Editing Chet Huntley

{{short description|American television newscaster (1911–1974)}}
{{Infobox person
|name        = Chet Huntley
|image       = Chet Huntley 1968.JPG
|caption     = Huntley in 1968

|birth_date  = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1911|12|10}}
|birth_place = [[Cardwell, Montana]], U.S.
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|1974|03|20|1911|12|10}}
|death_place = [[Big Sky, Montana]], U.S.
|years_active = 1934–1970
|occupation  = News anchor
|spouse      = {{plainlist|
* {{Marriage|Ingrid Rolin|1936|1959|end=divorced}}
* {{Marriage|Tippy Stringer|1959}}
}}
|children    = 2
|alma_mater  = [[University of Washington]]
}}

'''Chester Robert Huntley''' (December 10, 1911 &ndash; March 20, 1974) was an American [[television]] newscaster, best known for co-anchoring [[NBC|NBC's]] evening news program, ''[[The Huntley–Brinkley Report]],'' for 14 years beginning in 1956.

==Early life==
Huntley was born in [[Cardwell, Montana|Cardwell]], [[Montana]],<ref name="papers">{{cite web |title=Chet Huntley Papers, circa 1912-2017 |url=https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv21549 |publisher=Orbis Cascade Alliance |access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref> the only son and eldest of four children born to Percy Adams Huntley and Blanche Wadine ([[née]] Tatham) Huntley. The family was of [[Scottish people|Scottish]] descent.<ref>{{ cite book | title = The Mark of the Scots: Their Astonishing Contributions to History, Science, Democracy, Literature and the Arts | author = Duncan A. Bruce | date = 1996 | publisher = Citadel | id = B010JYVVGI}}</ref> His father was a [[Telegraphist|telegraph operator]] for the [[Northern Pacific Railway]], and young Chet was born in the Cardwell depot living quarters. Owing to the railroad's seniority system, wherein employees with longer tenure could "bump" newer employees, the family moved often. They lived in Cardwell, [[Saco, Montana|Saco]], [[Willow Creek, Montana|Willow Creek]], [[Logan, Montana|Logan]], [[Big Timber, Montana|Big Timber]], [[Norris, Montana|Norris]], [[Whitehall, Montana|Whitehall]], and [[Three Forks, Montana|Three Forks]] while he was a child.<ref name=OyanK-GFT-1999-12-19>Oyan, Katie (December 19, 1999). - "Chester R. 'Chet' Huntley". - ''[[Great Falls Tribune]]''.</ref><ref name=huntley2>{{cite web|title=125 Montana Newsmakers: Chester R. "Chet" Huntley|url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers3/huntley.html|work=Great Falls Tribune|author=Tribune Staff|access-date=August 26, 2011|archive-date=March 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309205500/http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers3/huntley.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He graduated from Whitehall High School in [[Whitehall, Montana|Whitehall]],<ref name=OyanK-GFT-1999-12-19 /> and attended [[Montana State University - Bozeman|Montana State College]] in [[Bozeman, Montana|Bozeman]], where he was a member of [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]] [[fraternity]]. He attended [[Cornish College of the Arts]] in [[Seattle]] before graduating from the [[University of Washington]] in 1934, with a degree in speech and drama.<ref name="nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu">{{cite web|url=http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv21549|title=Archives West: Chet Huntley Papers, 1920-1977}}</ref>

==Career==
Huntley began his radio newscast career in 1934 at [[Seattle]]'s [[KIRO (AM)|KIRO AM]], later working on radio stations in [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]] (KHQ) and [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]]. His time (1936–37) in Portland was with KGW-AM, owned by ''The Oregonian'', a Portland daily newspaper. At KGW he was writer, newscaster, and announcer. In 1937 he went to work for KFI in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], moving to [[CBS Radio]] from 1939 to 1951, then [[Citadel Media|ABC Radio]] from 1951 to 1955.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/H/htmlH/huntleychet/huntleychet.htm|title=The Museum of Broadcast Communications|publisher=Encyclopedia of Television|access-date=2008-04-28|archive-date=2009-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009194441/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/H/htmlH/huntleychet/huntleychet.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1955, he joined the [[NBC Radio]] network, viewed by network executives as "another [[Edward R. Murrow|Ed Murrow]]".

In 1956, coverage of the [[United States presidential nominating convention|national political party convention]]s was a major point of pride for the fledgling broadcast news organizations. [[NBC News]] executives were seeking to counter the growing popularity of [[CBS]]' [[Walter Cronkite]], who had been a ratings success at the 1952 conventions. They decided to replace their current news anchor, [[John Cameron Swayze]], but there was a disagreement on who the new anchorman should be. The two leading contenders were Huntley and [[David Brinkley]]. The eventual decision was to have both men share the assignment. Their on-air chemistry was apparent from the start, with Huntley's straightforward presentation countered by Brinkley's acerbic wit.

This success soon led to the team replacing Swayze on the network's nightly news program. It was decided to have the two men co-anchor the show; Huntley from [[New York City]], Brinkley from [[Washington, D.C.]] ''The [[Huntley-Brinkley Report]]'' began in October 1956 and was soon a ratings success. Huntley and Brinkley's catchphrase closing of "Good night, Chet"—"Good night, David... and good night for NBC News" was developed by the show's producer, [[Reuven Frank]]. Although both anchors initially disliked it, the sign-off became famous. Huntley and Brinkley gained great celebrity themselves, with surveys showing them better known than [[John Wayne]], [[Cary Grant]], [[James Stewart|Jimmy Stewart]] or [[the Beatles]]. The gregarious Huntley remained the same, a friend commenting in 1968 that "Chet is warm, he's friendly, he's unaffected, he's—well, he's just so damned nice."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=An Accident of Casting |magazine=The New Yorker |date=August 3, 1968 |pages=34–35}}</ref>

In April 1956, before that year's political conventions that brought him to prominence, Huntley began anchoring a new half-hour program entitled ''Outlook'', produced by Reuven Frank. The program aired for seven years, later changing its name to Chet Huntley Reporting. It often covered racial segregation and civil rights.  In January 1962, the program moved from the Sunday evening news time slot to prime time.<ref>{{cite book |last=Frank |first=Reuven|title=Out of Thin Air |url=https://archive.org/details/outofthinairinsi00fran_43 |url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=1991 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/outofthinairinsi00fran_43/page/91 91–95]|isbn=9780671677589 }}</ref>

Huntley wrote a memoir of his Montana childhood, ''The Generous Years: Remembrances of a Frontier Boyhood'', published by [[Random House]] in 1968.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://worldcat.org/wcpa/ow/654ce8abd6d0b976.html |title=[WorldCat.org] |access-date=2008-04-28 |archive-date=2016-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105094408/http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/ow/654ce8abd6d0b976.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also became involved in a New York advertising agency, Levine, Huntley, Schmidt, Plapler & Beaver, gaining a 10 percent share in the agency in exchange for having his name on the letterhead and attending some agency meetings.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rothenberg|first=Randall |title=Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign |location=New York |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1994|page=68}}</ref> He maintained his own cattle farm in [[Stockton, New Jersey]], which for a short time in 1964 included a beef line from the farm's cattle promoted under his name before the network intervened due to [[conflict of interest]] and promotional concerns.<ref>[[Jack Gould|Gould, Jack]]. [https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/31/huntley-ends-use-of-name-on-meat.html "HUNTLEY ENDS USE OF NAME ON MEAT"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 31, 1964. Accessed June 5, 2015. "Mr. Huntley, concurring in the N.B.C. announcement, said that cattle fed at his farm in Stockton, N.J., would be sold in the open market and would not carry his name for promotion purposes."</ref>

Huntley's last NBC News broadcast was aired on Friday, July 31, 1970.<ref name=hldhbs>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qjJWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6642%2C6520779 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Huntley's last day, busy, hectic, sad |date=July 30, 1970 |page=5A}}</ref> He returned to Montana, where he conceived and built [[Big Sky Resort|Big Sky]],<ref name=bigsk>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iKdYAAAAIBAJ&pg=3453%2C417280 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=(advertisement) |title=Big Sky |date=October 2, 1973 |page=21}}</ref> a ski resort south of [[Bozeman, Montana|Bozeman]], which opened in December 1973.

==Marriage==
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2019}}
Huntley's first marriage, to Ingrid Rolin, produced two daughters and ended in divorce in 1959. Later that year, Huntley, at age 48, married the former Tipton "Tippy" Stringer (1930–2010).

== Death ==
Huntley died of [[lung cancer]] on March 20, 1974, at his home in [[Big Sky, Montana|Big Sky]] at the age of 62, three days before the opening ceremonies for Big Sky.<ref name="nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu"/> Huntley was honored with a cenotaph at [[Soldiers Chapel]] on the grounds of the Big Sky Resort.<ref name=lone>{{cite web|last=Keller |first=Jolene |title=Soldiers Chapel: a place of remembrance |url=http://www.lonepeaklookout.com/news/article_52bba0c4-e768-5d66-a2fb-86ffa760f121.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104105305/http://www.lonepeaklookout.com/news/article_52bba0c4-e768-5d66-a2fb-86ffa760f121.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2013 |access-date=June 25, 2011 |publisher=Lone Peak Lookout |date=May 25, 2010 }}</ref> [[Boyne USA|Boyne USA Resorts]] purchased the [[Big Sky Resort]] in 1976 and has owned and managed it since. Huntley was buried at Sunset Hills Cemetery in [[Bozeman, Montana]], 50 miles east of his hometown of [[Cardwell, Montana]].

==Accolades==
In 1956 Huntley received the [[Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award|Alfred I. duPont Award]].<ref>[http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/page/412-past-dupont-award-winners/594 All duPont–Columbia Award Winners] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814182043/http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/page/412-past-dupont-award-winners/594 |date=August 14, 2012 }}, [[Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism|Columbia Journalism School]]. Retrieved August 6, 2013.</ref>

In 1988, Huntley was posthumously inducted into the [[Television Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/hall-of-fame-honorees|title=Television Hall of Fame Honorees: Complete List}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Only days before his retirement, Huntley gave an interview with [[Dick Cavett]], available on the [[DVD]] ''The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons'', Disc 2. On that broadcast, he described his political views as conservative on economic issues, but liberal on social issues. However, he stated to Cavett and the other guests that he took pains to ensure that his personal views did not adversely affect his reporting during his years as a journalist.

In 2003, a biography titled ''Good Night Chet,'' by Lyle Johnston, was published by McFarland Publishers.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|0403142}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055426/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/huntleychet.htm Museum.tv] - Chet Huntley
* {{YouTube|HTU5lPzKvjI|Clip of ''Huntley-Brinkley Report,'' August 1, 1966}}
* {{YouTube|uYf3eyRjfYA|Clip of Huntley's farewell at the end of the ''Huntley-Brinkley Report'' on July 31, 1970}}
* {{Find a Grave|528|Chester "Chet" Huntley}}
* [http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv21549 Chet Huntley Papers] (University of Montana Archives)

{{S-start}}
{{s-media}}
{{succession box |
 before=[[John Cameron Swayze]]'''<br/>(as [[Camel News Caravan]])'''|
 title=[[NBC evening news anchors]] (as [[The Huntley-Brinkley Report]])|
 years=<small>October 29, 1956 - July 31, 1970 (with [[David Brinkley]])</small>|
 after=[[John Chancellor]], [[Frank McGee (journalism)|Frank McGee]], and [[David Brinkley]]'''<br/>(only Chancellor from 1971–1976 and 1979–1982)'''|
}}
{{S-end}}
{{1988 Television Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huntley, Chet}}
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American television news anchors]]
[[Category:1911 births]]
[[Category:1974 deaths]]
[[Category:NBC News people]]
[[Category:Peabody Award winners]]
[[Category:Journalists from Montana]]
[[Category:University of Washington School of Drama alumni]]
[[Category:Cornish College of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Montana State University alumni]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Montana]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:People from Jefferson County, Montana]]
[[Category:People from Stockton, New Jersey]]
[[Category:20th-century American journalists]]
[[Category:American male journalists]]
[[Category:Sigma Alpha Epsilon members]]