OSGOOD AS IT GETS
Warm, calm, brilliant ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ host dies at 91
Charles Osgood, the venerable and esteemed host of “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than 20 years, died Tuesday. He was 91.
Osgood died from dementia at his home in New Jersey, his family told CBS News.
“Watching him at work was a masterclass in communicating,” said Jane Pauley, who took over for Osgood on “Sunday Morning” in 2016. “I’ll still think to myself, ‘How would Charlie say it?’, trying to capture the illusive warmth and intelligence of his voice and delivery. I expect I’ll go on trying.”
Osgood was beloved for his distinct style and calm demeanor on the weekly magazine show, which has been a CBS staple for more than three decades. He also helmed “The Osgood File,” a daily radio news commentary that ran from 1971 to 2017.
“To say there’s no one like Charles Osgood is an understatement,” said executive producer Rand Morrison. “He embodied the heart and soul of ‘Sunday Morning.’ His signature bow tie, his poetry … just his presence was special for the audience, and for those of us who worked with him.”
Born on Jan. 8, 1933, in the Bronx, Charles Osgood Wood III lived across the East Coast before returning to his birthplace to attend Fordham University.
Osgood received no formal training in journalism and graduated with an economics degree. But he spent many hours at Fordham in the campus radio station, WFUV, and learned through experience.
“There were times, of course, when we spent more time at the station than in classes, but we managed to graduate anyhow,” he told The New York Times in 1994.
Osgood got his start in radio as a DJ at WGMS in Washington, D.C. He joined the Army in 1955 as the Army Band’s announcer and toured with the group.
He eventually moved to ABC Radio in New York, then WCBS before joining the CBS Network and launching “The Osgood File.” News briefs on the show often featured Osgood’s pleasing poetry.
“One day in a particular story I incorporated a little rhyme just as a way of doing something different,” he said in 1994. “The report aired, and I immediately heard from a management type in the news division: ‘Very nice, Charlie, very clever. Don’t do it again.’ Needless to say, I did.”
In 1994, Osgood took over for Charles Kuralt at “Sunday Morning” and became the show’s defining host for a generation. As the program moved from major news to arts to essay sections, Osgood guided the audience through the relatively tranquil show. And he always included his signature signoff, “I’ll see you on the radio.”
“A lot of TV today, no matter where you turn, no matter where you tune in, it’s just wall-to-wall yammer,” he said in 1994. “Except on ‘Sunday Morning,’ and a lot of people on the broadcast are proud of that. I know I am.”
Beyond his work in TV and radio, Osgood was a talented musician. He was known for playing Christmas carols on the piano during holiday broadcasts, but he could also play the violin, banjo and organ.
Additionally, Osgood was a skilled composer and talented singer, and he performed with various professional orchestras, including the Boston Pops and New York Pops.
Osgood’s ability to mix serious news with a friendly tone on “Sunday Morning” endeared him to viewers across the country.
“It’s just that it’s been such a joy doing it!” Osgood said upon his retirement in 2016. “Who wouldn’t want to be the one who gets to introduce these terrific storytellers and the producers and writers and others who put this wonderful show together.”
During Osgood’s 22 years hosting “Sunday Morning,” the show won three Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Morning Program and earned its highest ratings. Osgood was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2017.
Osgood is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jean Crafton Osgood, and five children: Kathleen, Winston, Anne Elizabeth, Emily Jean and Jamie.
“Charlie absolutely loved being part of the ‘Sunday Morning’ community. We’ll miss him terribly, but there is comfort in knowing his life was charmed, in large part thanks to you,” the family said in a statement. “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for welcoming him into your homes on Sundays to share stories, and to highlight the better parts of humanity. He’ll see you on the radio.”