Final 'Huntley-Brinkley Report' on NBC / July 31, 1970

[6828Lu]

What a great news team; today's reporters and anchors would do well to take note. And Beethoven's Ninth Symphony rocks. :)

[phyzzique]

They were the best! Good night Chet....good night David.

[1sababoy]

Great journalists with great analysis of the hard news in that era. No talk-show format or pop culture sensationalism. My, what we have lost. :-/

[lianlaspinas]

It was replaced by NBC Nightly News on Saturday, August 1, 1970.

[swami1]

"Be patient and have courage..." So THAT'S where Dan Rather got it.

[death2pc]

NBC News is now defined by POS Al Sharpton.

I rest my case....

[meridethtohayes]

Wow, 41 years ago today. I remember watching this live, and feeling really badly for them. I really liked Brinkley's move to Sunday morning, and especially when he let a few choice words fly, (as if the veteran newscaster didn't know the mics were on) at the end of his career.

[Moionfire]

I wish they would go back to the two anchor format on the network evening news. They do it all the time with local affiliate news.

[swarze]

Yes. You are right. There are 2 women names. But REALLY, do you not think there were considerably more men than there are today on TV and movie credits? It is not hyperbole to say that in the early days of TV, there were not many women working in the field. There may be the odd make up artist, or assistant of some kind, but there were not that many in the overall count.

[husker80]

@swarze - You're making the mistake of judging yesterday by today's standards. Women really didn't start entering the workforce until the '50s and '60s and going to college and studying journalism until the '70s. The major networks weren't going to plug someone in right out of college. These were guys who had covered World War II and the Korean War and had paid their dues - there weren't nearly enough dues-paying women yet.

[hydrolito]

@husker80 Women were in the work force but they were waitresses, nurses, telephone operators, etc. Men did the news weather and sports back then, but there were successful women actresses Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, Debbie Reynold, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnette, Judy Garland, Barbara Stenwick, Reta Hayworth, etc. I don't know why they didn't think a woman could do news, weather or sports though, but since then some have Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Connie Chun, Diana Sawyer, Robin Roberts, etc

[phyzzique]

@hydrolito Boy are you wrong! In NYC in the 50's we had the two best weather girls ever! Carol Reed on channel 2 and Gloria Okon on channel 11. Yes the 50's baby.

[hydrolito]

@phyzzique Most people didn't live in New York City so didn't see a woman on a news broadcast until Barbara Walters Appeared.

[scorpio888]

One also has to remember that the '60s was a loooong decade. And it wasn't really quite over yet in 1970. Fourteen years was an eternity at the time. Today, not so much.

[7927jackpark]

Having had the pleasure to work in a newsroom for more than 20 years, I can say listening to Chet Huntley all those years (14) inspired me to enter the field and work alongside some of the most professional people, most of whom are long dead. Chet and David were such a delight; no one around today even comes close to their level of professionalism.

[efan2011]

I felt bad for Chet at the end, he was actually crying

[arai59]

I miss those days.



[ftsjr]

This was an era when giants ruled broadcast news. People like, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Walter Cronkite, Eric Severeid, Howard K. Smith and Harry Reasoner.

[Juliaflo]

@ftsjr Do you also remember newspeople like Morgan Beatty, John W. Vandercook, J.K.M. McCaffery (sp), or Cecil Brown, to say nothing of Ron Cocoran (sp), Douglas Edwards, and of course, John Cameron Swayze?

[ftsjr]

@Juliaflo Yes, that was a time when network news people seemed to be more trustworthy. At the height of his popularity, the public actually voted Walter Cronkite the most trusted man in America.

[prestush]

HUNKETY-BRINKET! I was 9 when this aired. Whenever Brinkley would hand off to Huntley he'd say, "Chet..."

But I always heard it as "Jet."

lol

[Bangwhistle]

Someone said there was not one woman in the credits. I guess "Patricia Williams" was a man.

[BadNews88]

@swarze: Well, it WAS the 1960's in The USA, m8...

Ennyroad, GAWD do I remember the Beethoven's 9th as the closing Signature Tune for Huntley/Brinkley! When I was a kid, though, I thought it was some other writer who made this strictly for the newscast. In any case, you KNEW you were being given STRAIGHTFORWRD, NO-NONSENE NEWS...second ONLY to Cronkite, IMO.

Thanx fer this, m8..

[keno8spot]

the sad thing is that he died shortly after he retired

[HickysBoy]

Thanks for posting. I also remember this live broadcast. Difficult to believe it was 40 years ago, sigh...

The Internet is not the only reason television news has fallen on hard times...the disappearance of real journalist/newscasters such as Huntley, Brinkley, Cronkite, Reasoner, Smith, Chancellor also a factor. If one of the networks could/would find someone like them today it would revitalize that media.

[davidlroot]

I am wondering what is the name of the piece of music at the end.

[MrHanMi]

@davidlroot Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, second movement.

[mbmorrison]

Back in the days when TV journalists had integrity and weren't just slanting everything towards their "agenda of the day".

[mca1218]

In 1970, I was eight. But I *do* remember seeing this. Oh, well...

A lovely, moving finish by H & B, nicely capped off by the program's closing signature, Beethoven's 9th, movement 2. NBC news rocks!!

[radiodj1520]

This Was NBC News' The Huntley-Brinkley Report Video Close From Friday Evening, July 31, 1970.

[Deneb33]

These were real newsmen. Today on a certain cable channel all we have are biased hacks out to smear a president. Chet Huntley's bias=free gravitas is something we shall never witness again in news, especially with the passing of Uncle Walter. and that's the way it is.

[swarze]

Isn't it peculiar that there is no ONE woman in the credits? Not ONE!

[thecardsaysmoops]

Actually, it wasn't peculiar at all at the time. Remember, this was 1970. Newsrooms were ALL occupied by chain smoking men clanging away on manual typewriters. At WTVJ in Miami, where this was recorded, the only woman was the assistant News Director. The first female news reporter wasn't hired until 1971. Yes, baby, we've come a long way!

[leftdakota]

@thecardsaysmoops

Hmmm...yes....well....within the first 7 seconds, the Associate Producers were listed.  Man, oh, man would I have been angry at my folks for naming me Christie Basham instead of Christopher Basham. Oops.

[springvalleyVIDEO]

@thecardsaysmoops I would say you did not read the credits well. The following names appear to be female names: Christie Basham (Associate Producer), Pat Minerva (Film Editor), Pat Hibson (Unit Manager),

Patricia Williams (Production Assistant).  They are all in the credits.

[Daddygeezee]

@thecardsaysmoops LOVE your screen name, "George"!

[1myusernamesucks]

@thecardsaysmoops Yes, very peculiar. It's a shame most of the men are deceased or maybe they can be arrested for not having women employees. Things were so bad then , look how great how are country is today.

[dc4u54]

@thecardsaysmoops Thanks for the memories. Growing up in Chicago, my dad never missed the NBC Evening News. The classical closing piece, I've heard before but can't remember if its Beethovan? Any thoughts?

[egrand1508]

@swarze That's not true. Christie Basham is in the credits as an associate producer, she worked on the Washington end with Brinkley. She was well know in the TV news business as being an early woman TV news executive and later was producer for Meet the Press. Someone named Patricia Williams is in the credits too. Also, from that same newscast was a report by pioneer reporter Liz Trotta. It was still a small number, but NBC was ahead of the other networks at that time.

[mtstroud]

I'm afraid you're wrong. Look closer in slow motion. There appear to be at least two women, along with two people named "Pat," who could be either male or female. Anyway, thecardsaysmoops' point is well taken. News organizations in any form were boys' clubs until about the 1980s or so.

[wreehill]

@swarze YOU UNQUALIFIED FEMS HAVE COME A LONG WAY THANKS TO BOTH UNOFFICIAL AND OFFICIAL AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BS YOU ARE STILL INFERIOR

[ridgerunner721601]

@swarze Not really for way back then. I gotta admit though, the sexy blondes on Fox News sure put David and Chet to shame.....lol.

[crocetti46]

@swarze  AND.

[banjochris]

@swarze Well, actually, there are two.

[nyankee2003]

@swarze

There was a time, a time before cable. When the local anchorman reigned supreme. When people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news. And in San Diego, one anchorman was more man then the rest. His name was Ron Burgundy. He was like a god walking amongst mere mortals. He had a voice that could make a wolverine purr and suits so fine they made Sinatra look like a hobo. In other words, Ron Burgundy was the balls.

[dewlove]

@swarze ...Hmmm, I notice a Christie and a Patricia. Not sure how those wouldn't be considered a woman's name.

[revkrull]

@swarze

Umm...I counted two women names appearing in the credits. Christie Basham @ 3:25 and Patricia William @ 3:45.

[methenyk]

@swarze ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Christie Basham

Do we think Christie was a chain smoking, typewriter clanging man?

[husker80]

@swarze - Actually, there are a couple (Christie and Patricia) if you'd bother to read it, you sexist idiot.

[swarze]

@husker80

I have received several comments regarding the comment I made a year or so ago. Yours, of course, is the most unpleasant. My point then, as it is now, is that women back in those days did NOT do much work in executive positions in television. Calling me an idiot (really?) and a sexist one at that (REALLY?) is no where close to addressing my point. I apologize, you rude moron (yes, really) that I missed a name. But you missed the point of my comment.

[husker80]

@swarze - Oh, I thought your point was that there was "not ONE - not ONE" - woman listed on the credits. The fact that that was the only thing you said, that it focused on women, that it was so blatantly wrong (there are TWO names), that you posted it without even bothering to review the credits and count them, all contributes to my contention that you are a sexist idiot and that your original inflammatory point is irrelevant.

[KingPurplePimp]

@swarze I counted 2.

[sd31263]

@swarze Umm...Christie Basham. Patricia Williams.

Do you actually watch these videos before commenting on them? Or do you like coming off sounding like a complete idiot?

[swarze]

@sd31263 And my question to you is, do you actually READ the comments before you feel the need to leave your excrement along side? I have apologized for having missed the 2 women in the midst of several other men, and I continue to be called to the floor by MEN who want to make me feel dumb. I am not dumb...I missed 2 names. Can we just all leave me the hell alone now?

[Lafayette320]

40 years later, (I was 17 at that time) I remain loyal to NBC News and the NBC Nightly News due to my families attachment to 'The Huntley-Brinkley Report." Goo memories.

[anchorman87]

so dull, so robotic

[bikr0]

Chet died too young. Sadly he was a smoker.

[harponercam]

Sign on convention floor of '68 Demo Convention held up momentarily before camera panned off of it:

HUNTLEY AND BRINKLEY STINKLEY!

still remember that...

[Juliaflo]

I wonder how Mr. Huntley would react to today's sophisticated technology?

[vividwatch47]

Two of his final television appearances were on "The Lou Gordon Show" (minus his glasses, for which he was talking about his Big Sky development) and "The Dick Cavett Show", though he was suffering from lung cancer at the time.

[fishhead06]

Good Lord, David Brinkley makes it sound like Armageddon!

[JRF1961]

Man it was the times. I was 9 years old in 1970 and I still remember the first 'Earth Day' specials on the tube and it was all the same message. The hippies & do gooders all made it seem like the end was right around the corner.

[EricandDish]

pacmanindy, that's a good question: Which famous newsman would be made into a movie first: Huntley or Cronkite? Because I can see who could play Uncle Walt: Robin Williams since he's got the impersonation (and as already play another famous American-Theodore Rooselvelt.

[pacmanindy]

Hollywood-movie bound? Maybe. The portrayal of Chet Huntley should be made into a movie! Do you favor this?

[ignatzmuskrat3000]

My Bad, TheMotherfer, I checked it out last night and Countdown does use the 9th. So, it is an homage. And while I checked out the theme. I saw the program and was impressed with Olbermann. He does reporting, more in depth than some, but then has those light segments which entertain. And seeing he's an NBC'er, I don't see him as waving a false flag.

But Huntley was one of a kind, along with Seles, Murrow, and MacNeil.

[TheMotherfer]

I didn't know Olbermann was using their old-theme, regardless if its in snip-its, Keith is not the same caliber as either of these legendary anchormen.

[ignatzmuskrat3000]

That old theme is Ludwig Van's 9th. If Olbermann chose it for its pertinence to this, then it is more an homage than a imitation. (and I don't recall him using it anyway. He uses Bach) Also, to correct your impression, I don't think Olbermann calls himself a journalist tho he certainly is an adherent to its tenets unlike those of his competitors, the O'Reilley's and Hannity's.

[sd31263]

@ignatzmuskrat3000 He did not use Bach. Olbermann's MSNBC show used the first six notes from the second movement of Beethoven's Ninth. He acknowledged on-air that he took it from the Huntley-Brinkley Report's closing theme. That version was recorded by the NBC orchestra in 1952.

[jaroncreed]

July 31st 1970 Exactly 39 years ago today!

[btwokyu]

American journalism is the best in the world?

That may have been true in 1970, but today in 2009?

Seems the networks had grace and integrity back then.

[openminded1313]

good point. Even al-jerzera (spelling is off probably) has some advantages over United States news reports.

[altfactor]

The fact that most local TV stations have co-anchors sharing the news-reading duties on local newscasts stems from the success of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley.

But Huntley and Brinkley worked not because they were a team, but:

(1) Huntley usually anchored from New York and Brinkley normally was in Washington;

(2) Huntley was relentlessly serious, while Brinkley had a sharp wit, and,

(3) Brinkley handled stories in or near Washington and humorous bits, Huntley read the other news.

[johnstodder]

I hate, hate, hate that a poser like KO has appropriated the bit of Beethoven that was Huntley-Brinkley's theme music.

He can be a perfect ass all day and all night as far as I'm concerned. If that's what his audience wants to see, I have no objection. But don't via that musical allusion compare yourself to these great newsmen. They would hate you. They would see you, properly, as a threat to the integrity of NBC News. They would be embarrassed by you.

[joeparkson]

It is unfair to compare these newsmen to Olberman. Olberman would be the first to admit that he's an entertainer, not a newsman.

Olberman is like Rush Limbaugh

[frankftw]

Olberman isn't a liar

[Norima79]

nor a comedian.

[banther1972]

Olberman should have stuck with ESPN----because he stinks as a news reporter. An arrogant, cocky, liberal punk who ought to be put in his place.

[SolarisBreeze57]

Although Cronkite (r.i.p.) commanded the national ratings. But for long as I can remember, I've followed NBC News more than the CBS and ABC. I was 12 when I saw Chet's farewell and been a news junkie since.

[lno2k6]

Wow-this year will be Friday July 31, 2009-39 years exactly of Friday July 31, 1970!

[TomBarristerX]

The sign-off music, which was used for almost all of the show's nearly 14 year run, is the opening of the second movement to Beethoven's Symphony Number 9.

[LeathanL]

Blast from the past... back in the days when guys like this CREATED opinion, and no one thought to question them. Good riddance to those days.

[MichaelPaoli]

Blast from the past!

I was all of 7 years old when this aired.

I don't particularly remember Huntley, but I remember Brinkley well, and I sure as hell remembered that closing theme!

From back then I also still remember the vital stats reporting from

The Vietnam War - (week)daily on the

evening network news - killed, wounded, perhaps also MIA. And the occasional footage of the flag draped coffins returning home; and decades later, administration(s) too afraid to show that.

What hath we learned?

[BigDaddy1968]

"What hath we learned?"

That President Bush is AWESOME.

Barack??? Hmmm...

haha

Big Daddy

[cdgjr]

Who walked in front of the camera as the credits were rolling?

[eblackadder3]

Olbermann has stated more than once that he uses the theme and Murrow's line as a tribute to both NBC and Murrow.

The MSNBC retro-news program "Now and Again" hosted by Jane Pauley used the Beethoven theme as well.

[disgruntledathlete]

Well I watched Edward Murrow. Edward Murrow was an idol of mine. And Mr. Olbermann: YourenoEdwardMurrow.

[sd31263]

"So not only does (Olbermann) shamelessly rip off Edward R. Murrow, he steals Huntley/Brinkley's music."

It's not "Huntley/Brinkley's music." It's Beethoven's. Olbermann has acknowledged on the show who composed it, where it was used before him, and why he uses it. Olbermann is a self-righteous blowhard, but not for the reasons you think.

[akathekjb]

The video and audio appear to have been recorded off of a large screen of some kind, using a camera and not some kind of tuner. That may have been the only way to get an over the air signal into the quad machine in 1970, especially if this wasn't being recorded by an affiliate. Still good to know the footage exists! Thanks for sharing it!

[Captmiloman]

Sounded like they were broadcasting from the restroom. Probably how the sound was processed back then.

[StevenDFenrich]

It's a digital camera copy of a TV broadcast - which would explain the hollow audio quality.

[vividwatch47]

You can see somebody walking in front of the television set during the end credits!

[Teflon65]

I was not cognizant of the NBC Nightly News, until John Chancellor hosted it, in the 1970s. I was too young to know who Huntley and Brinkley were, exactly, but I seem to recall the adults talking about them.

[Soulthinker2007]

When Huntley died,the NBC Nightly News did a tribute for him. I have not forgotten it. They were a great team.

[kascnef82]

this was back when nbc was not run by a light bulb company/movie studio/finance company, but by a tv maker.

[wmbrown6]

Actually, when NBC was run by "a tv maker," the "light bulb company" had its own broadcast equipment division which manufactured TV cameras, film chains, transmitters as a rival to the "tv maker."

[uricehe4]

Televised news journalism has changed so much since then. These guys would be absolutely appalled by the lack of objectivity, lack of professionalism, and lack of legitimate journalistic credentials that today's pretty talking heads heap on us.

[007InMiami]

Wow, actual historical footage of the day tv journalism died

[GOOSEYGOOSE9]

did the huntley-brinkley report go into color september 20,1965 on NBC. 15 weeks before CBS Evening news with walter cronkite went color on January 3,1966.

[Teflon65]

GOOSEYGOOSE9: I accidentally marked your comment as spam, when I was trying to give it a thumbs up. Yes, Huntley-Brinkley probably went to color first. NBC promoted color TV, as it was owned by RCA, whose standard for electronic color television had been accepted by the FCC, and they were promoting color TV, and NBC had affiliates capable of broadcasting in color, long before CBS and ABC. In fact, CBS/Columbia's color TV standard had been scrapped.

[wmbrown6]

Though what I'm about to point out is tangential, NBC's New York O&O, WNBC-TV, was the first station in the Big Apple with an hour-long early evening local newscast beginning May 10, 1965 (while CBS's flagship WCBS-TV expanded their early evening newscast to 60 minutes on the same day - Jan. 3, 1966 - as Cronkite went color.)

[Teflon65]

wmbrown6:  I thought the newscasts only became half-an-hour. At least that's how they were seen here in the Midwest. Don't know what they did on the East Coast.

[HymnTimeGospelSongs]

NBC has never been the same...and now they are truly one sided.

[JacksonPerdue]

when i was a kid in the 60's, the first thing my dad said when he walked in the door was "Get the news" which meant stop watching whatever you're watching and 'get the news' - that was Huntley and Brinkley,Walter Cronkite etc...images of vietnam,hippies gettin' whacked over the head by police,MLK havin' a Dream,Neil's one small step...was it more important than watching The Flintstones?

its all yabba dabba doo in the end i imagine.Goodnight Chet.Goodnight David.Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio?

[Superedit]

My family always watched Huntley/Brinkley - woe be to the person at the table who dared to talk over either one of them. I was most fortunate to work at NBC many years later, and was honored to meet and work with many of the people we'd had at our dinner table every night. There are many ghosts who now roam the halls of NBC, and they speak of quality and integrity if you take the time to sit and listen...

[timbabcock]

Very classy ending. Our family watched Huntley Brinkley when it was on. I don't know if my Great Grandmother being Chet's gradeschool teacher in Libby Montana had anything to do it. That was the days when news journalism was at it's best.

[wiedep]

someone walked in front of the credit roll!!!

back when nbc ran credits...

[byrd56]

Frank Slingland directed the Washington end of "Huntley-Brinkley". Joe Angotti eventually went from "news staff" to executive producer of Nightly News during the 1970's. As for associate director Richard Cline...could this be the same one who pulled the switch at NBC-New York in the 1968 "Heidi Bowl" incident?

[crock703]

I'm 26 now, I looked this video up just to see what genuine journalism looks/feels/sounds like.

[dnm72863]

Back when news was NEWS and not HYPE.

What we need are more Chet Huntleys, David Brinkleys, Walter Cronkites and Tom Brokaws and less Bill O'Reillys.

[tableconnect]

@dnm72863 AMEN and I could not have said it much better myself and I am 42 yoa and I remember it was Cronkite then dinner.

[Juliaflo]

@dnm72863 I second that.

This year, lest you are interested, marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chet Huntley.

[dcbandnerd]

I wish I was around for this era of journalism in the United States. Between the yellow journalists of the early 20th century, and the paranoia, hype reporters of the 90s and 2000s.

Brinkley, Huntley, Cronkite, and Brokaw (who is, as far as I'm concerned, the last beckon of hope for commercial television)...they were/are the best.

[catfish957]

...and less Keith Olbermanns too!!!!!

[dnm72863]

The end theme was "Scherzo" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

[XMLarry]

Thank you so much for posting this, it does bring back memories of a better time and better journalism. I remember watching this (I was 12) and remember thinking how Huntley-Brinkley set the standard for journalistic reporting. There has never been nor ever will be anyone quite like them. They are both gone now but their legacy and our memories of them remain. Good night Chet, good night David.

[billium1999]

Thank you very much for posting this. I vividly remember watching this when it was broadcast, almost 38 years ago. I was 10 years old at the time, and recorded the audio with my reel-to-reel tape recorder. Chet Huntley was a class act all the way, and even at that young age, I sensed we were losing something special with his retirement. I am also happy you included the credits with the theme, the Second Movement of Bethoveen's Ninth.

[thecardsaysmoops]

I was lucky enough to have had use of an RCA 2" Video Tape Machine, which this originally was recorded on. I've dubbed it down first to 3/4" umatic, then beta, then DVC pro and finally to DVD. I always loved the credits. On CBS we got to hear the chatter of wire service machines and the announcer saying: Direct from our newsroom in New York, IN COLOR, this has been the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.' Cronkite would then pull out his pipe, sit back and puff away as the credits rolled!!

[wmbrown6]

At that time (1970), Harry Kramer was the "CBS Evening News" announcer, and essentially in those years the "Voice of CBS News." Am I mistaken in assuming these days that Kramer's voice isn't nearly as well-known as NBC's Bill Hanrahan?

[lno2k6]

Kramer was best known as the announcer of "The Edge Of Night" from 1968 to 1977.

[wmbrown6]

Actually, I read Mr. Kramer did "The Edge of Night" from '57 to '72, after which he was replaced by Hal Simms. And it was also around '72 that Mr. Kramer was replaced as "CBS Evening News" announcer by Bob Hite.

[lno2k6]

Sorry about that-I meant Hal Simms who did "The Edge of Night" announcements plus the CBS-TV station identifications between 1971 and 1987.

[ridgerunner721601]

@billium1999 LOL....With all of them making such a big deal about smoking nowadays they'd lynch Cronkite if they saw him lighting up while on the air.

[noahf67]

A little overwrought for a newsanchor farewell, no? Maybe in those days, when evening newsanchors had more clout, maybe.

But for a minute I thought I was watching

"That's Entertainment"!

[vjmlhds]

This was the pre-CNN/Fox News/MSNBC/internet world so if you wanted news it was these guys, Cronkite, or nothing.

So they did have major clout.

And did anyone else notice the first notes in the end music?

The exact same notes that liberal blowhard Keith Olbermann uses as the "Countdown" theme.

So not only does he shamelessly rip off Edward R. Murrow, he steals Huntley/Brinkley's music.

Just because you copy legends, KO, it doesn't make you one.

[noahf67]

Probably the top ever choice for newscast theme IMHO was the choice of the "Cool Hand Luke" score for Eyewitness News. If I'd encountered the choice at the time of the film's release, I'd think it foolish, but it

was actually sheer genius.

[kk218]

Olbermann also stole the "the xxx day since the declaration of 'mission accomplished' in Iraq" thing at the end of his show from Walter Cronkite, who signed off with "the xxx day of captivity for the American hostages in Iran" during the crisis in 1980.

His show is a complete parody of all the legends it seems.

[wmbrown6]

Only I'm not laughing.

[HickysBoy]

They don't make broadcast journalists like they used to! No wonder no one watches network news today. Katie Couric?! Give me a break. Harry Reasoner was my ATF - until ABC forced Ba-Ba-Wa-Wa down his throat.

They should just run H-B, Reasoner and Chronkite now and dub the news. :)

[torgman]

Was this taped from the screen?

[TimelordR]

A consummate professional that Chet Huntley. Unlike schlock journalists like Glenn Beck! Thank you for posting this.

[curtisbern]

Glenn Beck is not a journalist.

[popweaverhdtv]

Wasn't WTVJ a CBS affiliate at this time? If so, was it just the case that someone at WTVJ recorded this from WSVN's signal?

[thecardsaysmoops]

You are absolutely correct. This was recorded in the videotape room of WTVJ, Channel 4, then a CBS affiliate. It was recorded from the signal of what was then WCKT (now WSVN), Channel 7, then the local NBC affiliate. I personally asked our people to record this on 2" video-tape (then the industry standard), and I kept the original.

[wmbrown6]

I seem to recall that a silhouetted individual was seen during the end credits as displayed on the 'Vizmo' on this final broadcast, having seen it twice at what is now the Paley Center for Media.

[thecardsaysmoops]

Great catch! You are absolutely correct. I was watching this show live when that happened. In those years, a studio camera was actually placed in front of a 'roller' on which the printed names of the crew (the credits) were attached. As the roller was turned, the credits appeared to be moving upward on the screen. During the scroll of credits on this final 'Huntley Brinkley Report,' an unnamed crew member walked between the camera and the roller and his silhouette was seen by millions of people.

[Healer2K]

Why did they get rid of Huntley after all that time?

[thecardsaysmoops]

Huntley really did retire voluntarily. He was not pushed out!

[Healer2K]

ahhh... That's good to hear, with some of the goings-on in "journalism" here lately... Thanks for the reply! :)

[mcparla1]

The thing I always heard is that Chet Huntley left NBC simply because he wanted to relax out in Montana. He did not have a long retirement and died in 1974.

[wmbrown6]

He did, however, serve for a time in 1972 as commercial spokesperson for American Airlines, which was my first memory of Mr. Huntley.

[capecod76]

A real pro.