Sander Vanocur
Encyclopedia
Sander "Sandy" Vanocur is an American
journalist
.
, Vanocur moved to Peoria, Illinois
when he was twelve years old. After attending Western Military Academy
in Alton, Illinois, he earned a bachelor's degree
in political science
from the Northwestern University
School of Speech (1950). He began his journalism career as a reporter on the London Staff of The Manchester Guardian
, and also did general reporting for The New York Times
.
in the 1960s and early 1970s. He was one of the questioners at the first Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960 and one of NBC's "four horsemen," its floor reporters at the political conventions in the 1960s; the other three were John Chancellor
, Frank McGee, and Edwin Newman
. While White House correspondent during the Kennedy administration, Vanocur dubbed Kennedy's coterie the "Irish mafia." Later, Vanocur covered the 1968 United States presidential election
in which Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Vanocur, who had interviewed Kennedy on June 4, 1968 shortly before the Democratic candidate was shot, reported on the incident from The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California
for the entire night. Vanocur served as host of First Tuesday, a monthly newsmagazine that premiered in 1969 and continued after Vanocur left the network. His work at NBC earned him a place on the Nixon administration's "enemies list"
.
After leaving NBC in 1971, Vanocur worked for PBS and as a television writer for the Washington Post. He joined ABC News in 1977 and worked there until 1991, holding various positions, including Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, Senior Correspondent in Buenos Aires
, and anchor for Business World, the first regularly scheduled weekly business program. He covered the 1997, 1998, and 1999 World Economic Summits and was Chief Overview Correspondent during the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections. In 1984, Vanocur moderated the Vice Presidential debate between incumbent George H. W. Bush
and Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro
. He made a cameo appearance as himself in the movie Dave
; and was one of the major performers in the sci-fi television special Without Warning (as one of the main newsanchors linking the various scenes together).
,, the latter being an ABC Salt Lake City anchor. Their last name is pronounced "van-OH-cur."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Career
Originally from Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Vanocur moved to Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
when he was twelve years old. After attending Western Military Academy
Western Military Academy
Western Military Academy was a private military preparatory school located in Alton,Il. Founded in 1879, Western Military Academy closed in 1971. The campus is located in the National Register of Historic Places District...
in Alton, Illinois, he earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
School of Speech (1950). He began his journalism career as a reporter on the London Staff of The Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and also did general reporting for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
.
Telejournalism career
Described as "one of the country’s most prominent political reporters during the 1960s," Vanocur served as White House correspondent and national political correspondent for NBC NewsNBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
in the 1960s and early 1970s. He was one of the questioners at the first Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960 and one of NBC's "four horsemen," its floor reporters at the political conventions in the 1960s; the other three were John Chancellor
John Chancellor
John William Chancellor was a well-known American journalist who spent most of his career with NBC News...
, Frank McGee, and Edwin Newman
Edwin Newman
Edwin Harold Newman was an American newscaster, journalist and author.-Early life and education:Newman was born on January 25, 1919 in New York City to Myron and Rose Newman. His older brother was M. W. Newman, a longtime reporter for the Chicago Daily News. Newman married Rigel Grell on August...
. While White House correspondent during the Kennedy administration, Vanocur dubbed Kennedy's coterie the "Irish mafia." Later, Vanocur covered the 1968 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 1968
The United States presidential election of 1968 was the 46th quadrennial United States presidential election. Coming four years after Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won in a historic landslide, it saw Johnson forced out of the race and Republican Richard Nixon elected...
in which Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Vanocur, who had interviewed Kennedy on June 4, 1968 shortly before the Democratic candidate was shot, reported on the incident from The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for the entire night. Vanocur served as host of First Tuesday, a monthly newsmagazine that premiered in 1969 and continued after Vanocur left the network. His work at NBC earned him a place on the Nixon administration's "enemies list"
Master list of Nixon political opponents
A master list of Nixon political opponents was compiled to supplement the original Nixon's Enemies List of 20 key people considered opponents of President Richard Nixon. The master list was compiled by Charles Colson's office and sent in memorandum form to John Dean. Dean later provided this...
.
After leaving NBC in 1971, Vanocur worked for PBS and as a television writer for the Washington Post. He joined ABC News in 1977 and worked there until 1991, holding various positions, including Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, Senior Correspondent in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and anchor for Business World, the first regularly scheduled weekly business program. He covered the 1997, 1998, and 1999 World Economic Summits and was Chief Overview Correspondent during the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections. In 1984, Vanocur moderated the Vice Presidential debate between incumbent George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
and Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....
. He made a cameo appearance as himself in the movie Dave
Dave (film)
Dave is a 1993 comedy-drama film written by Gary Ross, directed by Ivan Reitman, and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Co-stars include Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, and Ben Kingsley. Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay...
; and was one of the major performers in the sci-fi television special Without Warning (as one of the main newsanchors linking the various scenes together).
Television hosting career
Vanocur is currently the host of two of the History Channel's prime time series: "Movies in Time" and "History's Business."Family
Sander and his wife Edith (née Pick) have two sons, Nicholas and Christopher VanocurChris Vanocur
Chris Vanocur is an American television journalist for KTVX.He graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech in 1982...
,, the latter being an ABC Salt Lake City anchor. Their last name is pronounced "van-OH-cur."