Hugh Downs, omnipresent television broadcaster, dies at 99

[blogslut]

Source: Washington Post

In a broadcast career that spanned more than a half-century, Hugh Downs was one of the most versatile and durable personalities on television. A mainstay of American TV-watching rituals for generations, he held for years the world record for most time on air — more than 10,000 hours — before Regis Philbin officially surpassed him in 2004.

By the time Mr. Downs signed off in 1999, he was know to millions of TV-watchers as the co-host with Barbara Walters of the ABC newsmagazine “20/20.” Before that, he had been a host of NBC’s “Today” show, the long-running staple of American mornings, and before that a sidekick to Jack Paar on NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” the long-running staple of late-night viewing.

He also hosted the game show “Concentration.” By the time he retired, one reporter noted, Mr. Downs had been on TV nearly as long as TV had been on.

He “represented the entire history of broadcasting,” Ron Simon, curator for television and radio at the Paley Center for Media in New York, said in an interview. “Whatever the format, he was that consummate, quintessential broadcaster who could adapt his style to what was needed.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/hugh-downs-omnipresent-television-broadcaster-dies-at-99/2020/07/02/434557f0-bc8b-11ea-8cf5-9c1b8d7f84c6_story.html

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Rest in Peace

[DarthDem]

1. That's Sad

I don't really know how political he was or which way he leaned but I remember him being calm and pleasant. RIP.

[lagomorph777]

2. Likewise - I always found him pleasant to watch.

[Rebl2]

11. That's a

good new person when you can’t tell the way they lean politically. I always liked his calm and pleasant demeanor.

[dameatball]

3. We had the Concentration game when we were kids. Also vaguely remember him with

Dave Garroway. Honestly, I did not realize he was still alive until I saw that he had passed away in the OP.
TV was much different then.

[TeamPooka]

4. Hugh Downs had to take over when Jack Paar walked off his show. Paar was mad

at network censors and says "There must be a better way to make a living" and walks off, leaving Hugh to finish the show that night.
6 weeks later Paar returns walks out on stage and after the audience applause died down says
"When I left I said there must be a better way to make a living. Well, I've looked, and there isn't."

[LiberalFighter]

5. Didn't know he was still alive.

[Ted Jason]

6. Sad and Ironic: The Original Host of "20/20" Dies in 2020

Godspeed, sir, you were a true journalist, something found all too rarely today!

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. I didn't know he was still alive

Loved watching Concentration when I was a kid.

[rickford66]

8. I think Trivial Pursuit Game had him holding the record for hours on TV.

That was back in the 80's. I wonder if he still holds that record.

[NurseJackie]

9. Rest in Peace

Too bad it wasn't Lou Dobbs instead.

[oasis]

10. Pleasant attitude, charming voice. R. I. P. Hugh.

[elleng]

13. Lovely voice.

Last edited Thu Jul 2, 2020, 10:25 PM - Edit history (1)

[redstateblues]

12. What a life! He reinvented successfully himself a number of times. Hats off. RIP

[Chrisdutch]

14. R.I.P. Hugh

A true professional, unlike so many of those on TV today. He will be missed.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

15. I'm old enough to remember Concentration!

In lively black and white. I remember it was a picture of a rebus. It was divided into I think 25 squares. Contestants had to bid to turn a square over. I remember they rotated on a vertical axis and probably had 3 sides. From above each piece would be an equilateral triangle. Probably the blank side, the side with part of the picture on it, and then WILD CARD. Then somebody guessed what the rebus was. I was maybe 7, 8 years old?

[nitpicker]

16. Ah, yes, Hugh Downs and the body count

Which was so small (for the US), starting for me in 1966 when we got a TV.