Remembering Chris Glenn

By: Greg Kandra
Topics: Field Notes

(CBS)

When I first moved to New York, I toiled as a writer in CBS News Radio. In those days, the place was a forest of redwoods, with towering giants like Douglas Edwards, Reid Collins, Charles Osgood, and Christopher Glenn. A short time ago, we got word that one of those giants has fallen. Christopher Glenn passed away at the too-young age of 68.

One of my earliest memories of news is the voice of Christopher Glenn, summarizing the week's events on the Saturday morning TV show In the News. He was the voice of space launches, and hourly news reports, and The World Tonight, and The World News Roundup. He had a voice that mingled cognac and cigarette smoke -- he was an inveterate, ceaseless smoker -- and both Chris and that famous voice seemed ageless. More than that voice, he had a gift for words, and a way of weaving a story that made it real and immediate. He ventured into television a few times, but he always returned to radio. It was where he belonged, in the "theater of the mind."

I was there when Douglas Edwards retired, and passed the baton to Chris Glenn, who took over The World Tonight from him in the late '80s. And I was there earlier this year when Chris himself retired. You had the sense then that an era was ending. It was. And it has.

So many of the redwoods are gone.

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by ladywriter1 October 18, 2006 2:33 PM EDT: He was wonderful. He never talked down to kids in those Saturday morning broadcasts.

I can still hear that magnificent voice as he signed off, saying his name.

Prayers to his loved ones, who will miss him most of all. I will never forget him.; Reply to this comment


by ladywriter1 October 18, 2006 2:32 PM EDT: I loved his voice. I remember watching "In the News" every Saturday morning, long after my little kid days were over. What I loved most was that he never talked 'down' to kids; he was as serious delivering news to us as if he were reading the nightly news.

I can still hear him saying his name. I will never forget.

Prayers for his loved ones, at the loss of someone so wonderful.; Reply to this comment


by jcorbin1958 October 18, 2006 10:54 AM EDT: I enjoyed listenig to him!; Reply to this comment


by tomhorsman October 18, 2006 6:17 AM EDT: Redwood may refer to past known males. A Georgia Pine may refer to past known females, because they have shaped many a generation.; Reply to this comment


by brent-of-ca October 18, 2006 1:26 AM EDT: Greg, I see that you were the author of the phrase "Cognac and cigarette smoke". My apologies for misattribution.

It is still a great phrase.; Reply to this comment


by brent-of-ca October 18, 2006 1:13 AM EDT: I too remember Christopher Glenn from the very first "In the News" in 1971. I was 11 years old at the time. He was always my favorite radio news voice as well. In an era of increasing hypersensitvity to political bias in news presentation, it was impossible to guess Chris Glenn's political affiliation - he wrote and played it straight for the news.

As a voice teacher, I would often recommend him to students for listening to as an excellent example of inflection and sonority. Katie's "Cognac and cigarette smoke" metaphor hit it right on the head.

I frankly confess that I cried when I saw the news tonight. Please add my condolences to the millions of others from those that will surely miss Christopher Glenn.; Reply to this comment