James Whiteside Sr. attended elementary and high schools in Bamberg SC while both his parents worked at the Bamberg cotton mill. His father was a noted pitcher for the mill’s baseball team. Mill baseball leagues were very popular part of the cotton mill society. Jim Sr. often told the story of his father recruited as a pitcher by the New York Yankees in the late 1920’s. His father, Bill Whiteside, was a talented pitcher. He listened to the Yankee’s offer, but refused it. Bill said he could not play ball, fish, and hunt in New York City.
At the age of seventeen, Jim Sr. dropped from Bamberg High School, lied to the Navy recruiter about his age and joined the Navy in 1942. He enjoyed his experience in the Navy. He escaped the severe poverty of the deep south that was amplified by the depression. Where else could he get new clothing, a warm bed and three descent meals a day? He often told war stories to his sons Jim Jr. and John. The three of them watched every World War II movie made and he built many World War II naval ship models with his son James Jr. His entire naval career was spent on the USS Gantner, destroyer escort DE #60. He steamed 142,435 miles on the Gantner during the war. Most were North Atlantic convoy escort duty protecting cargo ships from the German U-boats. His war service ended in Tokyo harbor two days after the Japanese surrender at the rank of Gunner’s Mate First Class. A few months before the German surrender, the Gantner was transferred from the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific fleet. The Gantner was rebuilt and assigned as APD 42 to scout potential landing sites for the invasion of Japan. Thankfully, the atomic bombs ended the need for the invasion. Since he held high seniority on the Gantner, he was one of the first to be released. He hopped a troop ship back from Tokyo to Seattle and then a train to Washington, D.C.
James Sr. worked his entire career in the motion picture industry. He began as a projectionist at the Bamberg theater while he was in high school. Immediately after the war, he went to work at Columbia Pictures as a salesman with a territory throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and southern Delaware. In 1963, he was promoted and transferred to Los Angeles as branch manager. From there his career took him and the Whiteside Family to Syracuse New York, Atlanta Georgia, and back to Los Angeles. He finished his career at Disney in Burbank.
Jim Sr. joined Columbia Motion Pictures in 1945 or 1946 at their film distribution office in Washington, DC. It seemed all the motion picture companies had distribution offices in the same building. Jim Sr. called it “The Bug House” and cautioned his children to never call it that except when only they and he were alone. He was assigned a geographic area that included far eastern and western Maryland, and some parts of Virginia and Delaware. He was on the road every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday visiting the “Mom and Pop” single screen theaters that dotted the country sides at the time. He would book pictures into the theaters, meaning he made deals with the owners for films and the percentage splits of the box office gross. He did that until 1963 when he was promoted to branch manager of Los Angeles. This was the second largest distribution branch within Columbia. There he managed the branch salesmen, office staff and shipping/receiving staff. Since this was the Los Angeles branch, he and Lola had many opportunities to meet Hollywood movie stars during promotions of their films to the local theaters.
Jim Sr. left Columbia Pictures in 1970. He held various positions in various film companies in New York and Atlanta, but could not find a comfortable match until he joined Bing Crosby Productions as a vice president. He led their film distribution efforts and rubbed elbows every day with some of Hollywood’s elite who shared the same office building including Burt Reynolds, Lucille Ball, and George Burns. In fact, one day while visiting his office, Ron Howard opened a door for Blythe Whiteside, daughter of Jim Jr. and Connie Whiteside. Jim Sr. tells about the day when George Burns got on the office elevator with Jim Sr. and others. This was about the time when George’s movie “Oh God” was playing. Jim Sr.’s quick wit took over. When George entered the elevator, Jim Sr. yelled “Oh God, Its George!” That broke up a usually quiet elevator ride and was more entertaining than elevator music. After Bing Crosby’s death and ending for Bing Crosby Productions, Jim Sr. moved onto the Buena Vista Film division of Walt Disney Productions. He had found the position he had been looking for as Director of Cash Handling.
James Sr. retired from Disney in 1994 at the age of 69. He and Lola then moved back to his home state of Georgia. His daughter Joellen lived in Gumlog Georgia at that time and helped them find a home in Toccoa Georgia and settle in for retirement. Joellen even took a job in Toccoa so she could visit them every day for lunch and make sure they were behaving.
James Whiteside Sr. was a true southern gentleman. His family never heard him say a bad word about anyone and never heard him curse. He was exceptionally good at one liners, and he and his uncle Bill (his mother’s brother) could write a book of funny quips and one liners. By the way, his uncle Bill was an Army infantryman in World War II, survived the Anzio Italy invasion, was wound there, got himself patched and went on to recognition for bravery when he was awarded two Bronze stars for taking out two German pill boxes on two separate events.
James Sr. did not know much of his family heritage beyond his grandfather. Not long after retirement, he seemed to be more driven to find his Whiteside roots. A while after the genealogy bug bit his son James Jr., the two worked together and found their Whiteside Family in Gastonia, NC. Jim Sr. found cousins he did not know of and a family history he was proud of. Through DNA, James Jr. could verify that they indeed had found their Whiteside roots. He had found a satisfying retirement hobby. James Sr. was also able to verify that three of his grandfathers fought in the American Revolution. Two were South Carolina militia men and one was a North Carolina militiaman who was one of the mountain men at the Battle of Kings Mountain. James Sr. was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served two terms as Camp Commander of the Curahee Rangers and was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
At the age of seventeen, Jim Sr. dropped from Bamberg High School, lied to the Navy recruiter about his age and joined the Navy in 1942. He enjoyed his experience in the Navy. He escaped the severe poverty of the deep south that was amplified by the depression. Where else could he get new clothing, a warm bed and three descent meals a day? He often told war stories to his sons Jim Jr. and John. The three of them watched every World War II movie made and he built many World War II naval ship models with his son James Jr. His entire naval career was spent on the USS Gantner, destroyer escort DE #60. He steamed 142,435 miles on the Gantner during the war. Most were North Atlantic convoy escort duty protecting cargo ships from the German U-boats. His war service ended in Tokyo harbor two days after the Japanese surrender at the rank of Gunner’s Mate First Class. A few months before the German surrender, the Gantner was transferred from the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific fleet. The Gantner was rebuilt and assigned as APD 42 to scout potential landing sites for the invasion of Japan. Thankfully, the atomic bombs ended the need for the invasion. Since he held high seniority on the Gantner, he was one of the first to be released. He hopped a troop ship back from Tokyo to Seattle and then a train to Washington, D.C.
James Sr. worked his entire career in the motion picture industry. He began as a projectionist at the Bamberg theater while he was in high school. Immediately after the war, he went to work at Columbia Pictures as a salesman with a territory throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and southern Delaware. In 1963, he was promoted and transferred to Los Angeles as branch manager. From there his career took him and the Whiteside Family to Syracuse New York, Atlanta Georgia, and back to Los Angeles. He finished his career at Disney in Burbank.
Jim Sr. joined Columbia Motion Pictures in 1945 or 1946 at their film distribution office in Washington, DC. It seemed all the motion picture companies had distribution offices in the same building. Jim Sr. called it “The Bug House” and cautioned his children to never call it that except when only they and he were alone. He was assigned a geographic area that included far eastern and western Maryland, and some parts of Virginia and Delaware. He was on the road every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday visiting the “Mom and Pop” single screen theaters that dotted the country sides at the time. He would book pictures into the theaters, meaning he made deals with the owners for films and the percentage splits of the box office gross. He did that until 1963 when he was promoted to branch manager of Los Angeles. This was the second largest distribution branch within Columbia. There he managed the branch salesmen, office staff and shipping/receiving staff. Since this was the Los Angeles branch, he and Lola had many opportunities to meet Hollywood movie stars during promotions of their films to the local theaters.
Jim Sr. left Columbia Pictures in 1970. He held various positions in various film companies in New York and Atlanta, but could not find a comfortable match until he joined Bing Crosby Productions as a vice president. He led their film distribution efforts and rubbed elbows every day with some of Hollywood’s elite who shared the same office building including Burt Reynolds, Lucille Ball, and George Burns. In fact, one day while visiting his office, Ron Howard opened a door for Blythe Whiteside, daughter of Jim Jr. and Connie Whiteside. Jim Sr. tells about the day when George Burns got on the office elevator with Jim Sr. and others. This was about the time when George’s movie “Oh God” was playing. Jim Sr.’s quick wit took over. When George entered the elevator, Jim Sr. yelled “Oh God, Its George!” That broke up a usually quiet elevator ride and was more entertaining than elevator music. After Bing Crosby’s death and ending for Bing Crosby Productions, Jim Sr. moved onto the Buena Vista Film division of Walt Disney Productions. He had found the position he had been looking for as Director of Cash Handling.
James Sr. retired from Disney in 1994 at the age of 69. He and Lola then moved back to his home state of Georgia. His daughter Joellen lived in Gumlog Georgia at that time and helped them find a home in Toccoa Georgia and settle in for retirement. Joellen even took a job in Toccoa so she could visit them every day for lunch and make sure they were behaving.
James Whiteside Sr. was a true southern gentleman. His family never heard him say a bad word about anyone and never heard him curse. He was exceptionally good at one liners, and he and his uncle Bill (his mother’s brother) could write a book of funny quips and one liners. By the way, his uncle Bill was an Army infantryman in World War II, survived the Anzio Italy invasion, was wound there, got himself patched and went on to recognition for bravery when he was awarded two Bronze stars for taking out two German pill boxes on two separate events.
James Sr. did not know much of his family heritage beyond his grandfather. Not long after retirement, he seemed to be more driven to find his Whiteside roots. A while after the genealogy bug bit his son James Jr., the two worked together and found their Whiteside Family in Gastonia, NC. Jim Sr. found cousins he did not know of and a family history he was proud of. Through DNA, James Jr. could verify that they indeed had found their Whiteside roots. He had found a satisfying retirement hobby. James Sr. was also able to verify that three of his grandfathers fought in the American Revolution. Two were South Carolina militia men and one was a North Carolina militiaman who was one of the mountain men at the Battle of Kings Mountain. James Sr. was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served two terms as Camp Commander of the Curahee Rangers and was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
James Whiteside Sr. attended elementary and high schools in Bamberg SC while both his parents worked at the Bamberg cotton mill. His father was a noted pitcher for the mill’s baseball team. Mill baseball leagues were very popular part of the cotton mill society. Jim Sr. often told the story of his father recruited as a pitcher by the New York Yankees in the late 1920’s. His father, Bill Whiteside, was a talented pitcher. He listened to the Yankee’s offer, but refused it. Bill said he could not play ball, fish, and hunt in New York City.
At the age of seventeen, Jim Sr. dropped from Bamberg High School, lied to the Navy recruiter about his age and joined the Navy in 1942. He enjoyed his experience in the Navy. He escaped the severe poverty of the deep south that was amplified by the depression. Where else could he get new clothing, a warm bed and three descent meals a day? He often told war stories to his sons Jim Jr. and John. The three of them watched every World War II movie made and he built many World War II naval ship models with his son James Jr. His entire naval career was spent on the USS Gantner, destroyer escort DE #60. He steamed 142,435 miles on the Gantner during the war. Most were North Atlantic convoy escort duty protecting cargo ships from the German U-boats. His war service ended in Tokyo harbor two days after the Japanese surrender at the rank of Gunner’s Mate First Class. A few months before the German surrender, the Gantner was transferred from the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific fleet. The Gantner was rebuilt and assigned as APD 42 to scout potential landing sites for the invasion of Japan. Thankfully, the atomic bombs ended the need for the invasion. Since he held high seniority on the Gantner, he was one of the first to be released. He hopped a troop ship back from Tokyo to Seattle and then a train to Washington, D.C.
James Sr. worked his entire career in the motion picture industry. He began as a projectionist at the Bamberg theater while he was in high school. Immediately after the war, he went to work at Columbia Pictures as a salesman with a territory throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and southern Delaware. In 1963, he was promoted and transferred to Los Angeles as branch manager. From there his career took him and the Whiteside Family to Syracuse New York, Atlanta Georgia, and back to Los Angeles. He finished his career at Disney in Burbank.
Jim Sr. joined Columbia Motion Pictures in 1945 or 1946 at their film distribution office in Washington, DC. It seemed all the motion picture companies had distribution offices in the same building. Jim Sr. called it “The Bug House” and cautioned his children to never call it that except when only they and he were alone. He was assigned a geographic area that included far eastern and western Maryland, and some parts of Virginia and Delaware. He was on the road every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday visiting the “Mom and Pop” single screen theaters that dotted the country sides at the time. He would book pictures into the theaters, meaning he made deals with the owners for films and the percentage splits of the box office gross. He did that until 1963 when he was promoted to branch manager of Los Angeles. This was the second largest distribution branch within Columbia. There he managed the branch salesmen, office staff and shipping/receiving staff. Since this was the Los Angeles branch, he and Lola had many opportunities to meet Hollywood movie stars during promotions of their films to the local theaters.
Jim Sr. left Columbia Pictures in 1970. He held various positions in various film companies in New York and Atlanta, but could not find a comfortable match until he joined Bing Crosby Productions as a vice president. He led their film distribution efforts and rubbed elbows every day with some of Hollywood’s elite who shared the same office building including Burt Reynolds, Lucille Ball, and George Burns. In fact, one day while visiting his office, Ron Howard opened a door for Blythe Whiteside, daughter of Jim Jr. and Connie Whiteside. Jim Sr. tells about the day when George Burns got on the office elevator with Jim Sr. and others. This was about the time when George’s movie “Oh God” was playing. Jim Sr.’s quick wit took over. When George entered the elevator, Jim Sr. yelled “Oh God, Its George!” That broke up a usually quiet elevator ride and was more entertaining than elevator music. After Bing Crosby’s death and ending for Bing Crosby Productions, Jim Sr. moved onto the Buena Vista Film division of Walt Disney Productions. He had found the position he had been looking for as Director of Cash Handling.
James Sr. retired from Disney in 1994 at the age of 69. He and Lola then moved back to his home state of Georgia. His daughter Joellen lived in Gumlog Georgia at that time and helped them find a home in Toccoa Georgia and settle in for retirement. Joellen even took a job in Toccoa so she could visit them every day for lunch and make sure they were behaving.
James Whiteside Sr. was a true southern gentleman. His family never heard him say a bad word about anyone and never heard him curse. He was exceptionally good at one liners, and he and his uncle Bill (his mother’s brother) could write a book of funny quips and one liners. By the way, his uncle Bill was an Army infantryman in World War II, survived the Anzio Italy invasion, was wound there, got himself patched and went on to recognition for bravery when he was awarded two Bronze stars for taking out two German pill boxes on two separate events.
James Sr. did not know much of his family heritage beyond his grandfather. Not long after retirement, he seemed to be more driven to find his Whiteside roots. A while after the genealogy bug bit his son James Jr., the two worked together and found their Whiteside Family in Gastonia, NC. Jim Sr. found cousins he did not know of and a family history he was proud of. Through DNA, James Jr. could verify that they indeed had found their Whiteside roots. He had found a satisfying retirement hobby. James Sr. was also able to verify that three of his grandfathers fought in the American Revolution. Two were South Carolina militia men and one was a North Carolina militiaman who was one of the mountain men at the Battle of Kings Mountain. James Sr. was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served two terms as Camp Commander of the Curahee Rangers and was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
At the age of seventeen, Jim Sr. dropped from Bamberg High School, lied to the Navy recruiter about his age and joined the Navy in 1942. He enjoyed his experience in the Navy. He escaped the severe poverty of the deep south that was amplified by the depression. Where else could he get new clothing, a warm bed and three descent meals a day? He often told war stories to his sons Jim Jr. and John. The three of them watched every World War II movie made and he built many World War II naval ship models with his son James Jr. His entire naval career was spent on the USS Gantner, destroyer escort DE #60. He steamed 142,435 miles on the Gantner during the war. Most were North Atlantic convoy escort duty protecting cargo ships from the German U-boats. His war service ended in Tokyo harbor two days after the Japanese surrender at the rank of Gunner’s Mate First Class. A few months before the German surrender, the Gantner was transferred from the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific fleet. The Gantner was rebuilt and assigned as APD 42 to scout potential landing sites for the invasion of Japan. Thankfully, the atomic bombs ended the need for the invasion. Since he held high seniority on the Gantner, he was one of the first to be released. He hopped a troop ship back from Tokyo to Seattle and then a train to Washington, D.C.
James Sr. worked his entire career in the motion picture industry. He began as a projectionist at the Bamberg theater while he was in high school. Immediately after the war, he went to work at Columbia Pictures as a salesman with a territory throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and southern Delaware. In 1963, he was promoted and transferred to Los Angeles as branch manager. From there his career took him and the Whiteside Family to Syracuse New York, Atlanta Georgia, and back to Los Angeles. He finished his career at Disney in Burbank.
Jim Sr. joined Columbia Motion Pictures in 1945 or 1946 at their film distribution office in Washington, DC. It seemed all the motion picture companies had distribution offices in the same building. Jim Sr. called it “The Bug House” and cautioned his children to never call it that except when only they and he were alone. He was assigned a geographic area that included far eastern and western Maryland, and some parts of Virginia and Delaware. He was on the road every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday visiting the “Mom and Pop” single screen theaters that dotted the country sides at the time. He would book pictures into the theaters, meaning he made deals with the owners for films and the percentage splits of the box office gross. He did that until 1963 when he was promoted to branch manager of Los Angeles. This was the second largest distribution branch within Columbia. There he managed the branch salesmen, office staff and shipping/receiving staff. Since this was the Los Angeles branch, he and Lola had many opportunities to meet Hollywood movie stars during promotions of their films to the local theaters.
Jim Sr. left Columbia Pictures in 1970. He held various positions in various film companies in New York and Atlanta, but could not find a comfortable match until he joined Bing Crosby Productions as a vice president. He led their film distribution efforts and rubbed elbows every day with some of Hollywood’s elite who shared the same office building including Burt Reynolds, Lucille Ball, and George Burns. In fact, one day while visiting his office, Ron Howard opened a door for Blythe Whiteside, daughter of Jim Jr. and Connie Whiteside. Jim Sr. tells about the day when George Burns got on the office elevator with Jim Sr. and others. This was about the time when George’s movie “Oh God” was playing. Jim Sr.’s quick wit took over. When George entered the elevator, Jim Sr. yelled “Oh God, Its George!” That broke up a usually quiet elevator ride and was more entertaining than elevator music. After Bing Crosby’s death and ending for Bing Crosby Productions, Jim Sr. moved onto the Buena Vista Film division of Walt Disney Productions. He had found the position he had been looking for as Director of Cash Handling.
James Sr. retired from Disney in 1994 at the age of 69. He and Lola then moved back to his home state of Georgia. His daughter Joellen lived in Gumlog Georgia at that time and helped them find a home in Toccoa Georgia and settle in for retirement. Joellen even took a job in Toccoa so she could visit them every day for lunch and make sure they were behaving.
James Whiteside Sr. was a true southern gentleman. His family never heard him say a bad word about anyone and never heard him curse. He was exceptionally good at one liners, and he and his uncle Bill (his mother’s brother) could write a book of funny quips and one liners. By the way, his uncle Bill was an Army infantryman in World War II, survived the Anzio Italy invasion, was wound there, got himself patched and went on to recognition for bravery when he was awarded two Bronze stars for taking out two German pill boxes on two separate events.
James Sr. did not know much of his family heritage beyond his grandfather. Not long after retirement, he seemed to be more driven to find his Whiteside roots. A while after the genealogy bug bit his son James Jr., the two worked together and found their Whiteside Family in Gastonia, NC. Jim Sr. found cousins he did not know of and a family history he was proud of. Through DNA, James Jr. could verify that they indeed had found their Whiteside roots. He had found a satisfying retirement hobby. James Sr. was also able to verify that three of his grandfathers fought in the American Revolution. Two were South Carolina militia men and one was a North Carolina militiaman who was one of the mountain men at the Battle of Kings Mountain. James Sr. was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served two terms as Camp Commander of the Curahee Rangers and was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
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