Dave McElhatton
Encyclopedia
Dave McElhatton was a former evening news anchor for several decades in San Francisco, California
, in the United States. He was in the first class of inductees to the Bay Area
Hall of Fame. He retired in 2000.
McElhatton was sometimes called "Mac"
).
He received a B.A. in liberal arts from that institution in 1951.
Radio in San Francisco for 25 years, starting two
weeks after college graduation.
Early in his career, he hosted an all-night radio show, "Music 'Til Dawn".
In the early 60s, he was the host of "McElhatton In The Morning", a blend of news and comedy, with his side-kick 'Friendly Clyde' (Homer Welch).
He later did a radio program "Viewpoint", which was the area's first telephone talk show.
McElhatton later became news director of KCBS radio, where he helped change the format
of the station to an all-news format.
Channel 2.
McElhatton became a news anchor for KPIX-TV
Channel 5, the first television station in San Francisco starting in 1977 upon leaving KCBS radio. The hiring of McElhatton, a radio broadcaster, was noted by some to be a bold stroke. He remained as a news achor with KPIX until his retirement in 2000. He was noted, along with that of CBS newsman Walter Cronkite
, to be among two good reporters during a forum by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
.
At his peak, his salary as a newscaster was reportedly approximately $750,000 per
year. For a decade from the late 1970s to late 1980s, his co-anchor was Wendy Tokuda, whom he still maintained personal contact with. Tokuda left KPIX for KNBC
in Los Angeles
in 1992. Tokuda rejoined the station in 2007. During his career in television, the news
program that he anchored was frequently the top rated news broadcast in terms of audience size.
He had several film credits, including Cardiac Arrest (1980) and Thief of Hearts (1984). In Alfred Hitchcock
's Vertigo
(1958), Hitchcock filmed a never-used 1-minute scene showing Midge Wood (Barbara Bel Geddes
) and Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart
) listening to a radio report that the murderer had been arrested in Europe – the unseen radio announcer in this scene (included as an extra on the DVD release of Vertigo) was McElhatton.
In 2006, the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame was created. McElhatton was among the inaugural
inductees.
McElhatton was a guest lecturer at San Francisco State University in the Broadcast and Electronic Communications Department until the mid-1980s.
area. In late 2004, he suffered a mild stroke
but reportedly was recuperating and doing fine in 2005.
His second wife, Bonnie Chastain, died in 1988. McElhatton's son Terry, former news director at KNTV in San Jose, died in June 2008. McElhatton died Monday, August 23, 2010 of a stroke-related illness in Rancho Mirage.
McElhatton is survived by his third wife, Karen, as well as two children and eight grandchildren. He was 81.
Chapter, 1988 for distinguished career.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, in the United States. He was in the first class of inductees to the Bay Area
Hall of Fame. He retired in 2000.
McElhatton was sometimes called "Mac"
Early life
An Oakland native, McElhatton attended San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
).
He received a B.A. in liberal arts from that institution in 1951.
Radio career
McElhatton worked for KCBSKCBS (AM)
KCBS is an all-news radio station in San Francisco, California, that is a key West Coast flagship radio station of the CBS Radio Network and Westwood One. Its transmitter is located in Novato, California. KCBS currently has studios on Battery Street, where it shares the location with co-owned KPIX...
Radio in San Francisco for 25 years, starting two
weeks after college graduation.
Early in his career, he hosted an all-night radio show, "Music 'Til Dawn".
In the early 60s, he was the host of "McElhatton In The Morning", a blend of news and comedy, with his side-kick 'Friendly Clyde' (Homer Welch).
He later did a radio program "Viewpoint", which was the area's first telephone talk show.
McElhatton later became news director of KCBS radio, where he helped change the format
of the station to an all-news format.
Television news career
While doing radio at KCBS, McElhatton (along with Friendly Clyde) hosted TV Bingo, a daytime show on KTVUKTVU
KTVU, virtual channel 2 , is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Licensed to Oakland, California, the station has been owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises since 1964, making it the largest Fox affiliate by market size that is not owned and operated by the...
Channel 2.
McElhatton became a news anchor for KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV is the CBS owned and operated television station in San Francisco, California. Through its parent company CBS Corporation, KPIX is co-owned with The CW affiliate KBCW-TV ....
Channel 5, the first television station in San Francisco starting in 1977 upon leaving KCBS radio. The hiring of McElhatton, a radio broadcaster, was noted by some to be a bold stroke. He remained as a news achor with KPIX until his retirement in 2000. He was noted, along with that of CBS newsman Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
, to be among two good reporters during a forum by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
.
At his peak, his salary as a newscaster was reportedly approximately $750,000 per
year. For a decade from the late 1970s to late 1980s, his co-anchor was Wendy Tokuda, whom he still maintained personal contact with. Tokuda left KPIX for KNBC
KNBC
KNBC, channel 4, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KNBC's studios and offices are located within the NBC Studios complex in Burbank, California, and its transmitter is located on Mount Wilson...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1992. Tokuda rejoined the station in 2007. During his career in television, the news
program that he anchored was frequently the top rated news broadcast in terms of audience size.
He had several film credits, including Cardiac Arrest (1980) and Thief of Hearts (1984). In Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's Vertigo
Vertigo (film)
Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
(1958), Hitchcock filmed a never-used 1-minute scene showing Midge Wood (Barbara Bel Geddes
Barbara Bel Geddes
Barbara Bel Geddes was an American actress, artist and children's author. She is best known for her role in the television drama series Dallas as matriarch Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Ewing. Bel Geddes also starred in the original Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the role of Maggie...
) and Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
) listening to a radio report that the murderer had been arrested in Europe – the unseen radio announcer in this scene (included as an extra on the DVD release of Vertigo) was McElhatton.
In 2006, the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame was created. McElhatton was among the inaugural
inductees.
McElhatton was a guest lecturer at San Francisco State University in the Broadcast and Electronic Communications Department until the mid-1980s.
Retirement
McElhatton lived with his third wife, Karen, in the Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
area. In late 2004, he suffered a mild stroke
but reportedly was recuperating and doing fine in 2005.
His second wife, Bonnie Chastain, died in 1988. McElhatton's son Terry, former news director at KNTV in San Jose, died in June 2008. McElhatton died Monday, August 23, 2010 of a stroke-related illness in Rancho Mirage.
McElhatton is survived by his third wife, Karen, as well as two children and eight grandchildren. He was 81.
Awards
- Excellence in Journalism Award, Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California
Chapter, 1988 for distinguished career.
- Alumni Hall of Fame (San Francisco State University), 1996
- Governor's Award, Northern California Emmy Presentation. 1999
- Associated Press Television-Radio Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003
External links
- 1988 News theme and clip http://www.80stvthemes.com/potpourri/local.html
- 2000 Photograph and last KPIX newscast of Dave McElhatton http://cbs5.com/local/Dave.McElhatton.KPIX.2.440250.html
- Dave McElhatton at IMDB