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David Brinkley

Anchor/ Correspondent

"When television news began, they trusted us completely, and should have because none of us had any ax to grind; none of us had any political ambitions. Our only real purpose in life, and in work, was to tell people what we knew to be true."

About This Interview

David Brinkley (1920-2003) was interviewed for nearly three hours in Bal Harbour, FL. Mr. Brinkley spoke of his early years in the United Press and as a writer/announcer for radio.  He spoke of his association with NBC, which began in 1943 in Washington, D.C. He spoke of the network's transition to television, and the Camel News Caravan with John Cameron Swayze, in which he provided the Washington report.  Brinkley talked of his work on all national conventions beginning in 1952, highlighted by his first teaming with Chet Huntley for the 1956 conventions.  He spoke of his long collaboration with Huntley on The Huntley-Brinkley Report, and Huntley's retirement.  He described his landmark documentary series David Brinkley's Journal, which pioneered the newsmagazine format, and his later series NBC Magazine with David Brinkley.  He also discussed his transition to ABC and his work on This Week With David Brinkley (1981-96). The interview was conducted by Don Carleton on December 8, 1999.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Huntley-Brinkley Report, The
  • NBC News

Topics

  • Characters & Catchphrases
  • Civil Rights Movement (c. 1960s)
  • Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
  • Kennedy
  • Nixon

Professions

  • Journalists & News Producers
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  • Interview
  • Shows
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Interview

  • Part 1
  • Full Chapter One
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 2
  • Full Chapter Two
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 3
  • Full Chapter Three
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 4
  • Full Chapter Four
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 5
  • Full Chapter Five
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 6
  • On the viewing public's perception of network news; on his views of then-current (1999) television
    Clip begins at: 0:0

Shows

  • Huntley-Brinkley Report, The
    • David Brinkley on teaming up with Chet Huntley 
      Clip begins at: 03:06, Duration: 06m 54s
  • NBC News
    • David Brinkley on teaming up with Chet Huntley 
      Clip begins at: 03:06, Duration: 06m 54s

People

  • Jesse Helms
    • David Brinkley on Jesse Helms, at the time, a local Southern reporter who went on the air to "answer Brinkley's lies"
      Clip begins at: 13:02, Duration: 01m 39s
  • Chet Huntley
    • David Brinkley on how Chet Huntley was hired by the NBC network
      Clip begins at: 00:04, Duration: 01m 11s
    • David Brinkley on Chet Huntley's personality
      Clip begins at: 01:15, Duration: 01m 44s
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
    • David Brinkley on interviewing a young Martin Luther King, Jr. before the Brown vs Board of Education ruling came down
      Clip begins at: 11:21, Duration: 01m 41s

Topics

  • Historic Events and Social Change > Civil Rights Movement (c. 1960s)
    • David Brinkley on covering the Civil Rights Movement
      Clip begins at: 10:25, Duration: 00m 56s
    • David Brinkley on interviewing a young Martin Luther King, Jr. before the Brown vs Board of Education ruling came down
      Clip begins at: 11:21, Duration: 01m 41s
    • David Brinkley on Jesse Helms, at the time, a local Southern reporter who went on the air to "answer Brinkley's lies"
      Clip begins at: 13:02, Duration: 01m 39s
  • Pop Culture > Characters & Catchphrases
    • David Brinkley on teaming up with Chet Huntley (and the origin of their "Good Night" signoffs)
      Clip begins at: 03:06, Duration: 06m 54s
  • Television Industry > Industry Crossroads > Hollywood Blacklist (ca. 1950s)
    • David Brinkley on Senator Joseph McCarthy's "list" of 205 alleged Communists
      Clip begins at: 22:52, Duration: 02m 29s
  • Television and the Presidency > Kennedy
    • News Anchor/Correspondent David Brinkley on the atmosphere President Kennedy brought to Washington
      Clip begins at: 12:59, Duration: 00m 47s
  • Television and the Presidency > Nixon
    • David Brinkley on President Nixon
      Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 03m 31s

Genres

  • News and Documentary
    • David Brinkley on teaming up with Chet Huntley 
      Clip begins at: 03:06, Duration: 06m 54s
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Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2012-04-23 19:31.

This man knew timing. Amazing gift.

Submitted by TheStanbabe on Wed, 2011-04-06 01:07.

In his last tv news broadcast with Mr.Brinkley in the summer of 1970.Mr.Huntley said"Please be paient..for there will be good news in the future one day"..he didn't know that that would sadly..never happen.

Submitted by 200128 on Sat, 2010-11-13 08:19.

My God¡ I love this man, but the sound is so low.
Can you, TVLEGENDS, improve the sound?

God Bless America¡

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