Larry Henderson
Encyclopedia
Larry Henderson was the first regular newsreader on the CBC Television
's The National News, later rebranded as The National, from 1954 to 1959. He was born in Montreal
.
Henderson was selected by Mavor Moore
as the CBC Television's first regular national newsreader. Previously, each five minute news bulletin had been read by a variety of announcers - a situation found to create a disjointed broadcast. By the end of 1954 the national news broadcast was expanded to 15 minutes, twice a day, with film and still pictures accompanying Henderson's narration.
Henderson was known for his temper and would swear on the air or make his reading unintelligibly fast when signalled by the director to speed up. On one occasion he walked off the set when the film for a news story was not ready on cue.
Henderson was born in Montreal
and attended McGill University
where he studied music. In 1936 he travelled to England with the hopes of becoming a Shakespearian
actor. In London, he studied at the London School of Economics
and did further graduate studes at the School of Graduate Studies in Geneva, Switzerlandhttp://catholicinsight.com/online/church/biographies/kennedy_henderson.shtml. He spent three years in repertory theatre in England performing the lead in Doctor Faustus and playing Mercutio to Alec Guinness
's Romeo
in Romeo and Juliet
.
In 1940, he returned to Canada and joined the announcing staff of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. In 1943, he enlisted in the Canadian Army serving in North Africa
and Italy
during World War II
in the signal corps.
Following the war, Henderson rejoined CBC - he applied to work for the broadcaster as an actor but instead found himself working as a staff announcer from 1946 to 1948 when he moved to CFRB to host Headliners which would eventually be syndicated to 24 private radio stations.
Henderson was the first Canadian broadcaster to cover the Korean War
spending six weeks in the wartorn country in 1950. He subsequently travelled through Europe for three years sending recordings for his Headliners program back to Canada as well as hosting a CBC show, Passport to Adventure.
In 1954, he returned to Canada to accept a position at CBC Television as its newsreader in hopes of becoming the country's answer to Edward R. Murrow
. Henderson would anchor the broadcast for almost five years and would, unusually for newsreaders at the time, memorize his script rather than read it live.
In 1959, Henderson left CBC to work for CHFI-FM
and CHCH-TV
.
He later joined CTV National News
as its international affairs expert and weekend news anchor. He left after several years to lecture and write books on international affairs and ran the Larry Henderson School of Television in Toronto.
In the 1970s, Henderson joined the Canadian International Development Agency
going on assignment to Tanzania
where he helped organize the country's national broadcasting system.
In 1973, Henderson began writing for the Catholic Register becoming its editor the next year. He revitalized the paper increasing its subscription rate from 30,000 to 60,000 before his retirement in 1986. Under his leadership, the newspaper became a leading voice in the Canadian anti-abortion movement.
In his later years, Henderson was managing editor of Challenge, a Canadian monthly Roman Catholic magazine. He retired from this venture in 2002.http://catholicinsight.com/online/church/biographies/kennedy_henderson.shtml
Henderson died in his sleep on Monday, November 27, 2006 at his home in London, Ontario
. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2006/11/27/larry-henderon-obit.html
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
's The National News, later rebranded as The National, from 1954 to 1959. He was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Henderson was selected by Mavor Moore
Mavor Moore
James Mavor Moore, CC, OBC was a Canadian writer, producer, actor, public servant, critic, and educator.-Biography:...
as the CBC Television's first regular national newsreader. Previously, each five minute news bulletin had been read by a variety of announcers - a situation found to create a disjointed broadcast. By the end of 1954 the national news broadcast was expanded to 15 minutes, twice a day, with film and still pictures accompanying Henderson's narration.
Henderson was known for his temper and would swear on the air or make his reading unintelligibly fast when signalled by the director to speed up. On one occasion he walked off the set when the film for a news story was not ready on cue.
Henderson was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and attended McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
where he studied music. In 1936 he travelled to England with the hopes of becoming a Shakespearian
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
actor. In London, he studied at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and did further graduate studes at the School of Graduate Studies in Geneva, Switzerlandhttp://catholicinsight.com/online/church/biographies/kennedy_henderson.shtml. He spent three years in repertory theatre in England performing the lead in Doctor Faustus and playing Mercutio to Alec Guinness
Alec Guinness
Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai...
's Romeo
Romeo Montague
Romeo is one of the fictional protagonists in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is the son of old Montague and his wife, who secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet...
in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
.
In 1940, he returned to Canada and joined the announcing staff of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. In 1943, he enlisted in the Canadian Army serving in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the signal corps.
Following the war, Henderson rejoined CBC - he applied to work for the broadcaster as an actor but instead found himself working as a staff announcer from 1946 to 1948 when he moved to CFRB to host Headliners which would eventually be syndicated to 24 private radio stations.
Henderson was the first Canadian broadcaster to cover the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
spending six weeks in the wartorn country in 1950. He subsequently travelled through Europe for three years sending recordings for his Headliners program back to Canada as well as hosting a CBC show, Passport to Adventure.
In 1954, he returned to Canada to accept a position at CBC Television as its newsreader in hopes of becoming the country's answer to Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Edward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
. Henderson would anchor the broadcast for almost five years and would, unusually for newsreaders at the time, memorize his script rather than read it live.
In 1959, Henderson left CBC to work for CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 98.1 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. Like most Toronto radio and TV channels, it broadcasts atop the CN Tower with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners...
and CHCH-TV
CHCH-TV
CHCH-DT, channel 11, is a television station originating in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with transmitters located throughout Ontario. CHCH currently operates as an independent station, having previously served as a CBC Television affiliate, and more recently as the flagship station of the...
.
He later joined CTV National News
CTV National News
CTV National News is CTV's flagship newscast, which airs at 11:00 p.m. local time on the CTV stations across Canada, and live at 10:00pm ET, with repeats hourly up until 2 a.m. ET on CTV News Channel, CTV's 24-hour cable news television channel, and the previous day's can be seen on the Internet. ...
as its international affairs expert and weekend news anchor. He left after several years to lecture and write books on international affairs and ran the Larry Henderson School of Television in Toronto.
In the 1970s, Henderson joined the Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
going on assignment to Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
where he helped organize the country's national broadcasting system.
In 1973, Henderson began writing for the Catholic Register becoming its editor the next year. He revitalized the paper increasing its subscription rate from 30,000 to 60,000 before his retirement in 1986. Under his leadership, the newspaper became a leading voice in the Canadian anti-abortion movement.
In his later years, Henderson was managing editor of Challenge, a Canadian monthly Roman Catholic magazine. He retired from this venture in 2002.http://catholicinsight.com/online/church/biographies/kennedy_henderson.shtml
Henderson died in his sleep on Monday, November 27, 2006 at his home in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2006/11/27/larry-henderon-obit.html
Sources
- Biography
- Larry Henderson: Journalist from Catholic Insight magazine.