Jim Hartz, the former NBC News correspondent and anchor who co-hostedTodayalongsideBarbara Waltersin the 1970s, died earlier this month. He was 82.
TheNew York TimesandWashington Postreported Hartz’s April 17 death, describing the cause as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to his wife, Alexandra.
She said he had elected to be removed from the ventilator that was keeping him alive, per theTimes.
Known for his laid-back style and cheerful, warm demeanor while on air, Hartz had already built a loyal base of viewers when at 34 he succeeded Frank McGee at theTodaydesk in 1974.
By then, he had already spent more than a decade reporting at New York City flagship station WNBC, covering everything from Robert F. Kennedy’s funeral to Watergate.
Though his career atTodaywould only last two years, Hartz spoke to numerous iconic moments in American history in that time, including President Richard Nixon’s resignation, the end of the Vietnam War and the American bicentennial.
Jim Hartz in 1976.NBC News/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
From left: Barbara Walters and Jim Hartz, then co-hosts ofToday.
“I was just not prepared for that 36-story building walking right off the platform into the air,” Hartz said of watching his first rocket lift off.
Born in 1940 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hartz attended the University of Tulsa with an initial plan to study medicine but quickly realized his heart wasn’t in it.
Jim Hartz in 2012.Michael N. Todaro/FilmMagic
“Jim, doesn’t mind sharing the stage with me,” Waltersonce saidof working with Hartz, “and he isn’t offended when I try to help him.”
Hartz’s onscreen chemistry with Walters proved a match. But when she left the show in 1976, network executives re-evaluated and the job went to Snyder.
After leavingToday, Hartz went on to host a variety of programs, including the PBS talk showOver Easyand a weekly science program titledInnovation.
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Hartz also found time for romance and family: He married high-school sweetheart Norma Tandy in 1960, with whom he had three children. After the couple divorced in 1979, Hartz married Alexandra Dickson.
When Hartz spoke about what drew him to theTodayshow, he emphasized the inspiration of his mentor (and fellow Oklahoma native) McGee and the desire to be a part of something bigger than just the 11 o’clock news.
“I realized ‘Today’ would mean a lot. I remember talking with Frank [McGee] after he first did the show; he said he knew it would broaden his perspective and give him a chance to do new things,” Hartzsaid shortly after his initial hiring. “I hope it will do the same for me—it’s more than just a news show.”
source: people.com
