Nick Clooney

Newscaster / Host
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour Archive interview, Nick Clooney talks about his youth in Kentucky and growing up with his soon-to-be famous sisters, Betty and Rosemary Clooney. He describes his work in radio, his service in the Armed Forces Radio Network in the 1950s, and his eventual move to local television at WLWC-TV in Cincinnati during the tumultuous times of the 1960s. He speaks about his local shows, including The Nick Clooney Show, and talks of hosting the national game show Moneymaze. He also discusses returning to Cincinnati to become the news anchor at WKRC-TV. Clooney concludes the interview by speaking about his work as the host of the AMC cable movie network, mentioning his column for "The Cincinnati Post," and commenting on his then-current duties for the TRIO network. B-roll consists of photos from both his local and national television work. Henry Colman conducted the interview on June 18, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.

"I felt that if I had any clout, I should use it for good, for what I consider to be good. That's what I operated under. There are certain things that we all understand. It's like my Grandpa Clooney said, 'you always challenge those who have more power than you, and you always help those who have less.' That's a tenet of life, and I think it's an important one."

Interviewee(s)
Nick Clooney
Highlights
Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille
Nick Clooney on his then seven-year-old son George Clooney's response to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination
Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)
Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show
Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his early years and influences; on singing with his sisters; on wanting to be on the radio
On how his family was affected by World War II; on watching his sister Rosemary perform on live network television; on working for Columbia Records
On a poignant conversation with President of ABC News, James Hagerty; on how TV affected the movie business
On his first job in broadcasting at WFTM radio; on working for NBC affiliate WDEL in Wilmington, Delaware

Chapter 2
On his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille; on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War; on getting bit parts in movies
On returning to radio at WLAP in Lexington, Kentucky after his military service; on working at WKYT television in Lexington and television's effect on radio in the 1950s
On his duties as host, anchorman, program director, and promotions director at WKYT; on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show; on working for WLW radio in Cincinnati, Ohio

Chapter 3
On his work at WLW radio and WLWT television in Cincinnati; on hosting his own talk show (The Nick Clooney Show) and getting a show on WKRC
On his daytime talk show competition; on contract disputes; on appearing on The Mike Douglas Show
On production and audiences of his local television shows; on hosting the game show The Moneymaze

Chapter 4
On memorable moments on The MoneyMaze; on anchoring television news for WKRT Cincinnati; on becoming news co-anchor for KNBC Los Angeles and standing his ground in ethical disputes with management
On how news reporting has changed over the years; on hosting On Trial and anchoring news in Salt Lake City and Buffalo

Chapter 5
On getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC); on interviewing film stars for AMC and his typical work schedule; on being a columnist for The Cincinnati Post
On leaving AMC in 1999; on his morning radio show at WSAI Cincinnati and his work for Good Life Television; on writing a book about movies
On how the internet and cable have affected the newspaper business; on celebrating fifty years in show business; on recent projects
On his proudest career achievement; on how television has changed over the years and how he'd like to be remembered
B-roll photos from his career: with his sisters, on the set of The Nick Clooney Show, hosting a teen dance show, and reporting the news
Shows

ABC News Nightline

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Nick Clooney on Ted Koppel asking him to fill in as anchor of ABC News Nightline

Donahue

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Nick Clooney on his daytime talk show competition while he hosted The Nick Clooney Show

Fail Safe

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Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney

Mike Douglas Show, The

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Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show and how it helped his local show

Moneymaze, The

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Nick Clooney on hosting the game show The Moneymaze
Nick Clooney on memorable moments on The MoneyMaze

WKRP in Cincinnati

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Nick Clooney on enjoying WKRP in Cincinnati while he was at WKRC Cincinnati
Topics

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Nick Clooney on his early mentors

Diversity in Television

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

Gerald Ford

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Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

Korean War

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Nick Clooney on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War

Memorable Moments on Television

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Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show

Minorities

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

Pop Culture

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

Rock 'n' Roll on TV (1950s & '60s)

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

Television Industry

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Nick Clooney on how TV affected the movie business
Nick Clooney on television's effect on radio in the 1950s
Nick Clooney on how television has changed since he first started in the business

Television and the Presidency

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Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

War

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Nick Clooney on how his family was affected by World War II
Nick Clooney on serving in the Armed Forces Radio Network during the Korean War

World War II

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Nick Clooney on how his family was affected by World War II
Professions

Anchor

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Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years
Nick Clooney on his style of news reporting

Announcer

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Nick Clooney on problems he encountered in broadcasting because of his young looks and mature voice

Hosts

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Nick Clooney on problems he encountered in broadcasting because of his young looks and mature voice
Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)
Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

Interviewer

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Nick Clooney on getting the offer to work for American Movie Classics (AMC)

Journalists & News Producers

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Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years
Nick Clooney on his style of news reporting
Nick Clooney on action reporting in the news and the then-current style of news
Genres

Game Shows

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Nick Clooney on hosting the game show The Moneymaze

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and integrating the show

News and Documentary

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Nick Clooney on anchoring local television news for WKRT Cincinnati
Nick Clooney on memorable stories he covered while anchoring local television news for WKRT Cincinnati
Nick Clooney on becoming news co-anchor for KNBC Los Angeles
Nick Clooney on how news reporting has changed over the years
Nick Clooney on action reporting in the news and the then-current style of news

Talk Shows

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Nick Clooney on production and audiences of his local television talk shows
People

Amanda Blake

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Nick Clooney on his screen test with Amanda Blake for Cecil B. DeMille

Dick Clark

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Nick Clooney on hosting a teen dance show (The Nick Clooney School Salute) in Lexington, Kentucky and filling in for Dick Clark on American Bandstand

Rosemary Clooney

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Nick Clooney on singing with his sisters, Rosemary and Betty Clooney, when they were children
Nick Clooney on his sisters, Rosemary and Betty Clooney, singing on WLW and witnessing early live television
Nick Clooney on watching his sister Rosemary perform on live network television
Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille and rehearsing with his sister Rosemary
Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary visiting him when he served in the Armed Forces Radio Network
Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary being there in person when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated
Nick Clooney on appearing with sisters Rosemary and Betty on The Mike Douglas Show
Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary appearing on his AMC show
Nick Clooney on a picture of him and his sisters Rosemary and Betty Clooney
Nick Clooney on a picture of him and his sisters Rosemary and Betty Clooney on the first day of his variety show
Nick Clooney on a picture of him with his son George and sister Rosemary

George Clooney

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Nick Clooney on his then seven-year-old son George Clooney's response to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination
Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney
Nick Clooney on a picture of him with his son George and sister Rosemary

Walter Cronkite

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Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Walter Cronkite at the presentation of Fail Safe, produced by George Clooney

Cecil B. DeMille

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Nick Clooney on his screen test for Cecil B. DeMille

Phil Donahue

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Nick Clooney on starting to host a variety/talk show at the same time Phil Donahue began his talk show
Nick Clooney on his daytime talk show competition while he hosted The Nick Clooney Show

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Nick Clooney on representing WDEL at a Dwight D. Eisenhower press conference

Gerald Ford

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Nick Clooney on interviewing Gerald Ford in the White House

Anne Francis

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Nick Clooney on following Anne Francis around when she was doing commercials

Robert F. Kennedy

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Nick Clooney on his sister Rosemary being there in person when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated

Henry Kissinger

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Nick Clooney on a picture of him with Henry Kissinger while anchoring news

Ted Koppel

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Nick Clooney on Ted Koppel asking him to fill in as anchor of ABC News Nightline

Thomas Mitchell

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Nick Clooney on acting in a film with character actor Thomas Mitchell

Regis Philbin

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Nick Clooney on Regis Philbin's appearance on The Nick Clooney Show

William Shatner

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Nick Clooney on a picture of him with a young William Shatner

Jerry Springer

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Nick Clooney on Jerry Springer's talk show airing opposite his show

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