Bellows sat at the table with us, still beautiful despite her torment and torture and grief. My head ached so much from crying that I asked Alex if we could leave.

I kissed Keven good-bye and headed out into the Los Angeles traffic. Good-bye, Jim. You remind me so very much of my pal, Peter Flanigan, another fearless, fiercely loyal Navy carrier pilot from World War II. What will we do when your generation is gone? What will we do now? Where is my dog?

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About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes "Ben Stein's Diary" for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (12) | Leave a comment

Michael| 3.16.09 @ 4:34PM

A great obit piece from Ben Stein. I also was not a fan of Richard Nixon, however Ben's 1994 obit in "American Spectator" on President Nixon was the best one I ever read

SD| 3.16.09 @ 4:37PM

Ben,
I sat behind you at the memorial. And so my thoughts, appreciation, regrets parallel yours. Jim will be missed. I will miss him.
Thanks for writing.
PS: I think you mean Entertainment Tonight rather than Entertainment Weekly.

Jose Jones| 3.17.09 @ 2:50AM

PS SD : In your grief you can be forgiven that douche bag correction. Not really. Jesus.

Told me Alone| 3.17.09 @ 2:54AM

jose jones
told me alone
his story
he got friends
like paco picopiedra
la muneca
he receives on his set
crack crack crackity jones

please forgive me
jose jones
you need these walls
for your own
i'm moving out of this hopedaje
i'm afraid you'll cut me boy

thirty miles by
hundred miles by
stinking island
por goofiar
en crushing automovil
chasing voices
he receives in his head
crack crack crackity jones

Tim| 3.18.09 @ 11:09AM

"Parting is all we know of heaven and all we need to know of Hell."

-Emily Dickinson.

SD| 3.21.09 @ 4:37PM

Jose,
Chill out. See http://tinyurl.com/ddglgn or if you'd prefer Jim Bellow's own words, see http://tinyurl.com/c5l2dh

Denis| 4.5.09 @ 6:28PM

How lovely a piece. Good job by you.

I tried my own,
http://denishorgan.com/2009/03/07/james-g-bellows/

denis horgan

Danny Bloom| 8.12.09 @ 7:39AM

Ben, I worked for Jim when I was a freelance cartoonist at the Star in DC back in 1976 and later I worked for Mary Anne Dolan at the Her Ex in LA for a summer doing editorial page work as letters editor. He was a great man. He and Ben Bradlee are the best of the best in journalism. Nice memory, sir.

dan bloom| 2.24.10 @ 4:13AM

Dennis, i am trying to reach all former workers at HER EX re my new video song about the HER Ex on you tube now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnZKIk1Krp8

love to hear you reax re print vs diital age and this vidfeo as humor