Pith Possum's true identity is lowly tabloid copyboy Peter Possum. He began his career at 17 as a copyboy on "The Daily Mirror" in 1971. He began his journalism career as a copyboy for the "Chicago Tribune". After college, Greenland first worked as a copyboy at the New York Daily News. His first newspaper job was as a copyboy with the "Danbury News-Times". Kempton worked as a copyboy for H. L. Mencken at the "Baltimore Evening Sun". Manchester worked as a copyboy for the "Daily Oklahoman" in 1945 before returning to college. In 1926 he became a copyboy for the "New York American", earning $10 a week.