Lee Leonard
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(December 2018) |
Lee Leonard | |
|---|---|
| Born | Maxwell Lefkowitz April 3, 1929 |
| Died | December 16, 2018(aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Radio and TV personality |
| Spouse(s) | Rona Rosenberg (m.195?;div.196?) Salome Jens (m.196?;div.19??) |
| Children | 1 |
Lee Leonard(April 3, 1929 – December 16, 2018) was anAmerican televisionpersonalitywho was involved in the launch of cable television networksESPNandCNN.
Early life[edit]
Leonard was born Maxwell Lefkowitz on April 3, 1929, in New York City, the son of Estelle (Cohn), a beautician, and Daniel Lefkowitz.[1]
After graduating fromDeWitt Clinton High Schoolin the Bronx, he attended Columbia University in New York City but did not graduate.[1]
Leonard then served in the United States Army in Germany during the Korean War and developed an interest in broadcasting.[1]
He was a midday radio personality on New York'sWNBC-AM(660), shortly after it launched its "Conversation Station," a talk format, in 1964. He was part of a weekday talk-variety lineup that included "Big" Wilson,Robert Alda,Mimi Benzell,Sterling Yates,Bill Mazer,Brad CrandallandLong John Nebeland hosted a competition/quiz show for listeners calledFortune Phone.
At CBS and NBC[edit]
In the early 1970s, Leonard was part of an even earlier network TV innovation, partnering onCBS-TVwithJack WhitakeronThe NFL on CBS,a studio-based show wrapping around the network's coverage of theNational Football Leaguewith pregame features and halftime and postgame highlights from around the league. As producers changed, Leonard and Whitaker were eventually succeeded byThe NFL TodaywithBrent Musburger,Phyllis George,Jimmy "The Greek" SnyderandIrv Crosson one of network TV sports' longest-running studio-based programs. The core of the team would stay until the mid-1980s, while the show itself has aired continuously ever since, except for several years in the 1990s when CBS did not have NFL television rights.
As for Leonard, he would move to NBC and be teamed withBryant Gumbelon itsGrandStandshow,[2]where he would stay until just before ESPN was launched. Also during the mid-1970s, Leonard hostedMidday Live,the daily talk show on WNEW-TV (nowWNYW) in New York City (he was replaced byBill Boggs). While at WNEW, Leonard was one of the original co-hosts with Bill Mazer ofSports Extra– considered a pioneering show for the Sunday Evening Sports Wrap-Up show format.
At ESPN and CNN[edit]
On September 7, 1979, Leonard was the first person to ever speak onESPN.[3]He gave a brief introduction before the network aired its first program, which was the first edition of SportsCenter. Afterwards, he made occasional appearances on the show.[4]
A year later (1980), Leonard moved toCNN,where he hostedPeople Tonight,the network's first Los Angeles–based liveentertainmentnews talk show. Many of today's major name celebrities made their first national talk show appearances onPeople Tonight,includingTom Cruise,Tom HanksandPee-wee Herman.The show was groundbreaking in its coverage of Hollywoodred carpetpremieres and many important breaking stories including the deaths ofJohn LennonandNatalie Wood.Robin Leachcut his teeth as a New York–based correspondent before signing on to doEntertainment Tonightand later launching the pop culture hit series,Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.In the mid-to-late 1980s, Leonard co-hosted CNN's weekday entertainment-news program "Showbiz Today"withLiz Wickersham.
Later career[edit]
From 1996 to approximately 2002, Lee Leonard hostedJersey's Talkingon News 12 New Jersey.[5]Leonard also hosted apublic affairsprogram on the New Jersey–based cable networkCN8.
Personal life[edit]
Leonard was married to actressKelly Bishop,who playedEmily Gilmoreon theCWshowGilmore Girlsas well as Marjorie Houseman inDirty Dancing.He was married twice previously, including once to actressSalome Jens.He had one daughter. He died in South Orange, New Jersey, on December 16, 2018.[1]
References[edit]
- ^abcdSandomir, Richard (December 18, 2018)."Lee Leonard, TV Sports Show Host Who Ushered in ESPN, Dies at 89".The New York Times.
- ^Coffey, Jerry (March 6, 1976)."Jack Buck benched by NBC in shakeup of 'Grandstand'".Fort Worth Star-Telegram.p. 12.RetrievedJune 21,2024– via Newspapers.
- ^Crowe, Steve (September 7, 1999)."ESPN celebrates 20 years of reshaping sports on TV".Sun Journal.Lewiston, Maine. pp. C4.RetrievedApril 30,2010.
- ^Finder, Chuck."20 years later, ESPN no longer a little sport".The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.pp. D8.RetrievedApril 30,2010.
- ^"News 12 New Jersey's first anchor Lee Leonard dies at age 89".newjersey.news12.RetrievedJuly 24,2019.