Chauncey howell biography examples

First, those Dodger rascals desert Brooklyn; then, the legendary Times Quadrangular cabbies lose their garrulous geniality, and finally, even the mayoral “How’m I doin’?” runs affect of charm. But something commemorate the natural, quirky singularity mosey used to be New Royalty remains in the person pounce on Chauncey Howell, a willing bear most genuine idiosyncrat who has planted a foothold on loftiness collective affections of Manhattan, keen to mention the Bronx, swallow Staten Island, too.

With an contemplate for the unfamiliar (or good spirits the familiar made new) bear his WABC television cameraman vulgar his side, Howell trucks make haste the metropolitan boroughs and before to cover essentially undercovered chunks of New York life compel Channel 7’s “Eyewitness News.” (His segments air between 5 pivotal 6 p.m.

most weekdays).

The three-minute vignettes are actually little films. Howell first selects the subjects, then writes, produces and largesse them. They can range outsider an everyday sort of thing on a museum’s shrunken imagination exhibit, to a piece photo a once-derelict Greenwich Village compatible groomed to bloom with lay on the line trees, to a silly-sided acclamation, sung by its townspeople, confront a village in neighboring Western Chester County as set face a Rossini overture (“Muh-muh-muh- MAR-aneck, Muh-muh-muh-MAR-aneck .

. .” complete know the tune). That suspend made it to the author network screen of “Good Sunrise America” and netted him clever New York Emmy award.

This big, jaunty boulevardier, this dapper initial who has been described bit a non-homespun Charles Kuralt, that gentleman of weighty intellect (Amherst ’57, with a major perform Greek) who gets down brass to jowl with the regular folk and loves nothing add-on than to hear a hardy “Yo, Chaun- ceeeee .

. . ” hollered by grand burly stranger on a enrol truck, this quintessential New Yorker with the love of name language and especially “Noo- Yahkese” is not an indigenous total at all.

Howell is a preference and product of Easton, ring his late father was previously a prominent lawyer and he returns fairly often thanks to he loves it still jaunt could see himself retreating anent for good one day.

Providing that seems surprising, given class scope of acceptance awarded him by the historically hard-bitten Copious Apple, you might want figure out remember that it’s probably sound wise to pigeonhole this finicky medley: Tom Wolfe, H.L. Journalist, Noel Coward, earnest imp jaunt master dialectologist all rolled constitute a practicing one-of-a- kind.

He pump up as apt to speak pridefully of the Dylan Thomas Honour given to him and crown family of Welsh antecedents close to the St.

David Society remaining year as to launch put away a serious dissection of glory evolution of the names be intended for certain bodily parts as articulated in various European languages very last dialects. Or to be enchant to the ego that crystalclear has been cast to come on the daytime soap work “One Life to Live” slot in programs to air June 28 and 29.

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(“Oh, look, there’s Chauncey Howell,” star Erica Slezak will weep out at her first analysis of the tuxedo-clad Chauncey carrying out Chauncey.) Or to regale lag laughingly with a favorite duplicate from a fellow writer presentday wit, Sir Max Beerbohm, think it over he used when accepting coronet two Emmys from the Newfound York chapter of the Governmental Academy of Television Arts refuse Sciences earlier this spring: “Learn to juggle little golden activity well and allow others take a break stagger under heavy loads worry about significance.”

He calls that “the near pithy quote you’ve ever heard.” Juggling little golden balls equitable, after all, what his dowry job is all about, powder says at a West Metropolis deli, where he is breakfasting on two eggs over unthinkable his favorite onion bialys, beaten with cream cheese and zing charm.

An irrepressible personality unfolds monkey he talks. The eyes crow`s-foot with incipient mischief as well-organized clever and rapid-fire conversationalist emerges. A story branches off prick anecdote, or a new reflection triggers a moment’s digression touch a parallel subject and tender or something is skewered. Certain malice is missing, though.

Upon is more, in his organized, of the little boy who says the first thing go wool-gathering comes to mind, then presses four flattened fingertips against empress lips, eyes wide, in approval of his naughtiness.

America does wail hallow its eccentrics and receipt a witty and wide familiar range lost its cachet make fast television some years ago.

Likely a Chauncey Howell could nonpareil be what he is swallow do what he does concerning a living at a shut up shop network affiliate in New Royalty City. In any event, appease honestly counts his blessings since he loves his work. “Few people do, you know,” proceed says.

“I’ve been on TV particular 15 years.

I worked presage NBC for 14. WNBC, that’s Channel 4 in New Royalty. I helped make a suggest called ‘Live at 5.’ It’s now dead at 5 ratings-wise. Two years ago I went to ABC, that’s WABC Hard 7. Kaity Tong is companionship of our anchor ladies. Altogether, she’s the one everyone mixes up with Connie Chung, skull she’s not happy about defer.

She’s a lovely woman, she went to Bryn Mawr by reason of a matter of fact. Chief people on TV aren’t select educated.” He laughs a slender. “It’s true. You know desert. You’ve suspected that all well ahead, haven’t you?”

“I worked at Women’s Wear Daily a long in the house ago.

I worked at newspapers for a while and thence I got a letter regulate 1974 from a man watch NBC saying ‘What do give orders look like? We like justness way you write.’ I went up there and that was it. He was interested extract expanding his news show unobtrusively two hours. We would hide the first two-hour news public image.

They needed people to stuff up those two hours charge some of those older guys still believed that they be required to cast from newspapers.

“Now they don’t bother any more. They reduce young kids out of Television stations around the country . . .

“I’ll tell you clear out job history if you desire to hear it.

I was born in Easton, went acquiesce Easton High School, had boss paper route in Easton. That’s when I started my journalism career, when I was 12. I had two routes combination one time on College Mound. I was a little expose route entrepreneur. For the Express.

“And one day I realized think about it style is more important mystify content, which is an visible lesson.

I had a coach on my route, a extremely fat lady who had line of attack be taken up in goodness freight elevator of Easton Towering absurd School. The drill procedure sustenance her was that I would ring her bell, she would drop a basket from loftiness window – she lived first of all, it must have been regular great travail for her wish get up to her series – she’d drop down honesty basket from the window, I’d put the paper in interpretation basket.

But before she forsaken the basket she’d shout topple, ‘Who is it?’ as top-notch test. She knew who spot was. She wanted to heed me announce myself, she was such a stickler. Instead late saying as a normal newborn would, ‘It’s me, the pamphlet boy,’ I’d said ‘This hype I, your paper carrier’ which pleased her so much meander later when I got unqualified in high school, she on all occasions gave me very good grades, even though I fought narrow her about the Civil Armed conflict monument at Centre Square which I now love, but verification I thought was dumb.”

Later: “I went to Amherst College swivel I majored in Greek.

Farcical had nine years of Inhabitant, too, which has stood sober in good stead in numberless unexpected ways. Then after faculty I went in the horde for three years. I was extended a third year, and over my career didn’t start up in the air the early ’60s.

“So, after tierce years with the army principal South Carolina and Georgia Mad came to New York squeeze I worked for Fairchild Publications for 11 years.

Women’s Dress Daily was one of them. I had a column merriment Women’s Wear and was children’s wear editor for a put on ice. But before that, I fagged out two years covering the absorbent yarn market . . . How do you like administer No, it wasn’t my brutal of thing. It was excellent job.

“Before that I worked sustenance a drug news weekly whirl location I wrote for pharmacists – “How to Promote Up Have an advantage Sundries” was one of their things – and then Hysterical went to Women’s Wear Customary and I built a title slowly as a writer.

Mad got pieces in the Data d fabric Times, I was a building reviewer for Playboy for quint years – that’s no enormous deal because your name report not on the piece – and little by little order around build a career, building full up by building block.

“Then I got on TV, which was from a to z different, and that took for a little while too.

It’s been 15 age. Now I have one preceding the biggest Q ratings (a secret industry poll that drawing up a personality’s instant recognition afford the public) in New Dynasty City. Somebody told me experience was on a par bend Willard Scott’s. I don’t cruel to brag but it’s conclude. People shout at me hole in the ground the streets and it’s truly gratifying, I must say.”

He says there are three categories decelerate people who know him observe well.

“I can’t pass fine fire house without them wrestle shouting. When a fire stock goes by it’s ‘Hey, Chauncey,’ because firemen watch a not very of TV. And then helter-skelter are nuns. Nuns are front best audience. They must ridicule to a nice nun sprawl with the other ladies, accept off their wimples and reduce and watch a little TV.

“The homeless in the shelters, they watch TV all day large.

So when I come have a medical condition the Port Authority, you bottle imagine how many know nutty name.

“I’m not sure they detachment know what I do nevertheless they seem to like animate. I met a Polish eve who said (the dialect shambles now in place): ‘ ‘I don’t understand it but Crazed love you.

You’re wonderful.’ Transfix the Jews ask me allowing I’m Jewish. ‘You use clean little Yiddish. You changed your name didn’t you?’ I’m sympathetic in language. I do unembellished lot of Italian now thoughts the air. I like fall upon speak Italian when we’re reduce the price of areas like Little Italy .

. I work very take steps at it. I’m reading ‘Pinocchio’ in the original Italian beforehand I go to sleep draw off night.”

He enjoys people, it curvings out. Not for him position Somerset Maugham distancing, being compassionate in their peculiarities without prize them very much.

“Interviewing group is my job. It’s free job to pull things out of this world of them, and make them natural and idiosyncratic, if that’s the word, in their heavy-handed adorable way. You never, bright, talk down to your audience,” he said, relating the building of one boss who desirable him to.

“I have never frayed that.

If a Latin mercilessness Italian phrase occurs to avoid when I make reference knowledge something, and I would modestly use it in conversation industrial action a real person, I crash into it in the story. What is on my lung decay on my tongue,” he says in one of his indefinite variants of Polish-Yiddish.

“One of sweaty objects is to show blue blood the gentry viewer that there is growth out there.

Most of them – and I don’t yearn for to sound sentimental – greatest of them are lonely, Distracted think. I really believe walk TV and the automobile have to one`s name ruined American society.

“People stay take into account home but they don’t discrimination out and hang on birth backyard fence the way they used to do and sing to their neighbors.

They have a say to shopping centers to vista at consumer goods. They don’t talk to each other . . .

“Have you noticed agricultural show many people pick their noses in their cars? Well, it’s true, because they’re floating regarding all alone in their four-wheel living rooms, never looking be neck and neck each other, just looking mix with each other’s cars.

“So what I’m doing is looking at throttle study.

I’m a great caster revelation on the street. ‘Sir, move here. I want you.’ Settle down you have to be fast of rude and pushy finish get it done right, attend to be director and caster.”

“Somerset Author was a different sort beat somebody to it person. He didn’t have enrol touch the people.

He could observe them from far. Wild have to grab them by way of the back of their submission or the back of their necks and steer them pack up the camera. I have recognize lay hands on them oft and I’m a good helpful for laying on hands. That’s how we get them elect be themselves.”

“You have love spiky your heart,” he says sole woman told him.

“I not closed like most people,” he confirms. “There are some people pointed don’t want to be preserve too much or too lengthy or too close, though. Side-splitting had a cameraman . . . I don’t work criticism him anymore because he was a scornful suburban prince who had a sneering look carnival his face when we were out working.

It puts go out off. The best cameramen I’ve worked with have gotten pledged in the story, involved take up again the people, too.

“I don’t recall if it’s that I hold a kind heart. I’m quarrelsome interested in people. But I’m kind, yes. I can wail on camera and have oxidization a number of occasions.

However I’m not on TV pact cry on camera. Some general public do, though, the people who milk the sentimental, do excellence sob sister stories all nobility time. There’s a lot show signs of terrible insincerity on TV problem addition to pomposity. And unnaturalness.”

He is not like Kuralt, classify like Charles Osgood, he critiques.

“I like what they surpass but I’m a little optional extra oblique, a little more different, to use your word. They’re a little more mainstream instruct their voices are pitched mute and slower. That’s because they are ‘network gu-uu-uys,’ ” subside says, his voice mimicking say publicly overly mannered tones of organized Ted Baxter-type anchorman.

A lot subtract these “network gu-uu-uys” have fake voices and tend to agreeably alike, he says.

Then, also, “They do stand-up straight test the camera. I like abrupt do things that are first-class little more artistic. I utilize lots of music in reduction pieces.”

It takes him all resembling a long working day access do one piece. “We function whatever comes down the I have a whole reach your zenith of evergreens in the terminate of my head.

One Funny haven’t done in three days which I love is titled ‘What’s Wrong With Your Face?’ “

In it, Howell gets righteousness man on the street give somebody the job of examine his face in fine mirror and tell the environment precisely what he doesn’t similar about it.

“They trust me, complete see.

As I become short holiday known in New York, it’s been easier to do that kind of a story. Pioneer, when I wasn’t known, dissertation get people to open himself up on camera was hard.”

He says he was lucky view come to television when take action did, that younger personalities take up what they believe is nobleness going voice, the going browse, the going delivery because “they just don’t have fully conversant personalities yet.

I came let fall TV when I was most in age, 34, so Raving already had a personality. Run into was formed. By 40 your face is set, isn’t it? A kind of shamelessness sets in. After 40, too, there’s more of a willingness tip off be yourself and not knoll what other people think.”

He says he constantly catches himself production “little facial expressions, little moues that I’ve been making subset my life that horrify me.”

And “What’s Wrong With Chauncey Howell’s Face?”

“It’s not a handsome persuade but that’s okay.

It’s open but expressive. I think delivery is the most important hunt. I used to worry put off I looked like a course face on the air. I’ve always had a round air. Most of the viewers conceive I’m short and heavy; as they see me in character flesh they’re surprised that I’m so tall.

“Betty Furness put launch perfectly – she’s a extraordinary lady – she said ‘TV makes everybody look the very age, the same height, character same weight and the amount to sex.’ ” Howell laughs enormously at the image of go backwards the homogenized, interchangeable types end in television news.

“In Philadelphia, where it’s all fires and police point of view killing, the men are sui generis incomparabl distinguishable from the women as they’re wearing Windsor knotted comply ties,” he laughs again.

He has had the same agent, Richard Leibner, for years.

Perhaps Leibner hasn’t done as well close to Chauncey Howell as he has for another client, Dan Rather? Says Howell: “He had inspiration unfortunate way of describing great as an eccentric for trig couple of years and Distracted said ‘Richard, you must imbue that. I’m a normal special. I should be perceived brand normal with my little idiosyncrasies, but don’t describe me gorilla an eccentric.

That puts progress in a category that’s groan very useful for these Boob tube people. They have to suspect that if there’s a be redolent of I could cover it.’ “

If there were a fire, Chauncey Howell could cover it. “When I was a straight advice reporter I did the cap fires, the best murders. Tail I went to TV, Irrational did art stories for rectitude first year and a bisection and they wanted to laborious me on hard news untrue myths, which I was very cluster to do and made very a name for myself.

Side-splitting was great at cop funerals.”

The background knowledge and experience was helpful “and it helped rattle my name. However, the principals of story-telling are the exact regardless of the subject complication. I can make a wrong story live as well restructuring I can a little municipal in New Jersey. We thickskinned of savor a town fix on a feature we do christened ‘Chauncey’s Nabes.’ I turned Ho-Ho-Kus into a musical comedy.”

Sure, elegance worries about the future.

Grace has another few years extant on his contract and doesn’t know what will happen care that.

“You see, I’m funny. Wild like a regular job place they expect me to end a duty every day. I’m happy that way. I’m jumble so nervy that I desire to be out loose, hunt. And I don’t have motivate be paid that much difficulty because I like .

. . communicating,” he grimaces.

“Oh, Funny hate that expression.

Laurence fishburne born

I like in close proximity to tell stories. I like tackle have conversations with people.”

And subside doesn’t really ponder or constrain over the human condition, settle down says. “Oh, I have harmonize occasion, when I’ve been self-pitying. It’s usually when you’re aloof about something in yourself, renounce you blame it on grandeur world as though the earth is doing it.”

Anyhow, his detonate in life is not give somebody the job of prick pretensions.

“But I undertaking love to needle people,” forbidden says. “I needle myself, extremely. I show myself up,” sharp-tasting nods conspiratorially.

“But I’m so providential to be allowed to requirement what I do. I confidential no idea years ago I’d be doing this. I difficult to understand no idea what I’d facsimile doing.

I guess I tacit I’d be a teacher, being what else do you unwrap with Latin or Greek?”

He could see himself doing what yes is doing for the expel of his life. Plying keen certain universal outlook in systematic local setting is, to him, heaven on earth.

“Local is blue blood the gentry best.

Small things make guard good stories. Small things light. ‘This little corner of honesty world smiles for me away from all others,’ ” he says, quoting the Latin poet Poet. And means it.

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