Guy Earl Jr., Ex-Media Owner, Dies at 92

Guy Earl Jr., one-time owner of both the old Los Angeles Herald-Express and radio station KNX, has died in Newport Beach at the age of 92, his son said.

After selling his interest in the newspaper, which he had bought from his uncle, Edwin T. Earl, to William Randolph Hearst and the radio station to the Columbia Broadcasting System in the 1930s, Earl began developing shopping centers and other real estate projects.

In 1941, he purchased a large cattle ranch in the Bonsall area of northern San Diego County, expanding it to a 10,000-acre operation that he eventually sold off. The San Luis Rey Downs horse-training complex and country club are located there.

Earl was one of the founders of the Rainbow Water District, which improved irrigation for the northern San Diego County area and helped develop agriculture there. He served nearly 20 years on the district’s board. He made his home in Warner Springs.

Pilot in WWI

Earl, who was born in Oakland, was graduated from the University of California, entered the old Signal Corps and served as a pilot during World War I. He was in six crashes--the last of which was caused when malfunctioning synchronization caused him to shoot off his own propeller.

After the war, he attended Columbia University School of Law before moving to Los Angeles.

He died Wednesday in Hoag Memorial Hospital.

He leaves his son, Guy Earl III, of Newport Beach; a sister, Alice Wielder, of Santa Cruz, and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. The family asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to children’s hospitals in Los Angeles or Orange counties, or to Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach.