Yours Truly

Hugh Downs
March 9, 2012
201
Pages
•.
9781891053566
Ebook
$9.99
Buy from Simon & Schuster

Hugh Downs, legendary broadcaster at 20/20 and The Tonight Show, describes how an endlessly creative childhood lead to his career as a radioman and broadcaster. Topics examined include: his father’s wayward attempt to automate their entire family home (down to the plumbing), a boyhood attempt to manufacture alcohol (until his Grandmother wrecked the still), being chased by a steam engine, klieg lights and their intense heat, cooking chicken in mud pits, Jack Paar and the role of television. This is an intimate and hilarious autobiography that celebrates the unique mix of whimsy, curiosity and discipline that defines the culture of broadcasting.

About the Author

Hugh Downs (1921–2020) was one of American television's most enduring and versatile broadcasters, with a career spanning more than six decades. He is best known for hosting NBC's Today show, co-anchoring ABC's newsmagazine 20/20 alongside Barbara Walters, and hosting the quiz show Concentration, as well as serving as announcer on Jack Paar's Tonight Show. At one point he held the Guinness World Record for the most hours logged on network commercial television.

Beyond broadcasting, Downs was a writer, musician, and lifelong student of science and exploration. He authored numerous books on subjects ranging from aging and philosophy to space travel and the natural world, and his curiosity carried him from the ocean depths to Antarctica. He brought the same thoughtful, unhurried voice to the page that made him a trusted presence in living rooms across the country.