Broadcast Pioneers: The NBC Three

Edwin Newman (1919-2010) was an American newscaster, journalist, and author, known for a 23-year career in television news with NBC beginning in 1961. Newman specialized in reporting breaking news, reporting for Republican and Democratic conventions, and as a moderator for Presidential debates. He was also known for his dry wit on and off camera.

Sander Vanocur (1928-2019) was an American television journalist who focused on U.S. national electoral politics, primarily for NBC News and ABC News. He served as White House correspondent and national political correspondent for NBC News in the 1960s and early 1970s. After his service in the United States Army, he began his journalism career as a reporter on the London staff of The Manchester Guardian and also did general reporting for The New York Times.

Garrick Utley (1939-2014) was an American television journalist and reporter, joined NBC News in 1963 as a researcher in Europe for The Huntley-Brinkley Report as a Foreign and Principal correspondent. His reporting on the Vietnam War has the distinction of being the first full-time television correspondent to cover the war on-site. The versatile Utley was also an anchor, frequently substituting for NBC's John Chancellor. 

From left to right above, Edwin Newman, Sander Vanocur, and Garrick Utley

Parallel Siblings

The Brothers Morgan
From left to right, it is Ralph Morgan (1883-1956) and Frank Morgan (1890-1949). Both were involved in radio, stage, silent, and talkies. The more drama-oriented Ralph is notable for 1937's Anthony Adverse and numerous forgotten films. He had few if any comedic roles unlike his brother Frank, who is famously noted for his hesitantly flustered, comedic delivery. None more iconic than his role as the great and powerful Oz.

Two Good Reasons
From left is Rex Reason (1928-1915), best known for low-budget films, the classic This Island Earth (1955) being his signature role. He was on the  ABC series, Roaring Twenties. His brother, Rhodes Reason (1930-1914) was an actor in television, film, and stage. The ABC network cast him on the limited-run series, Bus Stop. Both were tall, handsome leading men with distinctive baritone voices, yet not well-known to the general public. 

Summers Like No Other

Hope Summers (1902-1979) was an American character actress known for her countless television roles, none more visible than on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show. But the central Illinois native gained certain local fame well before becoming a television regular. In 1926 she became the head of the Speech Department at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois. While there, Summers started giving private acting lessons and became involved as a volunteer, and soon a director, in local theatre. As a regional actress, she often performed in one-woman shows starting in the 1930s.

It was nearly a two-decade wait until Summers made her first Hollywood film in 1957, with a small credited role in Zero Hour!. She continued with uncredited roles in many other films. That drew some attention, thrusting her into character roles in nearly every popular series from the 1950s through the 1970s, from The Rifleman to Alfred Hitchcock Presents, to Adam-12. Most will remember her thirty-six appearances on The Andy Griffith Show, playing Aunt Bee's best friend, Clara Edwards, during the 1960s, and making five appearances on the Griffith spinoff, Mayberry R.F.D. 

Note: For nearly twenty years, from 1961 until her death, Summers was the voice of Mrs. Butterworth in Mrs. Butterworth's syrup commercials.

Know Your Ians

These famous, multi-talented actors all have the first name of Ian. From top left to right, Ian Wolfe, of countless films and television roles, is the lone American. Next is Ian Hunter, from The Adventures of Robin Hood fame; Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond character; Ian Holm, an established star of the Royal Shakespeare Company and many films; Ian McKellen, famously ending his stupendous career in the Hobbit film franchise, and Ian Ogilvy, author and actor who played The Saint after Roger Moore. 

The Good Humor Man

In the early 1920s, Harry Burt (1875-1926), an ice cream parlor owner and candy maker from Youngstown, Ohio, created a chocolate that would solidify when contacting solid ice cream bars. He added a wooden stick to the ice cream bar, making it less messy to consume. Burt thought of an ingenious way to distribute the ice cream bars beyond the confines of his ice cream parlor. He outfitted 12 trucks with primitive freezers and bells from his son's bobsled and took to the streets. By the mid-1930s, Good Humor covered most of the country. A Good Humor man might be found pedaling around a neighborhood behind a "tricycle freezer" or pushing an ice cream cart. In those early days, Good Humor men were required to tip their hats to ladies and salute gentlemen. It took three days of training and orientation to become a "Good Humor Man." It was a fixture in American culture in the 1950s when the company operated up to 2,000 delivery trucks. 

Another national brand went one-up on the competition. Mister Softee was known for dispensing soft-serve ice cream cones or shakes from a modified delivery van. Their "music box" melodies were another defining element. But for many communities, this individual service gave way to individually wrapped frozen treats that one could get at any grocer. It was simple not as fun, though.

A detailed history of Good Humor can be found here.

Broadcast Pioneers

John Chancellor (1927-1996) was an American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC, serving as anchor of the NBC Nightly News from 1970 to 1982. He was noted for his comforting voice and on-air professionalism.

The Chicago-born Chancellor dropped out of high school and soon enlisted in the Army, serving in a public relations unit during World War II. He started his career in local television as a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times.  He replaced Dave Garroway as host of NBC's Today program for just over a year but was not happy with the "soft news" of the program. Chancellor later became a correspondent on NBC's, Huntley-Brinkley Report. He garnered a role as a political correspondent for NBC News along with Frank McGee, Edwin Newman, and Sander Vanocur. From 1971 to 1976, Chancellor became the sole NBC weeknight anchor. Although he was a respected and well-spoken journalist, Chancellor's broadcast ratings were overtaken by CBS's Walter Cronkite in the 1970s. Although no longer the anchor by 1982, Chancellor remained on NBC Nightly News, providing editorial commentaries until his retirement in 1993.

Note: Chancellor has the distinction of creating the idea of using red and blue colors to represent the states won by a Republican or Democrat during presidential elections. He also suggested to his NBC engineers that they create a large electronic map of the United States with its ability to light up the appropriate state won by either candidate.

Late Career Confusion

There was somewhat of a facial morphing that happened between William Prince (1913-1996) at left, and George Macready (1899-1973) in their senior years. The American actors also had similar career paths on stage, early notable films, and frequent television roles. Prince guest-starred on Dallas in 1986 and Macready was a cast member on Peyton Place nearly twenty years before.