Jim Hartz, ‘Today’ show host with Barbara Walters in the ‘70s, dead at 82
his wife, Alexandra Dickson Hartz, told Deadline.Hartz joined the morning news show in 1974 when he was 34.The broadcaster replaced previous “Today” host Frank McGee, who died at 58.Before Hartz became a part of the NBC network, he was a reporter for WNBC, covering local news.Several key events he reported throughout his two-year “Today” show career include President Richard Nixon’s resignation, the beginning of the Apollo 15 spacecraft, the conclusion of the Vietnam War and the American Bicentennial in 1976.Walters, 92, gushed over her co-host to the New York Times in 1974, saying: “Jim, doesn’t mind sharing the stage with me. He isn’t offended when I try to help him.” She left the show in 1976 for a job at ABC.In the same interview, he noted how much he enjoyed being a part of the “Today” show and wanted to honor McGee’s legacy.“I realized ‘Today’ would mean a lot.