Peter Grant, Cincinnati's first television newscaster in 1948, was found dead Monday morning in his Silverton home. He would have celebrated his 84th birthday Thursday.
Concerned friends alerted police who found his body. Silverton Police Chief Bill Eggers said there were indications in his home he had not been well.
A friend, Helen Andrews, of Indian Hill, said Mr. Grant was not feeling well when she saw him Sunday. She said she missed him walking neighborhood dogs Monday morning on her property.
Mr. Grant came to Cincinnati's WLW Radio in 1932 from KMOX-AM, St. Louis, his hometown. He was a radio announcer and newsman on WLW and moved to WLWT (Channel 5) news in 1948. He retired in 1968.
Among his non-news broadcasting activities was as a regular on Ruth Lyons "50-50 Club" on Channel 5 and as a longtime announcer on WLW Radio's "Moon River" music program.
Tom Atkins, who co-anchored Channel 5 news during 1966-67 with Mr. Grant before succeeding him, said he was "strong about the traditional values of journalism, a dynamite guy, a delight to be around."
Al Schottelkotte, a competitor of Mr. Grant's at WCPO-TV (Channel 9), beginning in 1959, called him "a class individual in all his activities...a pioneer in gaining public recognition and respect for newscasting."
Mary Wood, retired, longtime Cincinnati Post TV critic, recalled a humorous incident at WLW's Arlington Street studios in the 1940s involving Mr. Grant.
The engineers tried to rattle him one night by doing an all-out striptease in the control room in front of him as he delivered the news, said Wood.
"Powell Crosley, Jr., who owned the station, decided the same night to take dinner guests through the studio," recalled Wood, a staffer at the station at the time. The engineers failed to unnerve Mr. Grant, and Crosley fired the whole bunch (of engineers)," Wood said.
Recalling her years with Mr. Grant on the "50-50 Club," singer Marion Spelman called him "one of Ruth's sidekicks, a wonderfully war, intelligent and funny man, a marvelous human being whom I always adored."
Bill Myers, a co-worker of Mr. Grant starting in 1952, said, "He brought a dignity to his work that will never be matched."
Bill Nimmo, who went on to work at the network level in New York and Los Angeles, was Mr. Grant's announcer on the radio news his first year in broadcasting.
"I learned more about announcing from Peter Grant than any 10 people," he said. "He was something else --- one of the world's great announcers."
A close friend of Mr. Grant's since he moved to Cincinnati in 1947, Len Gorrian said, "You never heard a bad work about him in show business, that's tough to do."
Mr. Grant never married, and in 1957, he said, "I guess I am a loner without any great need for society. I am very content." He insisted on his privacy, refusing to involve himself in community activities after his retirement.
Mr. Grant was born MELVIN MEREDITH MAGINN, in St. Louis. He graduated college as a lawyer during the Depression, but turned to radio as a livelihood.
During his early years in Cincinnati, he shared a boardinghouse room with Eddie Albert, fellow WLW staffer, who went on to a successful film and television career.
During World War II, Mr. Grant served as a general's aide in the Army.
In his will, Mr. Grant stipulated his body be donated to the University of Cincinnati Medical School. A memorial service is being planned.
Copied from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tuesday, December 11, 1990.
Concerned friends alerted police who found his body. Silverton Police Chief Bill Eggers said there were indications in his home he had not been well.
A friend, Helen Andrews, of Indian Hill, said Mr. Grant was not feeling well when she saw him Sunday. She said she missed him walking neighborhood dogs Monday morning on her property.
Mr. Grant came to Cincinnati's WLW Radio in 1932 from KMOX-AM, St. Louis, his hometown. He was a radio announcer and newsman on WLW and moved to WLWT (Channel 5) news in 1948. He retired in 1968.
Among his non-news broadcasting activities was as a regular on Ruth Lyons "50-50 Club" on Channel 5 and as a longtime announcer on WLW Radio's "Moon River" music program.
Tom Atkins, who co-anchored Channel 5 news during 1966-67 with Mr. Grant before succeeding him, said he was "strong about the traditional values of journalism, a dynamite guy, a delight to be around."
Al Schottelkotte, a competitor of Mr. Grant's at WCPO-TV (Channel 9), beginning in 1959, called him "a class individual in all his activities...a pioneer in gaining public recognition and respect for newscasting."
Mary Wood, retired, longtime Cincinnati Post TV critic, recalled a humorous incident at WLW's Arlington Street studios in the 1940s involving Mr. Grant.
The engineers tried to rattle him one night by doing an all-out striptease in the control room in front of him as he delivered the news, said Wood.
"Powell Crosley, Jr., who owned the station, decided the same night to take dinner guests through the studio," recalled Wood, a staffer at the station at the time. The engineers failed to unnerve Mr. Grant, and Crosley fired the whole bunch (of engineers)," Wood said.
Recalling her years with Mr. Grant on the "50-50 Club," singer Marion Spelman called him "one of Ruth's sidekicks, a wonderfully war, intelligent and funny man, a marvelous human being whom I always adored."
Bill Myers, a co-worker of Mr. Grant starting in 1952, said, "He brought a dignity to his work that will never be matched."
Bill Nimmo, who went on to work at the network level in New York and Los Angeles, was Mr. Grant's announcer on the radio news his first year in broadcasting.
"I learned more about announcing from Peter Grant than any 10 people," he said. "He was something else --- one of the world's great announcers."
A close friend of Mr. Grant's since he moved to Cincinnati in 1947, Len Gorrian said, "You never heard a bad work about him in show business, that's tough to do."
Mr. Grant never married, and in 1957, he said, "I guess I am a loner without any great need for society. I am very content." He insisted on his privacy, refusing to involve himself in community activities after his retirement.
Mr. Grant was born MELVIN MEREDITH MAGINN, in St. Louis. He graduated college as a lawyer during the Depression, but turned to radio as a livelihood.
During his early years in Cincinnati, he shared a boardinghouse room with Eddie Albert, fellow WLW staffer, who went on to a successful film and television career.
During World War II, Mr. Grant served as a general's aide in the Army.
In his will, Mr. Grant stipulated his body be donated to the University of Cincinnati Medical School. A memorial service is being planned.
Copied from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tuesday, December 11, 1990.
Peter Grant, Cincinnati's first television newscaster in 1948, was found dead Monday morning in his Silverton home. He would have celebrated his 84th birthday Thursday.
Concerned friends alerted police who found his body. Silverton Police Chief Bill Eggers said there were indications in his home he had not been well.
A friend, Helen Andrews, of Indian Hill, said Mr. Grant was not feeling well when she saw him Sunday. She said she missed him walking neighborhood dogs Monday morning on her property.
Mr. Grant came to Cincinnati's WLW Radio in 1932 from KMOX-AM, St. Louis, his hometown. He was a radio announcer and newsman on WLW and moved to WLWT (Channel 5) news in 1948. He retired in 1968.
Among his non-news broadcasting activities was as a regular on Ruth Lyons "50-50 Club" on Channel 5 and as a longtime announcer on WLW Radio's "Moon River" music program.
Tom Atkins, who co-anchored Channel 5 news during 1966-67 with Mr. Grant before succeeding him, said he was "strong about the traditional values of journalism, a dynamite guy, a delight to be around."
Al Schottelkotte, a competitor of Mr. Grant's at WCPO-TV (Channel 9), beginning in 1959, called him "a class individual in all his activities...a pioneer in gaining public recognition and respect for newscasting."
Mary Wood, retired, longtime Cincinnati Post TV critic, recalled a humorous incident at WLW's Arlington Street studios in the 1940s involving Mr. Grant.
The engineers tried to rattle him one night by doing an all-out striptease in the control room in front of him as he delivered the news, said Wood.
"Powell Crosley, Jr., who owned the station, decided the same night to take dinner guests through the studio," recalled Wood, a staffer at the station at the time. The engineers failed to unnerve Mr. Grant, and Crosley fired the whole bunch (of engineers)," Wood said.
Recalling her years with Mr. Grant on the "50-50 Club," singer Marion Spelman called him "one of Ruth's sidekicks, a wonderfully war, intelligent and funny man, a marvelous human being whom I always adored."
Bill Myers, a co-worker of Mr. Grant starting in 1952, said, "He brought a dignity to his work that will never be matched."
Bill Nimmo, who went on to work at the network level in New York and Los Angeles, was Mr. Grant's announcer on the radio news his first year in broadcasting.
"I learned more about announcing from Peter Grant than any 10 people," he said. "He was something else --- one of the world's great announcers."
A close friend of Mr. Grant's since he moved to Cincinnati in 1947, Len Gorrian said, "You never heard a bad work about him in show business, that's tough to do."
Mr. Grant never married, and in 1957, he said, "I guess I am a loner without any great need for society. I am very content." He insisted on his privacy, refusing to involve himself in community activities after his retirement.
Mr. Grant was born MELVIN MEREDITH MAGINN, in St. Louis. He graduated college as a lawyer during the Depression, but turned to radio as a livelihood.
During his early years in Cincinnati, he shared a boardinghouse room with Eddie Albert, fellow WLW staffer, who went on to a successful film and television career.
During World War II, Mr. Grant served as a general's aide in the Army.
In his will, Mr. Grant stipulated his body be donated to the University of Cincinnati Medical School. A memorial service is being planned.
Copied from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tuesday, December 11, 1990.
Concerned friends alerted police who found his body. Silverton Police Chief Bill Eggers said there were indications in his home he had not been well.
A friend, Helen Andrews, of Indian Hill, said Mr. Grant was not feeling well when she saw him Sunday. She said she missed him walking neighborhood dogs Monday morning on her property.
Mr. Grant came to Cincinnati's WLW Radio in 1932 from KMOX-AM, St. Louis, his hometown. He was a radio announcer and newsman on WLW and moved to WLWT (Channel 5) news in 1948. He retired in 1968.
Among his non-news broadcasting activities was as a regular on Ruth Lyons "50-50 Club" on Channel 5 and as a longtime announcer on WLW Radio's "Moon River" music program.
Tom Atkins, who co-anchored Channel 5 news during 1966-67 with Mr. Grant before succeeding him, said he was "strong about the traditional values of journalism, a dynamite guy, a delight to be around."
Al Schottelkotte, a competitor of Mr. Grant's at WCPO-TV (Channel 9), beginning in 1959, called him "a class individual in all his activities...a pioneer in gaining public recognition and respect for newscasting."
Mary Wood, retired, longtime Cincinnati Post TV critic, recalled a humorous incident at WLW's Arlington Street studios in the 1940s involving Mr. Grant.
The engineers tried to rattle him one night by doing an all-out striptease in the control room in front of him as he delivered the news, said Wood.
"Powell Crosley, Jr., who owned the station, decided the same night to take dinner guests through the studio," recalled Wood, a staffer at the station at the time. The engineers failed to unnerve Mr. Grant, and Crosley fired the whole bunch (of engineers)," Wood said.
Recalling her years with Mr. Grant on the "50-50 Club," singer Marion Spelman called him "one of Ruth's sidekicks, a wonderfully war, intelligent and funny man, a marvelous human being whom I always adored."
Bill Myers, a co-worker of Mr. Grant starting in 1952, said, "He brought a dignity to his work that will never be matched."
Bill Nimmo, who went on to work at the network level in New York and Los Angeles, was Mr. Grant's announcer on the radio news his first year in broadcasting.
"I learned more about announcing from Peter Grant than any 10 people," he said. "He was something else --- one of the world's great announcers."
A close friend of Mr. Grant's since he moved to Cincinnati in 1947, Len Gorrian said, "You never heard a bad work about him in show business, that's tough to do."
Mr. Grant never married, and in 1957, he said, "I guess I am a loner without any great need for society. I am very content." He insisted on his privacy, refusing to involve himself in community activities after his retirement.
Mr. Grant was born MELVIN MEREDITH MAGINN, in St. Louis. He graduated college as a lawyer during the Depression, but turned to radio as a livelihood.
During his early years in Cincinnati, he shared a boardinghouse room with Eddie Albert, fellow WLW staffer, who went on to a successful film and television career.
During World War II, Mr. Grant served as a general's aide in the Army.
In his will, Mr. Grant stipulated his body be donated to the University of Cincinnati Medical School. A memorial service is being planned.
Copied from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tuesday, December 11, 1990.
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