Harold Greene, the veteran Los Angeles television anchor who spent decades on KABC and later KCBS, has died at age 82. His daughter, Courtney Greene, announced on Wednesday, November 4, that he had died the night before, surrounded by family.
What We Know
Courtney Greene shared the news in a Facebook post, writing that her father “has signed off for the last time,” according to People. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Harold passed away last night,” she wrote, adding that she and her mother were with him and that “there was an extraordinary amount of love in the room,” as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
The family closed the message with a line that fit his career: “We have a feeling he’s already settling into the great newsroom in the sky.” No cause of death has been announced. People reported that a memorial will be scheduled after the holiday season. He is survived by his wife, Charlene, and their daughter.
Background
Greene’s career began in 1970 at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, where he worked as a reporter and producer. Over the following decade he moved around California’s TV markets. In San Diego he helped launch the news operation at KCST-TV (now KNSD), and he also anchored at KGTV. He spent a short stint in San Francisco at KPIX-TV alongside Dave McElhatton.
He returned to KABC more than once, and his final comeback in 1982, first as a reporter and weekend anchor, turned into a long run. By the early 1990s he was anchoring the station’s flagship evening and late newscasts, becoming one of the most familiar faces of Southern California’s Eyewitness News. Along the way he also hosted local programs such as Hollywood Close-Up and A.M. Los Angeles.
His reporting earned serious recognition. He won a Golden Mike Award for his coverage of the 1986 Cerritos air disaster, collected multiple Emmys and three Edward R. Murrow awards, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999.
Greene left KABC in 2000 and joined KCBS-TV in 2001, where he anchored alongside Ann Martin and also appeared on sister station KCAL. He retired in 2008.
The Los Angeles Times noted that Greene is reported to have been one of the real-life anchors who inspired Ron Burgundy, the mustachioed newsman Will Ferrell played in the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a film that also featured cameos from Ben Stiller and Luke Wilson.
Reactions
Pat Harvey, who worked with Greene during his years at CBS Los Angeles, paid tribute in a statement to the station: “I had the honor of working beside Harold during that time,” People reported. ABC7, his longtime home, said in its own report that his impact was felt by colleagues throughout its newsroom.
What’s Next
The family has said a memorial will be held after the holidays; details have not been released. His legacy is that of an anchor who covered decades of Los Angeles news, from local tragedies to Hollywood stories, in a city where TV news and entertainment have always overlapped. For another Los Angeles broadcasting fixture, see our profile of Jimmy Kimmel.
Sources
- ABC7 Los Angeles – Harold Greene, longtime ABC7 news anchor and reporter, dies at 82
- Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo) – Harold Greene, beloved L.A. news anchor, dies at 82
- People (via Yahoo) – Harold Greene, Longtime Los Angeles TV News Anchor, Dies at 82
- Variety – Former KABC and KCBS News Anchor Harold Greene Dies at 82