"Both Sides Now" Outtake with Mort Sahl & George Putnam

Back in the 1970s, TV station KTTV in Southern California decided to produce a show entitled "Both Sides Now" with their news anchor George Putnam.

They decided to team Putnam with comedian and social commentator Mort Sahl as a counterpoint.

As witnessed by this rare outtake, the show didn't last long. Sahl has just finished a comment in which Putnam has taken exception.

Special thanks to viewer Tradjjjj (see comment below) for filling us in on the missing info.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Mort Sahl
• George Putnam
• Both Sides Now
• Outtake
• interview

[tradjjjj]

That's the iconic LA news anchor George Putnam. He was at KTTV in the 50s, and bounced between KTLA and KTTV in the '60s, becoming the highest-paid US newscaster. Later, he anchored at KHJ and KCOP, and had a radio show from 1975 until he died at 94 in '08. This is from the short-lived 70s KTTV show "Both Sides Now" that he and Sahl cohosted. Once, exiting KHJ, and not watching, I held the door for someone entering. Then I heard a booming "Thank you, young man!" It could only be Putnam!

[CaptainOT]

@tradjjjj I always wondered why this guy sounded like Ted Baxter from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" - turns out Ted Knight patterned his character after George Putnam!

Thanks for the info - much appreciated!

[classicrock955]

That loud mouth little weasel Mort Sahl would be picking up his extra 20 teeth off the ground against George Putnam. I met George Putnam on 3 separate occasions in the late '70's and early 80's. I'm 6'2", Mr.Putnam had to have been 2-3" taller than me when I stood next to him, and he was very stocky built. He was big man. Mort Sahl is lucky he did not twist him into a human pretzel.

[Jiltedin2007]

Wasn't George Putnam on KTLA News?

[CoffySarai]

Wow!!

[Iguana56]

Interesting. That may bethe only time I ever heard Mort Sahl swear.