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John Chancellor Biography

Birth Name:John William Chancellor

Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, United States

Fast Facts

  • Was honored by the Overseas Press Club of America in 1993 for his "long-term dedication to presenting the news without the theatrical embellishments used to turn the news into entertainment․"
  • In his youth he worked as a carpenter's assistant, a hospital orderly, a riverboat deckhand, and a chemical tester
  • Joined NBC in 1950 when television news was still developing and often had to ad-lib reports when film clips were delayed or unavailable
  • Started out as a copy boy for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1947, working his way up to reporter and feature writer
  • Quote: "I had money and I had fame, but the last thing I wanted was to be a 65-year-old anchorman․ So I decided it was time to take control of my life․․․I don't want to measure out my life in 30-second introductions to other people who do the reporting․"
  • Became the senior commentator of "NBC Nightly News" in 1982 and did news analyses three times a week until 1993, when he retired
  • Anchored "NBC Nightly News" for 12 years from 1970 to 1982, appearing at various times with David Brinkley and Frank McGee
  • Best known as a journalist and anchor of the "NBC Nightly News․"
  • Has interviewed every U․S․ President since Harry S․ Truman, every British Prime Minister since Clement Atlee, and once organized the first joint television appearance of Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin and Arab leader Anwar el-Sadat
  • Was ejected from the 1964 Republican National Convention for "blocking the aisles" while reporting for NBC, famously signing off later as "This is John Chancellor, somewhere in custody․"
  • Was sent to cover the school desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957, witnessing the mob that converged on 15-year-old student Elizabeth Eckford after the National Guard had retreated

Awards

  • 1995Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Informational Series: winner