Gil Noble (born February 22, 1932 in Harlem, New York)[1] is an American television reporter and interviewer. He was the producer and host of New York City television station WABC-TV's weekly, Like It Is, originally co-hosted with Melba Tolliver.[2] The program focused primarily on issues concerning African Americans and those within the African diaspora.[3]
Noble joined WABC in July 1967 as a reporter, and starting in January 1968 became an anchor of its Saturday and Sunday night newscasts. He became host of Like It Is a few months prior to the rebranding of the station's newscasts as Eyewitness News in November, 1968. In addition, he was an occasional interviewer on some of WABC's other public affairs shows, such as Eyewitness Exclusive. From 1986 on, Noble concentrated exclusively on Like It Is.
Noble also created documentaries on such topics as W. E. B. Du Bois, Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Decade of Struggle, Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Jack Johnson, Charlie Parker and Essay on Drugs. In 1977, he wrote, directed and produced the first documentary on Paul Robeson, entitled The Tallest Tree in Our Forest.
In 1973, Noble reported (for local TV station WABC channel 7) on the first mobile cellular phone invented by Marty Cooper from the NY Hilton in New York.
Noble won four Emmy Awards.[1] In 1981, he wrote an autobiography, Black is the Color of My TV Tube.[1]
Noble was a supporter of The Jazz Foundation of America, hosting the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007 "A Great Night in Harlem" Concert / Benefit for The Jazz Foundation to support The Musicians Emergency Fund.[4] He is also a member of the Board of Directors.[5]
In July 2011, Noble suffered a serious stroke.[6] In late September, his family announced that Noble would not be returning to host Like It Is.[7]