Today you are 6o years old. I too had a birthday... I am 71 years old. So since the age of 11 I have watched your morning shows. You became a greater part of my life at age 21 through my husband employment with you as a unit manager to producer at that time.
It was a roller coaster ride for me. Great people to meet, parties to attend and good books to read. It came at a price. My husband leaving for work in the wee small hours of the morning...loved those sweet a.m. kisses of good bye. My job was not producing shows but to take care of the producer, his children and our home in Closter, New Jersey. Those are great memories for me. I also liked the gifts for our family from countries that my husband had to travel 200 days(?) per year to support the Today Show.
I recall attending a dance given by Today and wearing a beautiful cocktail dress that had feathers as a trim. I shed feathers all over the dance floor as I danced with one of the suits from upper echelon management from NBC.
When I first met Barbara Walters in my husband's office at Rockefeller Center... she thought I was a model for the show. Great compliment for a gal who scrubbed floors to maintain a nice home in NJ.
Hugh Downs and his wife Ruth were a great couple and nice to know. I loved Joe Garagiola. He had an incident in Florida with a well known governor's wife who poured water on him at our dinner table. Joe also gave input to how important marriage was compared to a career. Loved that man.
Some names were not and could not be mentioned. I remember them. I mostly honour the hard working staff; those who had integrity that put in long hours to get the show on the air 5 days a week in those days. I wish I had been stronger as a wife to continue to support the life style of ups and downs. My only regret is when my husband started traveling for the network in the early years of his career I had gone to college with all my free time instead of whining. Forgive me family. I was young!
So Happy Birthday. May you have many more productive shows. Don't forget the staff that makes you look good and I can support this belief with old scripts written on blue paper! lol
P.S. Jim Hartz still looks good to me..I always had a secret crush on him. So fine!!!