Tom Warren Titus

May 26, 1938 - June 2, 2023

Tom Titus passed away peacefully in Orange, CA on the morning of June 2, 2023. Born in Corry, PA he served for three years in the U.S. Army, then moved to his adopted home of California shortly after returning to civilian life. He spent his career reviewing local theater and serving as the Entertainment Editor for The Daily Pilot. An avid actor, director, trivia buff, and Scrabble player, he will be missed in many different communities.

Always a writer to his core, Tom composed his own summary of life a few years ago:

Tom Warren Titus was born May 26, 1938, in Corry, Pennsylvania, where he was raised as the only child of Warren and Helen Titus and graduated from high school in 1956. Shortly afterward he embarked on a 60+-year career in journalism when he became sports editor of the Corry Evening Journal.

After four years on the Journal, Tom entered the Army and – following basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and information school at Fort Slocum, N.Y. – served in Camp Casey, South Korea, on the staff of the 7th Infantry Division newspaper, the Bayonet, for which he also created a weekly crossword puzzle. He later became managing editor of the paper and worked at the Pacific Stars and Stripes offices in Tokyo for the last four months of his overseas hitch.

On his return to the USA, Tom was transferred to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, where he served the last 14 months of his Army duty as sports editor of the post newspaper. He also spent most weekends in New York City, picking up comp tickets to Broadway shows at the Manhattan USO, igniting a lifelong love of theater. He estimates he saw over 100 productions on and off Broadway during that period.

After his discharge, Tom returned to Corry and the Journal for a few months, covering the 1963 season of the high school football team and writing a 12-part series of articles on the history of football at Corry High, which included his father, Warren, who snapped the ball for the team's first-ever touchdown. .

In November, 1963, Tom packed his earthly goods into a 1957 DeSoto and set out for Los Angeles, where he crashed with a transplanted high school buddy for two weeks while searching for work on an LA-area newspaper. That resulted in his hiring by the Daily Pilot in December as a city reporter, covering the events in Costa Mesa.

His career with the theater began in February, 1965, when he reviewed a production of “A Thousand Clowns” at the old Laguna Playhouse. Shortly afterward, South Coast Repertory arrived and gave him much more to write about. From 1965 to 2020, Tom saw every SCR production and reviewed all but one – his son Tim pinch-hit in 2006 when Tom was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Reviewing local theater gave Tom the urge to try it himself and in June, 1965, he made his acting debut in the first production of the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, “Send Me No Flowers.” He began directing in 1968 with his own play, “Summer Lightning,” at the Westminster Community Theater.

Tom returned to Westminster in 1970 to play Mitch in “A Streetcar Named Desire” and fell in love with the actress playing Blanche. He and Beth “rewrote” Tennessee Williams and were married shortly afterward. The 13-year union produced a son, Tim, in 1973 and a daughter, Mindy, in 1979.

Also in 1970, Tom appeared in the first production of the Irvine Community Theater, “Come Blow Your Horn.” Two years later, he was invited to direct an ICT production of “You Can't Take It With You” and subsequently became the theater's artistic director – a position he held for 31 years.

As a director, Tom staged productions of such plays as “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “That Championship Season,” “The Caine Mutiny Court-martial,” “Patterns,” “All My Sons,” “Picnic,” “Twelve Angry Men,” “The Desperate Hours,” “The Odd Couple” (both versions), “The Bad Seed,” “Inherit the Wind” and “When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?” among many others.

As an actor, he performed major roles in “Mister Roberts,” “Born Yesterday,” “Inherit the Wind,” “Silent Night, Lonely Night,” “The Crucible,” “Never Too Late” and “Don't Drink the Water,” among others, but his favorites were “Tribute,” when he played the father of his real son,Tim, and “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” playing daddy to his real daughter, Mindy.

Tom retired from his ICT position in 2003, shortly after meeting the lady he calls the true love of his life, Jurine Landoe – or “Deenie” as his granddaughters Riley and Kaylyn call her. He and Jurine have been a couple since 2002.

Tom’s contribution to Orange County theater cannot be underestimated. They were so extensive that on October 20, 2019 he was recognized by the Costa Mesa Historical Society and on October 19, 2021 he was honored with Arts Orange County’s Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award for his lifetime body of work.

Tom is survived by his son, Tim Titus and daughter, Mindy Mills, their spouses Brenda Titus and Aaron Mills, as well as two granddaughters, Riley and Kaylyn Mills, life partner Jurine Landoe, and ex-wife Beth Titus.

A Celebration of Tom’s life will be held at The Gem Theater, 12852 Main St, Garden Grove on August 19, 2023 at 11:00 am. Refreshments will be provided. The family asks that if you plan to attend, please take a moment to complete the form in 'Celebration of Life' link below to help us plan.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Gem Theater or a local community theater of your choice.