- Joan Lunden
Infobox Person
name = Joan Lunden
image_size =
caption =
birth_name =
birth_date = birth date and age|1950|9|19
birth_place =Fair Oaks, California
known_for =Journalist
education =
alma_mater =Sacramento State University Joan Lunden (born
September 19 ,1950 ) is an American broadcaster, most recently the host of the CBS reality series "Wickedly Perfect ", and was a popular co-host of ABC's "Good Morning America " (GMA) from 1980 through 1997. As the longest running morning news host, Lunden became one of the most visible women in the country. She joined "GMA" in the fall of 1976 as a feature news/consumer reporter, and later became fill in co-host as former co-host Sandy Hill left to work on coverage of the Winter Olympics. Lunden's popularity with viewers led her to her quick promotion to co-host withDavid Hartman , the program's original host. "Entertainment Weekly " magazine national viewer poll named her "television's favorite morning anchor," during her years at "GMA".Her popularity on the "GMA" program from the '70s through the '90s allowed her to interview
U.S. President and First Ladies Gerald andBetty Ford , Jimmy andRosalyn Carter , Ronald andNancy Reagan , George andBarbara Bush , Bill andHillary Clinton , and alsoTexas Governor George andLaura Bush , prior to the younger Bush's 2000 election as President.She was a host on the A&E cable network program "Behind Closed Doors" (originally aired on ABC as occasional prime time specials) (1996-2001) which was an on-location / undercover reporter program; and also frequently guest hosted "Biography" on Cable TV's A&E Channel.
Biography
Early life
Lunden was born as Joan Elise Blunden in
Fair Oaks, California , the daughter of Gladyce Lorraine (née Somervill) and Erle Murray Blunden, who was a physician. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/45/Joan-Lunden.html Joan Lunden Biography (1950?-) ] ] She has aliberal arts degree fromSacramento State University , where she was initiated as a member of the Greek sororityDelta Gamma . She also studied Spanish and anthropology atMexico City 's Universidad de Las Americas. She was a visiting instructor atMontclair State College in New Jersey, where she taught a course in broadcast journalismShe began her broadcasting career in Sacramento, California, where she worked for
KCRA-TV and Radio as co-anchor of the daily noon television news program. She also produced the noon news broadcast and hosted KCRA's television specials.Career
In 1975, Lunden joined
New York 's WABC-TV Eyewitness News and a year later became co-anchor on the weekend newscasts. As the co-host of "GMA", Lunden traveled the world, covering historic events, such as the 50th anniversary ofVE Day (Victory in Europe) in 1995; the 50th anniversary ofD-Day ; the 1984 and 1988Winter Olympics inSarajevo andCalgary ; and the wedding ofPrince Charles andDiana, Princess of Wales . She covered the administrations and inaugurations of three Presidents:Bill Clinton ,George H. W. Bush , andRonald Reagan . She was one of only three American journalists to interview Prince Charles during his 1983 visit to the United States.Lunden was known for her willingness to take risks in her role as host. She climbed and rappelled Alaska's famed
Mendenhall Glacier and bungee-jumped off a 143-foot bridge and parapented off a 2,000-foot mountain during the program's highly rated trip toNew Zealand . She also navigated the whitewater rapids of a Georgia river for a "GMA" show in 1994. She has been at the controls of anF-16 jet and soared with theUnited States Air Force Thunderbirds, as well as flown in a T-34 Naval flight training plane. She is also a skilled horsewoman, jumping thoroughbred horses, and also has gone to bat with theChicago Cubs at spring training. A real trooper for "GMA" in May 1984, Lunden was pregnant with Lindsay when interviewing nineteen-year-oldwar correspondent andtreasure hunter ,Cork Graham , who had just been released from 11 months political imprisonment in theSocialist Republic of Vietnam .Activities and honors
Lunden also hosted ABC's broadcast of the
Tournament of Roses Parade inPasadena, California , from 1989 to 1991. She hosted the Walt Disney World Easter Parade withRegis Philbin until the mid-90s.She has received numerous honors including the Spirit of Achievement Award from Albert Einstein College of
Yeshiva University ,YWCA Outstanding Woman's Award Speaker, National Women's Political Caucus Award,New Jersey Division on Civil Rights Award andBaylor University Outstanding Woman of the Year. The NationalMother's Day Committee selected her as the Outstanding Mother of the Year in 1982-83 for her dedication to motherhood. She has been a national spokesperson for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).In April 1991, Lunden was honored by New York Women in Communications with a Matrix Award for her "outstanding contributions to the broadcasting field." Lunden appeared as herself in a brief role in the 2006 film "
Thank You for Smoking ". She also appeared on the cover ofWoman's Day magazine in 2004.Personal life
Lunden was married to
Michael A. Krauss from 1978 until theirdivorce in 1992; the couple have 3 daughters: Jamie Beryl, born July 4, 1980 [ [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20077776,00.html Joan Lunden Takes Her Baby to the Set of 'good Morning America' and the Two Are Together All Day : People.com ] ] , Lindsay Leigh (born 1983), and Sarah Emily (born 1987). She married Jeff Konigsberg onApril 18 ,2000 ; they have 4 children, two sets of twins, each consisting of one boy and one girl, Max Aaron and Kate Elizabeth [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0526406/bio Joan Lunden - Biography ] ] , born onJune 10, 2003 , and Jack Andrew and Kimberly Elise, born onMarch 1, 2005 Fact|date=July 2008.Books
* "Joan Lunden's a Bend in the Road Is Not the End of the Road: 10 Positive Principles For Dealing With Change " (1998) - ISBN 0-6881-6083-2
* "Wake Up Calls: Making the Most Out of Every Day (Regardless of What Life Throws You)" (2000) - ISBN 0-0713-6126-XReferences
External links
* [http://www.wchstv.com/abc/gma/joanlunden.shtml Joan Lunden]
sequence
list = "Good Morning America " co-host
1980–May 23 ,1997
with David Hartman from 1980 toFebruary 20 ,1987 , andCharles Gibson fromFebruary 23 ,1987 toMay 23 ,1997
prev = Sandy Hill as David Hartman's co-host from 1977 to 1980
next =Lisa McRee asCharles Gibson 's co-host from 1997 to 1998Persondata
NAME= Lunden, Joan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=
DATE OF BIRTH= 1950-9-19
PLACE OF BIRTH=Fair Oaks, California
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=
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