Norris McWhirter biography
Synopsis
Norris Dewar McWhirter was born on August 12, 1925, in London and studied at Oxford. He, along with his brother Ross McWhirter, founded the information service McWhirter Twins Ltd in 1950. They were commissioned to create a statistical book of world records. Their first edition, The Guinness Book of Records, was published in 1954. McWhirter, also a journalist and broadcaster, died on April 19, 2004.
Profile
British publisher, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. He studied at Oxford, and became chairman of the family business (1955-86). With his twin brother Ross McWhirter (1925-75) he founded an information service, McWhirter Twins Ltd (1950). They were invited by the managing director of Guinness Breweries to compile a book of records to settle arguments in public houses, and the first edition of The Guinness Book of Records was published in 1954. Norris was editor (1954-86), and is director of Guinness Publications Ltd. A sports journalist (1951-67), he has also been a television sports commentator (1960-72), and co-presenter of The Record Breakers (1972-94). Ross was assassinated by IRA terrorists.