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Manship Family History
The Manship Theatre is named in honor of Douglas Lewis Manship, Sr., the son of Charles Manship, Sr.
The Manship Family patriarch, Charles Manship, Sr., purchased Baton Rouge's first daily newspaper, the State-Times, in 1909. Sixteen years later, he launched the Morning Advocate, sister publication to the State-Times. Mr. Manship established his newspapers on the most sacred of all journalistic principles - factual integrity and respect for fairness in presenting balanced news coverage. His business philosophy was a simple one. Invest in the best people and in the latest technology.
Charles Manship, Jr. assumed the helm when his father died in 1947. Charles, Jr. embarked on his newspaper career in the 1930s. He earned a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a Masters in business administration from Harvard. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. Although he held a high profile position, Charles was always fundamentally a quiet person, performing his duties without fanfare, never failing to share his wealth, wisdom and energy to help make Baton Rouge a better place for all of its citizens. Charles was particularly proud of his association with LSU and his support of the LSU School of Journalism. "Mr. Charles" died in 1994 after serving some sixty years in the business he loved.
Douglas L. Manship, Sr. was the third member of his family to lead media operations. Early in his career he wrote for the State-Times and Morning Advocate, but spent most of his time working at radio stations WJBO-AM and FM. Doug Manship served in the U. S. Army Air Forces during World War II, and returned to Baton Rouge convinced that television was just over the horizon and was an exciting new medium for the future. He was a pioneer in the Baton Rouge television industry, and by 1955 his dream became a reality when WBRZ officially signed on the air, adding a significant dimension to the Manship's mutli-media holdings. In 1964, the family purchased KRGV-TV in Weslaco, Texas. In 1970, Doug left the television station to replace his brother, Charles Manship, Jr., as publisher of the State-Times and Morning Advocate. Although very active in publishing, his first love was always broadcasting. In his nearly fifty years of journalistic management and leadership, Douglas Manship, Sr. distinguished himself as an industry innovator, an independent, influential thinker, and a forceful, articulate advocate of American press freedoms. Doug Manship died in 1999. His love for the arts inspired this theatre's dedication by his family.
Today the family businesses are owned and operated by the founder's four grandchildren.
Richard F. Manship, President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital City Press (The Advocate); President of Louisiana Television Broadcasting, L.L.C. (WBRZ-TV); and President of Mobile Video Tapes, Inc. (KRGV-TV)
Douglas L. Manship, Jr., Chief Operating Officer and Publisher of Capital City Press (The Advocate)
David C. Manship, Managing Member Dina Manship Planche, Managing Member
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