BELLAMY, PETER (9 Nov. 1914-6 Jan. 1989) covered many beats during a journalism career of 50 years but was best remembered as drama critic of the CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER. He was a native of Cleveland and the son of PAUL BELLAMY, editor of the Plain Dealer from 1928-54. Educated at HAWKEN SCHOOL, Shaw High, and Harvard University, Bellamy began his own newspaper career in Iowa with the Des Moines Register-Tribune in 1936. Two years later he returned to Cleveland to join the staff of the CLEVELAND NEWS, where he served as drama and film columnist before seeing service in the Navy during WORLD WAR II. Following the war he returned to the News, which gave him a daily column, "Bellamy Around," in 1956 and made him, reportedly, Cleveland's first male society editor in 1959. With the expiration of the News in 1960, Bellamy moved to the Plain Dealer and became its drama critic, succeeding Harlowe Hoyt in 1962. During his 14 years on the drama desk, he once even covered a professional wrestling match at the instigation of Plain Dealer sports editor GORDON COBBLEDICK, who held that such exhibitions were, properly speaking, more theatrical than sporting in nature. At the other extreme of the drama spectrum, he also lectured on Shakespeare during a summer session at Western Reserve University (see CASE WESTERN RESERVE). In the decade prior to his retirement in 1986, Bellamy served as the paper's critic-at-large. He died in his home in CLEVELAND HTS., survived by his wife, the former Jean Dessel, and 5 children: Sheila J., Stephen P., John S., II., Christopher, and Nicole B. (Loughman). Bellamy was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.
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