Overview

Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Smith (February 2, 1923 – November 12, 2017) was an American gossip writer and cultural commentator widely known as "The Grand Dame of Dish." Over a career that spanned decades she wrote about celebrities, social life and popular culture for New York newspapers and nationally syndicated columns, producing an influential voice that helped shape modern entertainment reporting and the social pages. Her work bridged broadcast and print media and made the rhythms of New York life part of a broader national conversation. gossip columnist

Early life and education

Smith was born in Fort Worth, Texas and spent much of her childhood and adult life in New York City. She attended the University of Texas at Austin for a time before beginning a career in media. Her biographical background — regional roots combined with a New York professional life — informed much of the perspective she brought to reporting on social and cultural scenes. Fort Worth New York City University of Texas

Career and style

Smith began in broadcasting and later became better known for print and syndicated columns. Early in her career she worked in radio alongside established journalists and broadcasters, an experience that shaped her ear for conversational copy and quick, precise paragraphing. Over time she developed a distinctive blend of insider detail, wit and civility that appealed to both industry insiders and the wider reading public. Her columns often mixed scoops with reminiscence, and she was known for cultivating long‑standing sources and for a tone that combined curiosity with personal warmth. CBS Radio

  • Long-running columns in New York newspapers and national syndication.
  • Balance of scoops, social observation and character sketches.
  • Recognized for longevity and influence in entertainment reporting.

Personal life

Smith's private life was less public than her professional persona, though she spoke openly in later years about aspects of her identity and relationships. She was married earlier in life and later divorced; she also acknowledged relationships with both men and women and is regarded as having been bisexual. Friends and colleagues described her as a tireless networker who maintained many warm professional and personal relationships across media, arts and philanthropic circles. marriage

Death and legacy

Liz Smith died of natural causes at her Manhattan apartment on November 12, 2017, aged 94. Her columns are remembered for helping to professionalize celebrity reporting while preserving a personal voice that emphasized storytelling over sensationalism. She influenced generations of writers who cover celebrities, social life and show business, and her work is often cited in discussions about the changing relationship between the press and popular culture in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Manhattan apartment

Significance: Smith helped make the daily column a forum for social history as well as entertainment news. Her career illustrates how gossip columns evolved from society pages into a staple of mass media, shaping public perceptions of fame, fashion and urban life.