165:
Dobbs was born in 1918 in
Roselle, New Jersey, to George Dobbs and Mary Dobbs (nÊe Wolin), both Russian Jews who had emigrated to the United States in the early twentieth century. He attended Roselle's Jefferson High School for one year before his family moved to San Diego in 1934, in search of work
212:
After graduating law school in 1942, Dobbs was hired by the law firm
Lillick, Geary, Olson, Adams, & Charles, becoming the firm's first Jewish lawyer and first Hastings graduate. He remained there until 1956, when he left to establish his own firm with William Ferdon, called Dobbs & Ferdon.
332:
He was particularly devoted to
Hastings, serving on its board of directors for more than 20 years and as its president for a half dozen. His leadership helped to preserve Hastings' autonomy when it was threatened. Dobbs was named the Hastings College of the Law Alumnus of the Year in 1983, and the
228:ââ the first drive-in restaurant in San Francisco ââ at 140 South Van Ness Avenue. After their initial success, Dobbs and Weiss built Mel's into a successful chain with locations across Northern California. Mel's became an icon of mid-century American culture when it was memorialized in
341:
Dobbs married
Annette Dobbs (nÊe Lehrer) in 1941. Annette was an important civic leader in her own right, serving on the boards of numerous San Francisco organizations, including as president of San Francisco's
247:
Dobbs also owned several bowling alleys throughout the Bay Area and a chain of movie theaters in Hong Kong, and he was the founder of two additional restaurant chains called "King's" and "The Red Roof."
213:
After the death of Ferdon, the firm became Dobbs & Doty, then Dobbs & Nielsen, and eventually Dobbs, Berger, Molinari, Vannelli, Nadel & Links. Dobbs specialized in business law.
529:
314:
186:
524:
321:, Saints and Sinners, Sinai Memorial Chapel, and the YMCA. He also served on the boards of the Florence Crittendon Home for Unwed Mothers, the Jewish Community Federation,
554:
260:, first winning election in 1951 at age 32. He was re-elected to two additional four-year terms in 1955 and 1959, serving as President of the Board during his third term.
189:
in San
Francisco, which at the time did not require its students to have college degrees. Dobbs graduated from Hastings and passed the California Bar Examination in 1942.
317:, the Jewish Home for the Aged, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Lake Merced Golf & Country Club, Lighthouse for the Blind, the Nob Hill Association, the
539:
559:
544:
534:
326:
305:
said he "knows how to use the gifts of persistence and quiet persuasion (and) has the vigor of mind and body San
Francisco needs in the years ahead."
549:
569:
178:
192:
Asthma kept Dobbs out of the military during World War II, but he worked as a clerk at his local
Selective Service office during the war.
564:
288:
257:
34:
107:
484:
182:
270:
Dobbs ran for mayor himself three times, in 1963, 1967, and 1971. Each time, he placed second in a three-way contest:
264:
171:
204:
recognized his potential early when they recognized Dobbs as one of the "100 Young
Leaders of Tomorrow" in 1952.
350:
301:
177:
In 1939, the Dobbs family moved once more to San
Francisco, where George Dobbs hoped to find work at the
167:
313:
At various times throughout his long career, Dobbs served as president of the
Concordia-Argonaut Club,
519:
514:
322:
73:
267:, Dobbs served as Acting Mayor on several occasions during Christopher's absences from the city.
237:
343:
318:
233:
225:
154:
469:
Rubenstein, Steve (August 17, 1994). "Harold Dobbs -- Former Supervisor, S.F. Civic Leader".
445:
421:
397:
292:
221:
Throughout his five decades practicing law, Dobbs was also an entrepreneur and businessman.
275:
201:
153:. He was a lawyer, businessman, politician, and leader in the Jewish community, founding
508:
282:
241:
146:
93:
278:'s 120,560 (50.07%) and Edward Mancuso's 27,581 (11.46%). Shelley was elected mayor.
229:
285:'s 106,814 (44.11%) and Jack Morrison's 40,206 (16.61%). Alioto was elected mayor.
356:
Dobbs was diagnosed with leukemia in 1985 and died in 1994, at the age of 75.
200:
Dobbs had a long and distinguished career that included multiple professions.
150:
97:
77:
373:
291:, Dobbs won 68,637 votes (27.66%) against Mayor Alioto's 95,744 (38.59%) and
166:
for Dobbs' father George, who was a carpenter. Dobbs finished high school at
174:
for two years, becoming the first member of his family to attend college.
145:(December 8, 1918 â August 14, 1994) was an influential civic leader in
185:. Despite not having graduated from college, Harold Dobbs enrolled at
329:, the San Francisco Boy's Club, and St. Elizabeth's Infant Shelter.
157:
and serving as president of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.
349:
Harold and Annette had five children together: Stephen, Marilyn,
485:"Annette Dobbs, S.F. activist and devoted Israel supporter â J."
333:
atrium in the college's main building is named in his honor.
274:
In 1963, Dobbs won 92,627 votes (38.47%) against Congressman
346:. They remained married for 54 years, until Harold's death.
295:'s 53,911 (21.73%). Alioto was re-elected to a second term.
446:"Our Campaigns - San Francisco Mayor Race - Nov 02, 1971"
422:"Our Campaigns - San Francisco Mayor Race - Nov 07, 1967"
398:"Our Campaigns - San Francisco Mayor Race - Nov 05, 1963"
113:
103:
83:
60:
55:
32:
21:
281:In 1967, Dobbs won 90,482 votes (37.37%) against
530:Jewish American people in California politics
299:In an editorial endorsing Dobbs in 1963, the
8:
374:"Former Supervisors | Board of Supervisors"
525:San Francisco Board of Supervisors members
47:January 8, 1952 â January 8, 1964
18:
555:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
224:In 1947, Dobbs and Mel Weiss co-founded
365:
327:the Northern California Jewish Bulletin
7:
540:20th-century American businesspeople
179:Golden Gate International Exposition
258:San Francisco Board of Supervisors
35:San Francisco Board of Supervisors
14:
560:San Diego State University alumni
545:Businesspeople from San Francisco
535:20th-century American politicians
256:Dobbs served for 12 years on the
263:A close political ally of Mayor
550:People from Roselle, New Jersey
126:
1:
244:cultures of the early 1960s.
570:San Diego High School alumni
344:Jewish Community Federation
315:Hastings College of the Law
187:Hastings College of the Law
586:
565:20th-century American Jews
136:
51:
40:
28:
236:, which highlighted the
161:Early life and education
471:San Francisco Chronicle
319:S.F. Zoological Society
302:San Francisco Chronicle
172:San Diego State College
168:San Diego High School
450:www.ourcampaigns.com
426:www.ourcampaigns.com
402:www.ourcampaigns.com
353:, Rusty, and Cathy.
309:Community leadership
143:Harold Stanley Dobbs
16:American businessman
323:Mount Zion Hospital
265:George Christopher
170:and then attended
234:American Graffiti
140:
139:
577:
499:
498:
496:
495:
481:
475:
474:
466:
460:
459:
457:
456:
442:
436:
435:
433:
432:
418:
412:
411:
409:
408:
394:
388:
387:
385:
384:
370:
293:Dianne Feinstein
130:
128:
90:
71:December 8, 1918
70:
68:
56:Personal details
45:
19:
585:
584:
580:
579:
578:
576:
575:
574:
505:
504:
503:
502:
493:
491:
483:
482:
478:
468:
467:
463:
454:
452:
444:
443:
439:
430:
428:
420:
419:
415:
406:
404:
396:
395:
391:
382:
380:
372:
371:
367:
362:
339:
311:
254:
219:
210:
198:
183:Treasure Island
163:
132:
129: 1941)
124:
120:
104:Political party
92:
88:
87:August 14, 1994
72:
66:
64:
46:
41:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
583:
581:
573:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
537:
532:
527:
522:
517:
507:
506:
501:
500:
476:
461:
437:
413:
389:
364:
363:
361:
358:
338:
335:
310:
307:
297:
296:
286:
279:
253:
250:
226:Mel's Drive-In
218:
215:
209:
206:
197:
194:
162:
159:
155:Mel's Drive-In
138:
137:
134:
133:
122:
118:
117:
115:
111:
110:
105:
101:
100:
91:(aged 75)
85:
81:
80:
62:
58:
57:
53:
52:
49:
48:
38:
37:
33:Member of the
30:
29:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
582:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
512:
510:
489:
486:
480:
477:
472:
465:
462:
451:
447:
441:
438:
427:
423:
417:
414:
403:
399:
393:
390:
379:
375:
369:
366:
359:
357:
354:
352:
347:
345:
337:Personal life
336:
334:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
308:
306:
304:
303:
294:
290:
287:
284:
280:
277:
273:
272:
271:
268:
266:
261:
259:
251:
249:
245:
243:
242:rock and roll
239:
235:
232:'s 1973 film
231:
227:
222:
216:
214:
207:
205:
203:
202:Time Magazine
195:
193:
190:
188:
184:
180:
175:
173:
169:
160:
158:
156:
152:
148:
147:San Francisco
144:
135:
119:Annette Dobbs
116:
112:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
94:San Francisco
86:
82:
79:
75:
63:
59:
54:
50:
44:
39:
36:
31:
27:
20:
492:. Retrieved
490:. 2012-03-23
487:
479:
470:
464:
453:. Retrieved
449:
440:
429:. Retrieved
425:
416:
405:. Retrieved
401:
392:
381:. Retrieved
377:
368:
355:
348:
340:
331:
312:
300:
298:
276:Jack Shelley
269:
262:
255:
246:
230:George Lucas
223:
220:
211:
199:
191:
176:
164:
142:
141:
89:(1994-08-14)
42:
23:Harold Dobbs
520:1994 deaths
515:1918 births
509:Categories
494:2018-06-22
455:2018-06-22
431:2018-06-22
407:2018-06-22
383:2018-06-22
360:References
283:Joe Alioto
151:California
108:Republican
98:California
78:New Jersey
67:1918-12-08
378:sfbos.org
43:In office
252:Politics
238:cruising
217:Business
351:Gregory
289:In 1971
131:
123:
74:Roselle
196:Career
114:Spouse
125:(
121:
240:and
84:Died
61:Born
208:Law
181:on
511::
448:.
424:.
400:.
376:.
325:,
149:,
127:m.
96:,
76:,
497:.
488:J
473:.
458:.
434:.
410:.
386:.
69:)
65:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.