KCAL9
 

Remembering Jerry Dunphy

From: John Corcoran
Pesky Gadabout, Los Angeles & The World
Corkczar@Aol.Com
RE: Jerry Dunphy

It was my privilege to work with Jerry Dunphy twice in my career. In the
written obituaries and remembrances, people are noting that the character of
Ted Baxter was partly based on Dunphy, and he was most praised as a news
"reader." But the clichés don't go to the truth of the man. Jerry Dunphy
cared about news, and he cared about people. While changing the downward
direction of TV news is akin to bailing an ocean liner with a teacup, Dunphy
was never afraid to speak up when things were wrong, or unjust.

My favorite Dunphy story, observed firsthand, occurred just as KCAL9's new
three hour newscast was about the debut in Los Angeles in 1990. It was a make
or break night, the rehearsals over, the newsroom in full cry, ready for it's
opening night, when a staff meeting was called. It was an hour or two before
the first broadcast, but all on air people and producers were required to
report to a critical briefing on--proper anchor fashion.

Stories went unwritten, pieces uncut, time stood still while some clothing
expert, whose name is thankfully lost to history, stood before a large,
benumbed audience explaining how ties should pick up the weave of the sport
coat, autumn colors conveyed warmth and trust, reds denoted power, and so on.

Dunphy, Lord love him, had a sense of style that could best be described as
uniquely his. Bright colors, checks battling plaids, boldly striped, French
cuffed hand-made shirts weaved from the finest materials. There was one
yellow shirt Jerry favored that shouted "Taxi" more than "Anchorman."  But
for Jerry? Well, it just worked.

The meeting droned on, deadlines loomed, and now the fashion expert was
talking of the critical need for co-anchors to coordinate not only their own
outfits, but with their fellow anchors. One frustrated audience member rose
from his somnambulant state to fire a question at the fashionista.

"How is an anchor supposed to know what his co-anchor is wearing until he
sees her at work and it's too late?"

The answer, according to the expert, was simple. "Call your co-anchor each
morning and see what she is going to wear, then plan your own wardrobe
accordingly."

At this point a hand went up and the fashion expert called on a man standing
in the back of the room.

"My name is Jerry Dunphy," a familiar voice boomed.  "And I've been anchoring
in Los Angeles for more than twenty years. Not once have I ever called my
co-anchor to see what she is wearing, and I'm not about to start now. This
meeting is over. We have a newscast to put on."

I never saw Jerry after I left TV, and that is my loss. But despite his
advancing age, I never felt there was a rush to contact him again, thank him
for the support and friendship he gave me. Now, it does not seem possible
that neither I nor hundreds of thousands of other Los Angelenos will be able
to turn on the TV and see the bright white hair and the fine Irish
countenance, as the firm steady voice of that good man says "From the dessert
to the sea, for all of Southern California..."

**********

Jerry Dunphy died on Monday after suffering a heart attack on May 15.
He was 80.
 

web posted 5/25/02

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