TV Personalities

A Lifetime of Sports Memories: TVs Warner Wolf

Bill Thompson

TV sportscasters, just like the athletes they covered, come and go.

But a few established themselves as stars, remaining popular for years, even decades.

Meet televisions Warner Wolf. He actually started on the radio in 1961, before moving to TV in 1965 in his hometown Washington DC.

By 1976 he had moved on to New York City, were he further cemented his reputation as a sportscasting star.

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Get your copy of Warner wolf’s book

Along the way Warner Wolf popularized two catch phrases: “Gimme a break!” and “Let’s go to the videotape.”

Eventually Wolf wrote two books, each titled after one of those catchphrases. I met him in 2000 on publication of Let’s Go To The Videotape.

Be sure and stick around for his predictions, and see how many of them actually came true.

So here now, from 2000, Warner Wolf.

Warner wolf levt TV in 2016. He’s 87 now, and can be heard weekly on New York’s WOR radio.

TV-radio Fixture Charles Osgood, On How He Practiced His Unique Journalism

Bill Thompson

Most journalists can craft a pretty good straight news story, in that classic inverted pyramid style. All the facts, expertly and objectively told.

But then there are other journalists, those who have a unique talent for taking that same set of facts but putting them into a context and a perspective with such nuance and grace that it almost becomes a whole new story.

One of the great practitioners in that second category was longtime CBS radio and television personality Charles Osgood.

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His special skill was taking the mundane and turning it into something sparkling, taking some ordinary government pronouncement and turning it into something you would tell your grandchildren about.

Get your copy of Charles Osgood’s book

His daily feature on CBS radio was known as “Tile Osgood File.” In 1991 Osgood published a collection of some of his best work, in a book called, of course, The Osgood Files. That was when I first met him.

So here now, from 1991, Charles Osgood.

Charles Osgood died in 2024. He was 91.

A Longtime Broadcasters Secret to Happiness: Be Thankful

Bill Thompson
Photo by Stuart Ramson

Have you counted your blessings today?

If you haven’t, maybe you should. It might be good for your health.

So says longtime TV journalist Deborah Norville.

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Get your copy of Deborah Norville’s book

In 2007, the “Inside Edition” anchor wrote a book about gratitude, thankfulness, and how they can actually change not just your attitude, but your very health.

So here now, from 2007, Deborah Norville.

Deborah Norville is now 66.

In March she will mark 30 yeasras anchor of “Inside Edition.”

How Does A Woman Define Success? Answers From Dr. Joyce Brothers

Bill Thompson

She was America’s first “pop psychologist.”. Dr. Joyce Brothers became instantly famous in 1955, as a 28-year-old, when she won the TV quiz show ‘’The $64,000 Question” by showing off her expertise in, of all things, boxing.

Over the next five decades, Dr. Brothers offered her advice via television appearances and a magazine column.

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She was the author of many books, including her1988 book called The Successful Woman, based on interviews she had done with dozens of some of the country’s most successful women.

And, among other things, her book sought to go beyond the Superwoman archetype, the modern woman who has it all. Or at least, seems to.

So here now, from 1988, Dr. Joyce Brothers.

Dr. Joyce Brothers died in 2013 at age 85.

Why Phyllis George Decided She Would Never Say Never

Bill Thompson
Photo by John Mathew Smith

To some young women, being crowned Miss America would be the pinnacle of their life, their peak accomplishment.

To others the Miss America title is just the first of many notable accomplishments

Phyllis George won the title in 1971, representing Texas in the pageant.

Just four years later, she was hired by CBS Sports, to co-host The NFL Today.

And four years after that, she became First Lady of Kentucky when her husband John Y. Brown was elected Governor.

Get your copy of Phyllis George’s book

Later she became a successful chicken entrepreneur

And all of these things happened, she said , because her attitude never allowed her to say never period

That inspired her to call her 2002 book Never Say Never. A somewhat autobiographical book, it laid out ten things we can all do to achieve what he dream of.

So here now, from 2002, Phyllis George.

Phyllis George died in 2020 from a rare form of cancer. She was 70.

The Lou Dobbs Vision For American Populism

Bill Thompson

What has happened to the idea that the American people are the ones in charge of their own country?

According to longtime cable news personality Lou Dobbs, American populism has been replaced by a network of elites in government and business.

Get your copy of Lou Dobbs’s book

Dobbs wrote about it in his 2007 book Independents Day. I met him that November, just about a year before the 2008 election – and Dobbs spared neither side his criticism.

So here now, from 2007, Lou Dobbs.

Lou Dobbs died this past July. He was 78.

C-SPAN Founder Brian Lamb on Where History and Literature Intersect

Bill Thompson
Photo by C-SPAN

The journalist who founded C-SPAN in the 1970s retired last month after leading the network for 47 years.

To many viewers, Brian Lamb was C-SPAN. His quiet and intelligent demeanor helped set the tone for the cable outlet dedicated to bringing the workings of the federal government into American homes.

And for 15 years, from 1989 to 2004, Brian Lamb was also host of the popular weekly C-SPAN show “Booknotes.”

Each show featured a prominent writer of nonfiction, and each was allowed on the show only once, meaning Lamb tapered 800 shows with 800 authors.

Get your copy of Brian Lamb’s book

About halfway through the show’s run, Lamb and his staff collected highlights from many of those interviews in a book called – appropriately enough – Booknotes.

That’s when I had the chance to spend a few minutes with him.

So here now, from 1997. Brian Lamb.

Brian Lamb will be 83 next month. He lives in Virginia. .

A conversation with conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr.

Bill Thompson

A number of countries require national service from their young men, and Israel from its young women as well

What should the US?

Require national service? No. But more than 30 years ago, a conservative commentator suggested national service as a means of letting America’s young people express their gratitude for the civil liberties we enjoy.

In a book length essay called Gratitude, William F Buckley junior argued for voluntary national service

Get your copy of William F. Buckley Jr.’s book

Buckley founded National Review in 1955, an act many believe launched the modern conservative movement.

And for 33 years TV audiences watched him on “Firing Line. “

By today’s measure, however, Buckley’s views may be seen as less rigidly conservative

I spoke with him in 1990 when his book Gratitude was published.

So here now, from 1990, William F. Buckley Jr.

William F Buckley Jr died in 2008. He was 82.

An Extraordinary Couple: William Cohen & Janet Langhart Cohen

Bill Thompson

We’re all familiar with the old saw that “opposites attract.” But how opposite is too opposite?

At first glance it might have seemed that William Cohen and Janet Langhart were just too opposite to succeed as a couple

Cohen was white, Jewish, Republican.

Langhart was black, Christian, and Democrat.

But when journalist Langhart interviewed Senator Cohen, something sparked. And in 1996, they were married. The following year President Bill Clinton appointed Cohen his Defense Secretary.

Get your copy of William Cohen & Janet Langhart’s book

The Cohens’ marriage has been sustained by a mutual empathy, as both have
faced racial or religious discrimination each has experienced since childhood.

In 2007 William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen co-wrote a book called Love in Black And White. That’s when I had the chance to sit down for a few minutes with both of them to talk about it.

So here now from 2007, William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen.

William Cohen is now 82. Janet Langhart is also 82. They celebrated their 28th anniversary last February.

Anthony Bourdain’s Gift to Cooks Everywhere

Bill Thompson

Yesterday would have been Anthony Bourdain’s 68th birthday. Instead June 25 is now observed as “Anthony Bourdain Day” in honor of the beloved celebrity chef.

Bourdain was executive chef at New York’s Les Halles restaurant, but his popularity exploded with his first book Kitchen Confidential.

Get your copy of Anthony Bourdain ‘s book

Then came the Food Network TV show, then more TV on The Travel Channel and CNN.

Yet somehow he had resisted the idea of publishing a cookbook until 2004They finally came out with Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook

Somehow in the 20 years since I did this interview I had forgotten how witty and charming Anthony Bourdain could be

So come back with me now to 2004, and my conversation with Anthony Bourdain.

Anthony Bourdain took his own life on June 8, 2018 while on location in France for his TV show “Parts Unknown.”