Sad to hear the news of the death of TV pioneer Art Linkletter yesterday, in Los Angeles, at age 97.
Anyone younger than 45 doesn't seem to have a clue who Linkletter was. Too bad. For us baby boomers, he helped define our childhoods.
In the bigger picture of his legacy, Art will be remembered as one of the few broadcasters who helped shaped and define the "new" medium of television. Among his many firsts, was his job as the first person to conduct "man-on-the-street" interviews on live television.
He was the first reality TV host!
If you are not familiar with Art and his legacy, learn something about him. It's impossible to appreciate what we have achieved and how far we have come in the business of television without knowing and appreciating the history behind what it took to get here -- and the people who helped make that happen.
I interviewed Art back in 1992 for our little Beverly Hills coffee shop-based chat show. Three segments from that interview are now available for viewing, on demand, at RerunIt.com.
I, like many of my generation, held this guy in great esteem.
BL
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