One Of WJZ's First Anchormen Royal Parker Has Passed Away

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Royal Parker, one of WJZ's first anchormen, passed away on Jan. 8.

Born Royal Pollokoff, he started working television in the early 1940s, then came to WAAM-TV (which later became WJZ-TV) in 1951, before he went to another area television station.

In his four decade-long career, Parker was a newscaster, announcer and even did a children's TV character. He covered when Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president in 1952 along with other pivotal news stories.

He retired in 1994 from broadcasting and ran for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates, but lost in the primary.

Parker lived in Pikesville and Roland Park.

The 86-year-old leaves behind two of his three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.