Frank Blair (journalist)

Frank Blair

John Chancellor, Blair and Edwin Newman on the Today Show set in 1961
Born (1915-05-30)May 30, 1915
Yemassee, South Carolina
Died March 14, 1995(1995-03-14) (aged 79)
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Nationality American
Education College of Charleston
Occupation Newscaster, journalist, author
Years active 1935 – 1975
Spouse(s) Lillian
Children eight

Frank S. Blair, Jr. (May 30, 1915 – March 14, 1995) was a broadcast journalist for NBC News, known for being a news reader on the Today program from 1953 to 1975.[1]

Blair was born on May 30, 1915 in Yemassee, South Carolina.[2] He was a Boy Scout, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in 1930. As an adult, he would be honored with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.[3] He attended the College of Charleston prior to beginning his broadcasting career in various radio stations in South Carolina in the 1930s. Blair joined station WOL in Washington, D.C. in 1937. He served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot during World War II before resuming his broadcast career after the war.[4]

He was hired for the Today program in 1952.

Blair and his wife, Lillian had eight children.[5] He retired from NBC in 1975 to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. In 1979, he published his autobiography, Let's be Frank About It, in which he discussed his life and career, including some bouts with alcoholism.[6] He died in Hilton Head 20 years to the day from his last broadcast on NBC.[4]

Blair (left) with the rest of the 1953 Today show cast, including J. Fred Muggs

References

  1. ↑ "Frank Blair, 79, an anchorman on NBC's "Today" show for 22 years". Baltimore Sun. March 16, 1995. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "Frank Blair, 79, Ex-'Today' Anchor". New York Times. March 16, 1995. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Distinguished Eagle Scout Award". Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Frank Blair, 79, Ex-anchorman On `Today' Show". March 15, 1995. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Kessler, Judy (March 31, 1975). "Frank Blair, a Morning Institution, Calls It a Day". People Magazine. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "Let's Be Frank About It". Kirkus. Retrieved 13 April 2014.

External links

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