Howard K. Smith
A cornerstone of broadcast journalism, his authoritative voice reported on World War II from Europe and later anchored the CBS and ABC evening news.
1914–2002 (age 88)·American news anchor·Birthday: May 12·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Howard K. Smith's career was a journey through the defining moments of mid-20th century news. He cut his teeth as one of Edward R. Murrow's famed 'Boys,' reporting from Berlin as World War II began and providing gripping accounts of the German advance and the Allied liberation. His postwar analysis was sharp and often pointed; a critical 1961 documentary on racial injustice in Birmingham led to a clash with CBS management and his departure. He then found a new home at ABC, where he co-anchored the network's flagship evening news broadcast and moderated the first televised presidential debate of 1976. Smith brought a scholar's depth—he was a Rhodes Scholar—and a commentator's conviction to his work, refusing to be a mere neutral reader of headlines. His was a voice that explained not just what happened, but why it mattered, helping to shape the format and gravity of television news.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Howard was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Howard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Howard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
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
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Died at 88
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Served as a key member of the 'Murrow Boys,' reporting from Europe for CBS Radio during World War II.
- Anchored the ABC Evening News from 1969 to 1975, helping to build the network's news division.
- Moderated the 1976 presidential debate between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.
- Won an Emmy Award for his 1961 documentary 'The Population Explosion.'
- Authored several books, including his memoir 'Events Leading Up to My Death.'
Did You Know?
He was the last American journalist to interview Adolf Hitler before the U.S. entered the war, in 1941.
He briefly worked as a film actor, playing himself in the 1964 political thriller 'Seven Days in May.'
He studied at Tulane University as an undergraduate before becoming a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford.
His sign-off line on his ABC commentary segment was, 'And that's the way it is.'
“The only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it.”
