Phyllis Ann George(June 25, 1949 – May 14, 2020) was an American businesswoman, actress, andsportscaster.In 1975, George was hired as a reporter and co-host of theCBS Sportspre-showThe NFL Today,becoming one of the first women to hold an on-air position in national televisedsports broadcasting.She also served as theFirst LadyofKentuckyfrom 1979 to 1983.
Phyllis George | |
|---|---|
 George in 2000 | |
| First Lady of Kentucky | |
| In office December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 | |
| Governor | John Y. Brown Jr. |
| Preceded by | Charlann Harting Carroll |
| Succeeded by | Bill Collins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Phyllis Ann George June 25, 1949 Denton, Texas,U.S. |
| Died | May 14, 2020(aged 70) Le xing ton, Kentucky,U.S. |
| Resting place | Le xing ton Cemetery Le xing ton, Kentucky |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2, includingPamela |
| Alma mater | University of North Texas Texas Christian University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster,actress |
| Known for | Miss America 1971 Miss Texas1970 |
She wonMiss Texasin 1970 and was crownedMiss America 1971.
Early life
editGeorge was born to Diantha Louise George (née Cogdell; 1919–2003) and James Robert George (1918–1996) in Denton, Texas.[1]She attended North Texas State University (nowUniversity of North Texas) for three years until she was crowned Miss Texas in 1970.[2]At that time, Texas Christian University awarded scholarships to Miss Texas honorees. As a result, George left North Texas and enrolled at TCU until winning the Miss America crown later that fall. She was a member of theZeta Tau Alphasorority.[citation needed]
Pageantry
editGeorge first competed for Miss Texas as Miss Denton in 1969, finishing fourth. The next year she competed as Miss Dallas and was namedMiss Texas1970, then was crownedMiss America 1971on September 12, 1970.[3]TheWomen's Liberation Frontdemonstrated at the event.[4]
In August 1971, George traveled to Vietnam[5]withMiss IowaCheryl Browne;Miss Nevada1970 Vicky Jo Todd;Miss New Jersey1970Hela Yungst;Miss Arizona1970 Karen Shields;Miss Arkansas1970 Donna Connelly; and George's replacement after she was crowned Miss AmericaMiss Texas1970 Belinda Myrick.[6]They participated in a 22-dayUnited Service Organizationstour for American troops there.[6][7][8]During her year-long stint as Miss America, George appeared on numerous talk shows, including three interviews onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[2]
Career
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(November 2023) |
George's television career began as a host on the comedy showCandid Camera.[9]
CBS Sports
editCBS Sportsproducers approached George to become a sportscaster in 1974. The following year, she joined the cast ofThe NFL Today,co-hosting live pregame shows beforeNational Football Leaguegames. She was one of the first women to have a nationally prominent role in television sports coverage. As a former beauty queen with a limited television background, she was criticized for not possessing the traditional qualifications for a sportscaster. After three seasons onThe NFL Today,she was replaced by another beauty queen,Jayne Kennedy.George returned to the show in 1980 and remained until 1984. She became known for her interviews with athletes.Hannah Storm,an anchor at ESPN'sSportsCenter,called George "a true trailblazer" for being an inspirational role model for women who wanted to pursue careers in sportscasting.[10]
Another duty George had with CBS Sports was working onhorse racingevents, including thePreakness Stakesand theBelmont Stakes.[11]Additionally, George had a brief stint on a television news version ofPeoplemagazine in 1978, and a job as a morning television talk show host as co-anchor of theCBS Morning Newsin 1985. She also hosted her own prime-time talk show onThe Nashville Network,1994'sA Phyllis George Special,on which she interviewed then-PresidentBill Clinton,[12]and a 1998 talk show titledWomen's Dayon the cable networkPAX.George also appeared as a guest onThe Muppet Showin 1979.
CBS Morning News
editIn 1985, CBS settled on Phyllis George to serve as a permanent anchor for its morning news program. George was given a three-year contract following a two-week trial run.[13]As co-anchor, she interviewed newsmakers including then–First LadyNancy Reagan.
A low point of her eight-month stint onThe CBS Morning Newshappened when George embarrassed herself during a May 1985 interview withGary DotsonandCathleen Webb.Dotson just had been freed after six years in prison on a rape charge by Webb. Webb ended up recanting her story so Dotson was set free.[14]Both appeared on the CBS program as part of (as George later told Tom Shales ofThe Washington Post) a Webb-Dotson press tour "charade."[15]Both were on or had appeared onNBC NewsandABC Newsas well as other media outlets. As the segment began to wrap, George first suggested the two shake hands. After a brief hesitation from them and no hand shake, George then proposed they "hug it out." A brief moment of awkwardness followed but no hug. The invitation to embrace was deemed highly inappropriate prompting a few phone calls from irate CBS viewers. George also was criticized in the press.[15]
According to news reports at the time, George had been brought in to boost the ratings of the perennial third place ranked program. CBS News staffers were mystified as to why someone with little to no journalism experience was picked over a more qualified candidate from the CBS News roster of reporters and anchors. George had been a talent for the sports division, but had not worked in news. However, this experiment failed to work out, and George was ousted just a few months later.Maria Shriver,then a CBS News employee, took her place as part of another revamp of the program.[16]
Business interests
edit
George founded two companies in the course of her business career, the first of which was "Chicken by George"[17][18]chicken fillets. In 1988 after operating for only two years, George sold the company toHormelFoods, which agreed to operate it as a separate division.[19]In 1991, George received the "Celebrity Women Business Owner of the Year" from the National Association of Women Business Owners.[20]
She also wrote or co-authored five books—three about crafts, one on dieting (her first book,The I Love America Diet,published in 1982), and the final one published during her lifetime,Never Say Never(2002).[21]
George was the founder of theKentucky Museum of Art and Craft,[22]and was an avidfolk and traditional artscollector. She was also a founding member of theHenry ClayCenter for Statesmanship.
George resurfaced in 2000 when she played a minor character inMeet the Parents.[23]It was one of her very few film roles.
Personal life and death
edit
George was married twice. Her first marriage was to Hollywood producerRobert Evans(wed in 1977 and divorced in 1978),[24]and her second toKentucky Fried Chickenowner and governor of KentuckyJohn Y. Brown Jr[9](wed in 1979[25][26]and divorced in 1998).[27]George served as Kentucky'sFirst Ladyduring Brown's term in office.[24]During her marriage to Brown, she had two children, Lincoln Tyler George Brown andPamela Ashley Brown.[28][29]She is sometimes quoted for the words "Life is what you make it. My old expression is, `If you snooze, you lose; if you snore, you lose more".[27]
George died of complications frompolycythemia vera,a rare blood cancer,[30]on May 14, 2020, aged 70, at theAlbert B. Chandler Hospitalin Le xing ton, Kentucky.[31]
References
edit- ^"Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997".Ancestry.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
- ^ab"The Thrills and Trials of Being Miss America".Spartanburg Herald-Journal.August 8, 1971.RetrievedFebruary 20,2010.
- ^"There she is: From 1921 to 2017, see the Miss America pageant through the years".Deseret News.September 15, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon March 6, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
- ^Musel, Robert (August 26, 1970)."Television in Review".The Bryan Times.United Press International.p. 16.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
- ^Keller, Mike (September 2, 1971)."From the S&S archives: Vietnam crown of Miss America's reign".[[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]].
- ^ab"People in News".Kentucky New Era.Associated Press.August 11, 1971. p. 23.
- ^Cauley, Paul (June 30, 2006)."Photographs by Paul Cauley, 1971 Door Gunner, A Co 101st Avn (Text by Belinda Myrick-Barnett)".Paul Cauley.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
- ^Davis, Shirley (October 19, 2000)."History follows former Miss Iowa First black pageant winner recalls her crowning moment".Quad-City Times.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
- ^ab"Phyllis George, former Miss America and sports broadcast pioneer, dies at 70".TODAY.May 16, 2020.RetrievedMay 17,2020.
- ^Sandomir, Richard (May 16, 2020)."Phyllis George, Trailblazing Sportscaster, Is Dead at 70".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMay 17,2020.
- ^"Miss America takes back seat to horses".Beaver County Times.United Press International. June 7, 1975.RetrievedFebruary 20,2010.
- ^Brennan, Patricia (June 19, 1994)."Her return a special occasion".The Washington Post.
- ^"Phyllis George enjoys first day as co-anchor".Milwaukee Sentinel.January 15, 1985. p. 3.
- ^Serrill, Michael S.; Lopez, Laura; Winbush, Don (May 27, 1985)."Law: Cathy and Gary in Medialand".Time.Archived fromthe originalon May 3, 2009.
- ^abShales, Tom (May 16, 1985)."Invitation to a Hug Phyllis George's Gaffe With Dotson & [Webb]".The Washington Post.RetrievedMay 17,2020.
- ^Bedell Smith, Sally (August 31, 1985)."Phyllis George Quits CBS Morning News".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 16,2020.
- ^"COMPANY NEWS; Chicken by George".The New York Times.Associated Press. August 19, 1988.RetrievedNovember 1,2019.
- ^Trott, William C. (August 13, 1987)."CHICKEN BY GEORGE: There she is, Phyllis George, chicken..."United Press International.Boca Raton, Florida.RetrievedNovember 1,2019.
- ^"George sells chicken".Sarasota Herald-Tribune.August 20, 1988. p. 2AS.
- ^Associated Press (July 23, 1991). "From a queen to a company Boss".St. Petersburg Times.p. E1.
- ^"There she was and she was so nice".Fort Worth Star-Telegram.October 11, 2002. p. 6 Life & Arts.
- ^"Appalachian Artisan Center's first Spring Celebration".The Hazard Herald.May 23, 2007.
- ^"Phyllis Meets The Parent".New York Daily News.November 20, 2000.
- ^ab"Phyllis George Seeks Divorce".The Dispatch.Le xing ton. Associated Press. April 3, 1978.RetrievedJanuary 29,2018.
- ^Stelter, Brian (May 17, 2020)."Phyllis George, pioneering sportscaster and former Miss America, has died | CNN Business".CNN.
- ^Dingus, Anne (September 2001)."Phyllis George".Texas Monthly.
- ^ab"PHYLLIS GEORGE ADMITS `I`VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN`".Chicago Tribune.April 21, 1985.
Life is what you make it. My old expression is, `If you snooze, you lose; if you snore, you lose more`
- ^"Pamela Ashley Brown".bijog.RetrievedOctober 15,2013.
- ^"Pamela Ashley Brown Bio".in. Archived fromthe originalon January 15, 2015.
- ^Polycythemia vera definition,mayoclinic.org; accessed July 30, 2021.
- ^Yetter, Deborah (May 16, 2020)."Phyllis George, former Kentucky first lady and Miss America, dies at 70".The Courier-Journal.RetrievedMay 16,2020.
External links
edit- Profile of Phyllis George on the Miss America website(accessed March 7, 2008)
- One to One with Bill Goodman: Phyllis George- interview with Phyllis George on Kentucky Educational Television network, June 8, 2008