Frank Reynolds
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"Frank Reynolds" redirects here. For other uses, see Frank Reynolds (disambiguation).
Frank Reynolds (November 29, 1923 – July 20, 1983), was a TV journalist for ABC. He is best remembered as anchor of the ABC Evening News (now World News) from 1968-1970 and 1978-1983.
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[edit] Career
Reynolds was a television anchor in Chicago, first on WBBM-TV, the CBS Network affiliate, and later on WBKB-TV, the ABC Network affiliate (later redesignated as WLS-TV).[1]
He co-anchored the ABC News with Howard K. Smith, who remained as co-anchor after Harry Reasoner was hired from CBS to replace Reynolds. After Reasoner and Barbara Walters ceased their anchor duties in 1978, Reynolds returned to the anchor chair as the Washington, D.C. anchor for the now revamped ABC's World News Tonight with co-anchors Max Robinson and Peter Jennings, who became the show's sole anchor after Reynolds' death. All three original anchors of World News Tonight are now deceased.
Reynolds was also the original anchor of "America Held Hostage," a series of special reports on the Iran hostage crisis in November 1979 that evolved into the newsmagazine Nightline in 1980. Shortly after the special reports began, Reynolds was replaced by Ted Koppel.
[edit] Reagan shooting outburst
One infamous moment in Frank Reynolds' career occurred on March 30, 1981 during live news coverage of the assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan. White House Press Secretary James Brady, a close friend of Reynolds, had been erroneously reported by all three networks as having died from the head wound he suffered in the incident. Upon learning that this information was incorrect, Reynolds suddenly appeared noticeably upset and, looking around at staffers in the background, angrily burst out:
"Let's get it NAILED DOWN...somebody...let's find out! Let's get it straight so we can report this thing accurately!"
The network quickly moved to a break and upon return, Ted Koppel was seated next to Reynolds to share anchor duties and, perhaps, be a calming influence on his clearly agitated co-worker. It was one of the few times in TV history that viewers witnessed an otherwise professional veteran anchor have such an emotional display on live TV.
[edit] Legacy
Frank is the father of ABC News correspondent Dean Reynolds.
Reynolds died from bone cancer, which was discovered while he was being treated for hepatitis in the spring of 1983. Frank had served in the United States army and his body is interred in Arlington National Cemetery. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
[edit] External links
- Frank Reynolds at the Notable Names Database
- Memories from Bob Sirkin
- Gravesite
- Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient
| Preceded by: Bob Young |
ABC Evening News anchor 1968-1970 |
Succeeded by: Howard K. Smith and Harry Reasoner |
| Preceded by: Harry Reasoner and Barbara Walters |
ABC World News Tonight anchor with coanchors, Max Robinson, and Peter Jennings 1978-1983 |
Succeeded by: Peter Jennings |
| Preceded by: None |
America Held Hostage (Nightline) anchor 1979 |
Succeeded by: Ted Koppel |
| Anchors of ABC Evening News/World News Tonight/World News |
|---|
| Daly • Young • Reynolds • Smith • Reasoner • Walters • Robinson • Jennings • Woodruff/Vargas • Gibson |
