Franklin Murphy--Endacott Society Interview

Abstract

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Dr. Franklin D. Murphy received his BA from the University of Kansas in 1936 and his MD degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1941. At age 35 he became Chancellor of the University of Kansas, leaving his post as dean of the School of Medicine. One of his legacies to the School of Medicine includes the development of the health plan that encouraged physicians to extend their services to small Kansas communities—the Rural Preceptor Program. Dr. Murphy was Chancellor from 1951 to 1960. His tenure saw major increases in endowment and library holdings, bringing the university to national stature. Following several years of tension and conflict with Kansas governor George Docking, Murphy resigned in 1960 to become the chancellor of the University of California Los Angeles. He left UCLA in 1968, then becoming chairman and CEO of the Times Mirror Corporation until 1980. He stayed with the company as director and director emeritus until his death in 1994.