Sam Donaldson

Infobox Person


image_size = 100px
name = Sam Donaldson


caption = Sam Donaldson in 1998.
birth_date = birth date and age|1934|3|11
birth_place = El Paso, Texas |
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = panelist for "ABC News Now"
spouse = Jan Smith
parents =
children =

Samuel Andrew "Sam" Donaldson (born March 11 1934, El Paso, Texas) is a reporter and news anchor for ABC News, substitute anchoring the Sunday edition of "World News Tonight" for regular host Barry Serafin and later Carol Simpson, from dates in 1979 through the 1990s.

Biography

Early life and career

Donaldson attended New Mexico Military Institute as well as Texas Western College (now known as University of Texas at El Paso) where he served as station manager of KTEP, the campus radio station. [ [http://www.ktep.org/history.sstg KTEP history] ] From 1956 to 1959, Donaldson was an artillery officer in the United States Army.

ABC News

In 1971, Donaldson submitted reports for ABC News from Vietnam.

He also appeared for a number of years as a panelist on the Sunday morning television talk show "This Week with David Brinkley". After David Brinkley's retirement, Donaldson co-hosted the program for several years with Cokie Roberts. He currently serves as a panelist on "This Week" along with Cokie Roberts and George Will, and co-hosts "Politics Live" on "ABC News Now". One popular feature on "Politics Live" is the "Stump Sam" feature, in which viewers send in presidential trivia questions for Donaldson to answer. If Donaldson is stumped, the viewer who "stumped Sam" wins a free orange cap.

Donaldson was one of the hosts that was part of ABC Radio's news/talk network with his own show when it launched in 2001. He left the show several months later due to political disagreements.

Bush confrontation

On August 2, 2006, during the last White House Press conference in the briefing room before undergoing major renovations, Donaldson shouted, "Mr. President, should Mel Gibson be forgiven?", referencing reports of the actor/producer's alleged anti-Semitic remarks. Mr. Bush laughed and looked up to see who had asked the question. Bush joked, "Is that Sam Donaldson? Forget it...you're a 'has-been'! We don't have to answer has-beens' questions." [ [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060802-3.html# 08/02/2006 White House Press Conference transcript] ] Donaldson replied, "Better to have been a has-been than a never was." [Loven, Jennifer. > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/02/AR2006080201451.html# Bush Makes Last Call at Briefing Room] . The Washington Post. 2006-08-02. Accessed: 2008-02-05.]

Career timeline

*1977-1989, January 1998-August 1999: ABC News Chief White House Correspondent [http://abcmedianet.com/shows05/news/correspondents/donaldson.shtml ABC Medianet ] ]
*1979-1989: "World News Sunday" anchor
*1981-1996, 2002-present: "This Week" panelist
*August 1989-1999: "Primetime Live" anchor
*December 1996-September 2002: "This Week" co-moderator
*1999-2001: [e-mail] host
*October 2001-May 2004: "The Sam Donaldson Show -- Live in America" host

Personal life

In 1995, Donaldson had a melanoma removed from a lymph node. Since then, he and his wife, Jan Smith, have both been active supporters of cancer research.

On July 7 2004, three members of the family tending to Donaldson's ranch in Hondo, New Mexico were found murdered. Cody Posey, a 14-year-old and sole remaining survivor of the family, was arrested and charged with the murders and subsequently convicted.

Cultural references

* The "Animaniacs" cartoon 'Broadcast Nuisance' features the Warners feuding with "Dan Anchorman," a caricature of Sam. In the cartoon, Dan Anchorman shares camera time on NewsTime Live with "DuAnne Sewer," a reference to his stint on "Primetime Live" in the 1990s with Diane Sawyer.
* In an episode of "Road Rovers", when reporting from the United Nations, he and Blitz got into a fight after Blitz started chewing up Donaldson's toupee (which fell off his head), and refused to give it back.
* He also makes an appearance in "Celebrity Deathmatch", where he was pitted against Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond, the commentators of the show.
* Brian Dennehy, as police officer Frank Daly, in the 1990 movie "The Last of the Finest" refers to Sam Donaldson. Daly and two other officers are trying to gather evidence against one of the film's antagonists, Anthony Reece (Michael C. Gwynne) and gain entrance to a press conference by pick-pocketing a legitimate camera crew's press passes, and entering carrying a camcorder and microphone. Frank says, "Film at 11. I'll be Sam Donaldson".
* In the DVD release of "Kung Pow", there is a deleted scene where Steve Oedekerk dubs over himself singing about Sam Donaldson.
* The Muppet Sam the Eagle was based on Donaldson. [http://www.nndb.com/people/791/000023722/]

Quotes

Quotes by Samuel Andrew Donaldson
* "A lot of people say there's a lot of ham in me."
* "They laughed at me. I couldn't get a job. I went and I made the rounds, I met every news director and they thought I was awful."

References

* Donaldson, Sam, "Hold On, Mr. President!" (Random House, 1987) ISBN 0-449-21520-2
* Schmitt, Mark, "Straight Line Projections", "The Decembrist" (March 2006)

External links

* [http://abcmedianet.com/shows05/news/correspondents/donaldson.shtml ABC Medianet Bio]
* [http://www.foundationformelanomaresearch.org/aboutfmr_hc.php Foundation For Melanoma Research: Honorary Council]
* [http://www.cansearch.org/news/press/archive/2002-02-11.aspx NCCS Recognizes Leaders in Cancer Survivorship]
* [http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=time%20tunnel&from=0&to=9&type=video ABC News' "Time Tunnel" page containing clips of numerous newscasts on which Donaldson appeared]

sequence
list = ABC News Chief White House Correspondent 1977 – 1989
prev = Unknown
next = Brit Humesequence
list = ABC News Chief White House Correspondent 1998 – 1999
prev = John Donvan
next = Terry Moransequence
list = This Week 1996 – 2002
prev = David Brinkley
next = George Stephanopoulos