David Hartman (TV personality)
The steady, reassuring presence who defined morning television for a generation as the founding host of Good Morning America.
Born 1935 (age 91)·American journalist and media host·Birthday: May 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
David Hartman brought a unique blend of actor's ease and journalist's curiosity to the nascent world of morning television, becoming the friendly face America woke up to for twelve years. Before he ever sat at an anchor desk, he had a successful acting career, most notably playing idealistic young doctor Paul Hunter on 'The Bold Ones.' That on-screen warmth and credibility made him the perfect choice when ABC sought to challenge NBC's 'Today' show. Launching 'Good Morning America' in 1975, Hartman set the template for the modern co-host dynamic, offering a calm, conversational counterpoint to news segments and celebrity interviews. His tenure saw the show rise to become a ratings powerhouse, making the living room couch a central part of the American morning routine. After leaving GMA, he seamlessly transitioned to hosting documentary series for PBS and the History Channel, focusing on science and exploration, proving his intellectual depth extended far beyond the soft-news format he helped pioneer.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
David was born in 1935, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1935
#1 Movie
Mutiny on the Bounty
Best Picture
Mutiny on the Bounty
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1935Born
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1940Started school
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1948Became a teenager
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Could drive
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1953Could vote
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Turned 21
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1965Turned 30
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 40
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 50
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 60
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 70
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 80
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2026Age 91 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the original and longest-tenured host of ABC's 'Good Morning America' from its 1975 launch until 1987.
- Won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show Host for his work on 'Good Morning America.'
- Starred as Dr. Paul Hunter in the dramatic television series 'The Bold Ones: The New Doctors.'
- Hosted and narrated numerous award-winning documentary series for PBS, including 'The Promise of Play.'
Did You Know?
He was a licensed pilot and often flew himself to assignments.
Before his broadcasting career, he graduated from Duke University with a degree in history.
He played the role of Fred Gailey in the 1973 television movie remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
“The best interviews are conversations, not interrogations.”
