Sam Yorty
Samuel William Yorty (October 1, 1909 – June 5, 1998) was an American politician, attorney, and radio host from Los Angeles, California. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the California State Assembly, but he is most remembered for his turbulent three terms as the 37th Mayor of Los Angeles from 1961 to 1973. Although Yorty spent almost all of his political career as a Democrat, he became a Republican in 1973.
Sam Yorty
14th district (1951–53)
26th district (1953–55)
John D. McCarthy
Roger Alton Pfaff
October 1, 1909
Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
June 5, 1998 (aged 88)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Democratic (until 1973)
Republican (from 1973)
United States
Later career[edit]
After leaving office, Yorty hosted a talk show on KCOP-TV for five years, later complaining that he was canceled in favor of the television program Hee Haw. After leaving work on the small screen, he returned to the political arena, but failed in a comeback bid for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1980, having been defeated by the conservative Paul Gann, who in turn was badly beaten by incumbent liberal Democrat Alan Cranston. In 1981, Yorty failed again in a bid to unseat Bradley.
Afterward, Yorty retired from public life, aside from being a rainmaker for several law firms. He suffered a stroke on May 24, 1998, then contracted pneumonia. After treatment at the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, he was sent to his Studio City, California home, where he died on the morning of June 5, the 30th anniversary of Robert Kennedy's assassination and three months before Yorty's old rival, Tom Bradley, died. Yorty had told his wife that he wanted no funeral service.