Liz Smith Journalist: A Look At The Grande Dame Of Dish

Eve Champlin 10 Aug 2025

When you think about the world of celebrity news and the people who brought those stories to us, one name really stands out. It’s Liz Smith, the journalist who became a true icon in her field. She was, in a way, the person who shaped how many of us got our news about the famous and the talked-about. Her career spanned so many years, and she touched so many parts of how stories get told.

Liz Smith, who passed away not too long ago at the age of 94, was truly a legend in her own right. She was known by a few affectionate titles, like the "grand dame of dish" or sometimes, you know, just the "dame of dish." These names, apparently, really tell you a lot about her particular style and her very special place in the media landscape. She had a knack for sharing interesting bits of information, but she also held onto many secrets, which is a rather interesting balance for someone in her line of work, isn't it?

Her work as a journalist, especially as a gossip columnist, went on for nearly six decades. That’s a very, very long time to stay at the top of any profession, particularly one that changes so much and so quickly. She was someone who, in a way, always seemed to be playing by a certain set of rules, even when she was writing about the most talked-about happenings. This piece will explore the life and times of Liz Smith, the journalist, and what made her such a memorable figure for so many people.

Liz Smith: A Life in Stories
Personal Details & Bio Data
Starting Out: From Radio to Gossip
The Grande Dame's Unique Approach
Keeping Secrets and Playing by the Rules
An Enduring Voice in Media
Frequently Asked Questions About Liz Smith

Liz Smith: A Life in Stories

Liz Smith, the journalist whom many came to know and admire as the "grand dame of dish," had a life story that, you know, truly stretched across most of the 20th century and then, in fact, into the early part of the new one. She was, in a way, someone who witnessed so many significant changes in how news was put together and then shared with the public. And, apparently, she was a rather big part of those very changes herself, helping to shape how stories got out there to people who wanted to hear them.

She was born in a place called Fort Worth, Texas, on a day that was February 2, 1923. So, that was a while ago, really, very early in the 1900s, which gives you a sense of her long journey. While she started her life there, she was actually raised in a much different setting, in New York City. This move, you could say, probably helped shape her deep connection to the big city's happenings and the famous folks who lived there, which would later become the very, very core focus of her long and impactful career. It was, you know, a different kind of upbringing for someone who would become so linked to Manhattan's stories.

Her career as a gossip writer, as a matter of fact, went on for almost 60 years. That's a truly remarkable span of time for anyone to be working in the same field, especially one that gets so much attention and changes so quickly with the times. She was, in a way, a constant presence for generations of readers, someone they could count on for a certain kind of story, a particular insight. She passed away on a Sunday, at the age of 94, at her home in Manhattan, which is, you know, where she had spent so much of her life making a real name for herself and becoming a fixture of the scene.

Liz Smith was, in many ways, one of America's most famous and enduring gossip columnists, someone who truly left her mark. Her passing, when it happened, marked the end of an era for many who followed celebrity news and the lives of public figures. She had a way of writing that was, apparently, quite forthright and direct, and she spent years talking with stars, getting to know them on a personal level, and then, later on, covering some of their public challenges and triumphs. She was, just a little, a very important bridge between the stars and the regular folks who wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes, so to speak.

Personal Details & Bio Data

Full Name	Liz Smith
Born	February 2, 1923
Birthplace	Fort Worth, Texas
Raised In	New York City
Died	Sunday (at age 94)
Place of Death	Her home in Manhattan
Known For	Gossip Columnist, Journalist, "Grand Dame of Dish"
Career Span	Almost 60 years in gossip writing
Notable Roles	Journalist for New York Daily Times, Cholly Knickerbocker columnist (anonymous)