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Some of Caen's best items come from an army of volunteer tipsters, who range from the Mission Street down-and-outers Caen calls "Skid Rowgues" to the high-and-flighty set he calls the "Nobhillbillies." Despite the fervent pleas of his longtime legman, Jerry Bundsen, 42, Caen refuses to write even one day ahead, pounds out his column in 90 minutes at his air-conditioned office each morning. Though the file box he calls the "item-smasher" is usually filled with rough notes for the column each day, Caen is haunted by the fear that he will run dry, or that San Franciscans will someday tire of hearing about San Francisco. Herb Caen has often been touted as Hearst HQ's choice to succeed aging Gossipist Walter Winchell, if and when W.W. ever retires. But even if Caen could spread his broad interests beyond San Francisco and nationalize his parochial, easygoing style, it is unlikely that he would ever willingly abdicate his caliphdom.
*And recently won $2,000 on TV's $64,000 Challenge for answering questions on Shakespeare.