Tom Dunn
Encyclopedia
Tom Dunn was an anchor
and reporter at several New York
and Florida
television
stations.
Dunn was born in Warwick, New York
, and was a child actor
at radio
station WAAT in Newark, New Jersey
. He started in television at WCTV
in Tallahassee, Florida
in 1959 after leaving the army. He served as press secretary to U.S. Representative (and later Senator) Ed Gurney (R-FL), then worked as an anchor and reporter for WTVT
in Tampa, Florida
from 1962 to 1964 before moving to WCBS-TV
where he worked from 1964 to 1968. Mr. Dunn served in that same role for WABC-TV
from 1969–1970 and at WOR-TV
from 1971-1987. Among his duties at WOR was anchoring the long-running News at Noon. He later worked for WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach, where he did weekend evening and late night news until his retirement in the late 1990s.
Dunn died of esophageal cancer
in Stuart, Florida
on July 2, 2006.
His wife, Anna Dunn, reported that Richard Nixon
asked Dunn to be his press secretary, but he turned down the position because he feared he might not be able to get back into television news if he took the job. Mr. Dunn was an avid sailor, skier, cooking enthusiast and voracious reader. Mr. Dunn also appeared in several motion pictures, including Turk 182
and Without A Trace
.
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
and reporter at several New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations.
Dunn was born in Warwick, New York
Warwick (village), New York
Warwick is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. The 2010 census population was 6,731...
, and was a child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
at radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station WAAT in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. He started in television at WCTV
WCTV
WCTV is the CBS-affiliated television station for southwest Georgia and Tallahassee, Florida that is licensed to Thomasville, Georgia. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 46 from a transmitter in Metcalf along the Georgia and Florida state line. This is 609.6 meters high...
in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
in 1959 after leaving the army. He served as press secretary to U.S. Representative (and later Senator) Ed Gurney (R-FL), then worked as an anchor and reporter for WTVT
WTVT
WTVT, channel 13, is a television station in Tampa, Florida. It is an owned and operated station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the News Corporation...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
from 1962 to 1964 before moving to WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
where he worked from 1964 to 1968. Mr. Dunn served in that same role for WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
from 1969–1970 and at WOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
from 1971-1987. Among his duties at WOR was anchoring the long-running News at Noon. He later worked for WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach, where he did weekend evening and late night news until his retirement in the late 1990s.
Dunn died of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
in Stuart, Florida
Stuart, Florida
Stuart is the only incorporated city of Martin County, Florida, on Florida's Treasure Coast. The population was 14,633 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,964....
on July 2, 2006.
His wife, Anna Dunn, reported that Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
asked Dunn to be his press secretary, but he turned down the position because he feared he might not be able to get back into television news if he took the job. Mr. Dunn was an avid sailor, skier, cooking enthusiast and voracious reader. Mr. Dunn also appeared in several motion pictures, including Turk 182
Turk 182
Turk 182! is a 1985 film starring Timothy Hutton, Robert Urich, Kim Cattrall, Robert Culp and Peter Boyle. It is also one of the first movies to receive a PG-13 rating.-Film synopsis:...
and Without A Trace
Without a Trace (film)
Without a Trace is a 1983 dramatic film. It is based on the Beth Gutcheon novel Still Missing, which is loosely-based on the real-life disappearance of Etan Patz. The film stars Kate Nelligan, Judd Hirsch, David Dukes and Stockard Channing.-Plot:...
.