Downs, Hugh

ABC Network: 20/20.

NBC Network: The Today Show host/talent.

“It all begins with good communications.” – Hugh Downs, The Hugh Downs School of Human Communications

Dave Riley “He was Good Afternoon Detroit’s [WXYZ] very first studio guest in October 1982.” [Facebook]

Su DeOrlow Goodman, “One month after I started at wxyz, Hugh Downs and his wife came to the station. He saw me and called my name and we all hugged. You see a month before he sat and watched me direct a news show at my college for my final exam . It is a women’s college and he was on the board. He said I would be a great director ( I admit I did swear at the camerawomen on my show) considering I was the first staff woman engineer the rumors flew about “Uncle Hugh” for years. I let them believe that’s how I got hired. What a sweet and honest man.” [Facebook]

References:

• AZFamily.com, Jessica Goodman, July 2, 2020 – Legendary broadcaster Hugh Downs, 99, has died at his Scottsdale home (PDF)
• CNN, Brian Lowry, July 2, 2020 – Hugh Downs, anchor of ’20/20′ and ‘Today,’ dead at 99
• ABCNews.go.com, David Bauder, July 2, 2020 – Hugh Downs, genial presence on TV news and game shows, dies – Hugh Downs, a genial and near-constant presence on television from the 1950s through the 1990s, has died
• The New York Times, Richard Severo, July 2, 2020 – Hugh Downs, Perennial Small-Screen Fixture, Is Dead at 99 – A longtime host of both “Today” and “20/20,” for many years he held the Guinness-certified record for most total hours on commercial network television. (PDF)

• Wikipedia – Hugh Downs

• The Today Show: Transforming Morning Television

  

  In the early 1950s, when television networks did not broadcast regular programming before 11 a.m., radio and newspapers were the most popular and reliable ways for Americans to get their morning news. Then, Sylvester (Pat) Weaver, vice president of programming at NBC, pitched a bold new concept to the network: a two-hour early morning news show that would run Monday through Friday starting at 7 a.m. By developing Today, Weaver filled a programming void before viewers even realized there was one—and revolutionized the viewing habits of millions.

  In The Today Show: Transforming Morning Television, Cathleen M. Londino provides an entertaining and informative look at the first twenty-five years of NBC’s innovative program, from 1952 through 1977. Focusing on Today’s broadcast history, the personalities instrumental to the show’s success, and the show’s contributions to the entertainment industry, this account illustrates how the evolution of Today closely paralleled the development of the broadcast industry and rise of the major networks. In addition to chronicling the show’s history, the author profiles some of the key players both behind and in front of the camera, including Dave Garroway, Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, and Jane Pauley.

  The vision of morning news developed by Weaver more than sixty years ago endured far beyond his wildest expectation, establishing a model that would eventually be adopted not only by competing networks but also by television programmers around the globe. The Today Show: Transforming Morning Television is a fascinating account of the unprecedented success of this influential program and will appeal to anyone interested in television history.

• Fifty to Forever by Hugh Downs

  

  An encouraging source book for aging parents and their families explores eldercare options, including day care and home care, challenges the misconception of age and helplessness, and provides ways to anticipate future needs.

  Booklist, “Downs’ brief essays, almost sound bites, hit upon many of the most significant issues of aging, from caring for elderly parents to planning for nursing-home care. He is very positive and thorough about evaluating the latter situations. The author’s expertise comes, of course, from his own experience, as well as his years on the public television show Over Easy and currently on 20/20. Especially interesting are the personal insights into Downs’ own childhood, family life, and multiple careers, all drawn upon to demonstrate the importance of keeping busy and in touch with family roots. Appended are addresses for health and governmental agencies as well as safety, nutrition, and fitness advice.” Denise Perry Donavin