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Dave Garroway, 1952-1961
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Dave Garrowaywas the founding host and anchor of NBC’sTodayand held the position for nine years.
Garroway’s broadcasting career began as an NBC page in 1938. He then hosted a variety show titledGarroway at Largein 1951.
This led to his hosting gig atToday, where he was known for his relaxed, unconventional style and was recognized as the “Roving Announcer,” always able to find an interesting story.
02of 16John Chancellor, 1961-1962NBC/NBC NewsWire; Hugh Patrick Brown/Getty ImagesJohn Chancellor took over asTodayhost for Dave Garroway when he retired in 1961, and was host for just over one year.Prior toToday, he was a popular personality onNBC Nightly News, which made him a considerable candidate to fill Garroway’s position. Contrary to Galloway’s easy-going persona, Chancellor was uncomfortable in the position and never really connected with the audience.After 14 months asTodayhost, he was asked to be released from his contract in 1962. He returned toNBC Newsand covered wars from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, and even served as a White House correspondent from 1963 to 1965.
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John Chancellor, 1961-1962
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John Chancellor took over asTodayhost for Dave Garroway when he retired in 1961, and was host for just over one year.
Prior toToday, he was a popular personality onNBC Nightly News, which made him a considerable candidate to fill Garroway’s position. Contrary to Galloway’s easy-going persona, Chancellor was uncomfortable in the position and never really connected with the audience.
After 14 months asTodayhost, he was asked to be released from his contract in 1962. He returned toNBC Newsand covered wars from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, and even served as a White House correspondent from 1963 to 1965.
03of 16Hugh Downs, 1962-1971gettyHugh Downswas host ofTodayfor nine years.Prior to becoming aTodayanchor in 1962, Downs was known as a popular news anchor, author, music composer and even served as host for the popular gameshowConcentrationfrom 1958 to 1969.After retiring fromTodayin 1971 after nearly 10 years, he became widely recognized as theEmmy-winning co-anchor forABC’s20/20alongsideBarbara Walters.
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Hugh Downs, 1962-1971
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Hugh Downswas host ofTodayfor nine years.
Prior to becoming aTodayanchor in 1962, Downs was known as a popular news anchor, author, music composer and even served as host for the popular gameshowConcentrationfrom 1958 to 1969.
After retiring fromTodayin 1971 after nearly 10 years, he became widely recognized as theEmmy-winning co-anchor forABC’s20/20alongsideBarbara Walters.
04of 16Frank McGee, 1971-1974NewsWire/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty (2)Frank McGee was host ofTodayfor two years.Prior to that, he was a co-anchor onNBC Nightly Newsalongside John Chancellor andDavid Brinkley. McGee moved toTodayafter the network made Chancellor the permanent anchor for the following year.During McGee’s time atToday, he took the show in a more serious direction and worked alongside Barbara Walters until his death at age 52 in 1974.
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Frank McGee, 1971-1974
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Frank McGee was host ofTodayfor two years.
Prior to that, he was a co-anchor onNBC Nightly Newsalongside John Chancellor andDavid Brinkley. McGee moved toTodayafter the network made Chancellor the permanent anchor for the following year.
During McGee’s time atToday, he took the show in a more serious direction and worked alongside Barbara Walters until his death at age 52 in 1974.
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Barbara Walters, 1974-1976
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Barbara Walterswas host ofTodayfor nine years.
Since herTodaydeparture in 1976, she went on to host shows such asThe View,20/20, and more. Recognized asa journalism icon, her career has spanned 60 years.
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Jim Hartz, 1974-1976
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Jim Hartz was host ofTodayfor two years.
Prior to his start in 1974, he was recognized as NBC’s youngest correspondent. After serving as an anchor, the network promoted him toTodayhost alongsideBarbara Walters.
07of 16Tom Brokaw, 1976-1981NBC NewsWire/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GettyTom Brokawwas host ofTodayfor five years.Brokawbegan his career in the NBC Los Angeles bureau where he covered future President Ronald Reagan’s first run for public office and Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination. He also served as the network’s White House correspondent during Watergate.Although Brokaw retired fromTodayin 1981, he’s the only anchor to have helmed NBC’s three flagship shows:Today, NBC Nightly News, andMeet the Press. Heretired from NBC News in 2021 after 55 yearswith the network.
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Tom Brokaw, 1976-1981
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Tom Brokawwas host ofTodayfor five years.
Brokawbegan his career in the NBC Los Angeles bureau where he covered future President Ronald Reagan’s first run for public office and Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination. He also served as the network’s White House correspondent during Watergate.
Although Brokaw retired fromTodayin 1981, he’s the only anchor to have helmed NBC’s three flagship shows:Today, NBC Nightly News, andMeet the Press. Heretired from NBC News in 2021 after 55 yearswith the network.
08of 16Jane Pauley, 1976-1989NBC/NBC NewsWire; Noam Galai/Getty ImagesJane Pauleywas host ofTodayfor 13 years.Pauleywas the first woman to co-anchor a major evening newscast for an NBC affiliate in Chicago. Nearly ten months later, she was selected to replace Barbara Walters onToday(making her the second woman to hold the position).After her hosting gigs – first alongside Tom Brokaw and thenBryant Gumbel– ended in 1989, Pauley went on to work onDateline NBC,CBS Sunday Morning, among others.
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Jane Pauley, 1976-1989
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Jane Pauleywas host ofTodayfor 13 years.
Pauleywas the first woman to co-anchor a major evening newscast for an NBC affiliate in Chicago. Nearly ten months later, she was selected to replace Barbara Walters onToday(making her the second woman to hold the position).
After her hosting gigs – first alongside Tom Brokaw and thenBryant Gumbel– ended in 1989, Pauley went on to work onDateline NBC,CBS Sunday Morning, among others.
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Bryant Gumbel, 1982-1997
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Bryant Gumbelwas host ofTodayfor 15 years.
Prior to becoming the principleTodayanchor in 1982, Gumbel served as a co-host forNBC Sports, covering various sporting events. His work earned him fourEmmy Awards.
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Deborah Norville, 1990-1991
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Deborah Norvillewas host ofTodayfor one year.
BeforeToday,Norvillebecame known as the only solo female anchor of a network newscast for her work onNBC Newsat Sunrisein 1987. When Jane Pauley stepped down fromToday, Norville was named her successor. She eventually won an Emmy for her coverage of the Romanian Revolution.
11of 16Katie Couric, 1991-2006Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty; Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via GettyKatie Couricwashost ofTodayfor 15 years.Prior toToday, she served as the NBC News Pentagon Correspondent in 1989. She became a permanentco-anchor ofTodaywhen Norville left the show.After herTodaydeparture in 2006, Couric went on to work for bothCBSand NBC News.Throughout her career, she’s been a host for almost every television broadcast across thethree major networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS.
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Katie Couric, 1991-2006
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Katie Couricwashost ofTodayfor 15 years.
Prior toToday, she served as the NBC News Pentagon Correspondent in 1989. She became a permanentco-anchor ofTodaywhen Norville left the show.
After herTodaydeparture in 2006, Couric went on to work for bothCBSand NBC News.Throughout her career, she’s been a host for almost every television broadcast across thethree major networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS.
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Matt Lauer, 1997-2017
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Matt Lauerwas host ofTodayfor 20 years.
He orginally co-anchored shows such asToday in New YorkandLive at Fives, before serving as a news anchor onToday. He was eventually named host in 1997.
During his 20-year stint atToday, he’shosted the Olympics, theMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, interviewedPrince WilliamandPrince Harry, and starred in a segment calledWhere in the World is Matt Lauer.
13of 16Meredith Vieira, 2006-2011George Lange/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty; Paul Archuleta/GettyMeredith Vieirawas a host ofTodayfor four years.Prior toToday, Vieira served as host of ABC’sThe Viewand was the first host of the American syndicated version ofWho Wants to Be a Millionaire, winning multiple Emmys for her work.During her time atToday, she replaced Katie Couric and co-anchored alongside Matt Lauer. She simultaneously hostedMillionaire, contributed toDateline NBC, and covered multiple Olympics.After herTodaydeparture in 2011, Vieira became the host of her own talkshow titledThe Meredith Vieira Showin 2014.
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Meredith Vieira, 2006-2011
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Meredith Vieirawas a host ofTodayfor four years.
Prior toToday, Vieira served as host of ABC’sThe Viewand was the first host of the American syndicated version ofWho Wants to Be a Millionaire, winning multiple Emmys for her work.
During her time atToday, she replaced Katie Couric and co-anchored alongside Matt Lauer. She simultaneously hostedMillionaire, contributed toDateline NBC, and covered multiple Olympics.
After herTodaydeparture in 2011, Vieira became the host of her own talkshow titledThe Meredith Vieira Showin 2014.
14of 16Ann Curry, 2011-2012Darryl Estrine/NBC/NBC NewsWire; Stephen J. Cohen/GettyAnn Currywas host ofTodayfor one year.BeforehostingTodayin 2011, Curry served as a photojournalist and reporter with a focus on human suffering in war zones and natural disasters. She also worked as a national and international correspondent for NBC News, in addition to contributing toDateline NBC.In 2012, she was abruptly let go fromTodayin 2012. She later departed from NBC as a whole in 2015, which ended her nearly 25-year run with the network. In 2018, she admitted toreporting Matt Lauerforsexual harassmenton behalf of a colleague.Curry went on to found her own multi-platform media startup, moderated a panel between theDalai LamaandLady Gaga, and produced a PBS series calledWe’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry.
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Ann Curry, 2011-2012
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Ann Currywas host ofTodayfor one year.
BeforehostingTodayin 2011, Curry served as a photojournalist and reporter with a focus on human suffering in war zones and natural disasters. She also worked as a national and international correspondent for NBC News, in addition to contributing toDateline NBC.
In 2012, she was abruptly let go fromTodayin 2012. She later departed from NBC as a whole in 2015, which ended her nearly 25-year run with the network. In 2018, she admitted toreporting Matt Lauerforsexual harassmenton behalf of a colleague.
Curry went on to found her own multi-platform media startup, moderated a panel between theDalai LamaandLady Gaga, and produced a PBS series calledWe’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry.
15of 16Savannah Guthrie, 2012-PresentPeter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images; Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesSavannah Guthrieis the currentco-anchor ofTodayand hasbeen there for 10 years to date.BeforeToday, she served as a White House correspondent and the co-anchor of MSNBC’sThe Daily Rundown. She substituted for Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry onToday, which lead to her co-hosting gig of the 9 a.m. hour alongsideNatalie MoralesandAl Roker.She ultimately replaced Curry onTodayafter her departure and workedalongside Matt Laueras co-anchor. Guthrie succeeded Lauer in 2017, and becamean anchor beside Hoda Kotb.
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Savannah Guthrie, 2012-Present
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Savannah Guthrieis the currentco-anchor ofTodayand hasbeen there for 10 years to date.
BeforeToday, she served as a White House correspondent and the co-anchor of MSNBC’sThe Daily Rundown. She substituted for Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry onToday, which lead to her co-hosting gig of the 9 a.m. hour alongsideNatalie MoralesandAl Roker.
She ultimately replaced Curry onTodayafter her departure and workedalongside Matt Laueras co-anchor. Guthrie succeeded Lauer in 2017, and becamean anchor beside Hoda Kotb.
16of 16Hoda Kotb, 2018-PresentVirginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty; Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesHoda Kotbis the currentco-anchor ofTodayand hasbeen there for four years.Prior toToday, she served as a correspondent forDateline NBCand all NBC News platforms. Kotb also worked as co-host ofToday’s first fourth-hour weekday morning broadcast before being namedTodayco-anchor with Savannah Guthrie(after Matt Lauer’s NBC termination).She also serves as a co-host ofToday with Hoda and Jenna.
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Hoda Kotb, 2018-Present
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Hoda Kotbis the currentco-anchor ofTodayand hasbeen there for four years.
Prior toToday, she served as a correspondent forDateline NBCand all NBC News platforms. Kotb also worked as co-host ofToday’s first fourth-hour weekday morning broadcast before being namedTodayco-anchor with Savannah Guthrie(after Matt Lauer’s NBC termination).
She also serves as a co-host ofToday with Hoda and Jenna.
source: people.com
