A nostalgic evening with a legend

There were familiar faces on the screen and in the audience at Monday’s premiere showing of "Final Edition: Journalism According to Jack and Jim Knight” in the Akron-Summit County Public Library auditorium on High Street in Akron.

John Shively “Jack” Knight dominated the documentary, as he did in life, which Akron deputy mayor Dave Lieberth expertly conveyed in the panel discussion that followed.

Others in the film included:

-- Abe Zaidain, once BJ political writer and writing coach before leaving for the Plain Dealer and then retiring onto the Internet with his “Grumpy Abe” web site, where he still dispenses his thoughts. Check him out at

http://grumpyabe.blogspot.com/

-- Dave Boerner, retired BJ news editor, and a regular at the 1 p.m. second Wednesday of the month BJ Alums lunch at Papa Joe’s restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road at Portage Trail Extension.

-- Dave Cooper, once editor Paul Poorman’s sidekick as editorial page editor.

-- Mary Ethridge, BJ reporter and daughter of BJ editor Mark Ethridge, who recalled her poignant visit to a distraught JSK in New York City after the murder of his grandson, John Knight III.

In the audience I spotted such former colleagues as photographers Ott Gangl, Bill Hunter and Lou Stamp, Features Dept. editor Joan Rice, business columnist Diane Paparone Evans, Sports Dept.’s Danny Thom and State Desk reporter Paula Tucker. I know there were more because, when moderator/documentary co-producer/writer Paul Jacoway asked for a show of hands by BJ retirees, he commented: “Seems like half the audience.”

Others on the panel were University of Akron president/chief executive officer Dr. Luis Proenza; former Beacon Journal publisher Jim Crutchfield, Knight Foundation trustee; Bruce Winges, BJ vice president and editor; and UA Buchtelite managing editor Lauren Bailey.

For those who missed the documentary’s premiere, it will be on Western Reserve public media at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Also on the Fusion Channel, available on cable systems in Summit, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne counties, at 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

To see photos of Jacoway and the panel at the premiere, click on the headline.