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Alexander M. Dreier (June 26, 1916 – March 11, 2000) was an American news reporter and commentator who worked with NBC Radio during the 1940s, and later with the ABC Information Radio network in the 1960s and early 1970s. Dreier then became an actor and appeared in a number of TV series and films.
Alex Dreier | |
|---|---|
 Dreier in 1964 | |
| Born | June 26, 1916 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Died | March 11, 2000 (aged 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, actor |
| Years active | 1968-1979 |
| Awards | 7 Emmys |
Early years
editDreier was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, attended Stanford University, and graduated in 1939.[1] He then went into journalism, and was covering Berlin for United Press when he joined NBC in 1941. During his year in Berlin he was under surveillance by the Gestapo, and he left the city one day before the Pearl Harbor attack.
His commentary aired on NBC on Saturdays from 1942 to 1945 and weekdays from 1951 to 1956. Known as Chicago's "Man on the Go," Dreier was the city's top TV anchor during his years on NBC-owned WNBQ-TV, serving as a news reporter and anchor. He also handled news for NBC-TV's Today on the Farm from 1960–61. He was replaced as WMAQ anchor by Floyd Kalber in 1962; he then moved to ABC owned-and-operated WBKB-TV.
From 1959 to 1964, Dreier also co-hosted the television program Championship Bridge with Charles Goren. These can still be seen on the Arts Channel of TV4U.com.
Later years
edit
Dreier moved to California in 1967, where he worked in Los Angeles for KTTV and also began a career as an actor in many films such as The Boston Strangler (1968), Chandler (1971), The Carey Treatment (1972), The Loners (1972), Lady Cocoa (1975) and The Astral Factor (1978), and TV shows, including Mannix, Kojak, Land of the Giants, Hart to Hart and Love, American Style between 1968 and 1979. He served as chairman of the board for the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences and as a board member of the Eisenhower Medical Center. In 1989, he was inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Hall of Fame.[1]
Philanthropy
editDreier served on the boards of trustees of institutions including Shimer College[2] and the Eisenhower Medical Center.[3]
Death
editDreier died on March 11, 2000, in Rancho Mirage, California.[4][5] He is buried in Desert Memorial Park[4] in Cathedral City, California.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Here Comes Mr. Jordan | Radio Announcer | Uncredited |
| 1968 | The Boston Strangler | News Commentator | |
| 1971 | Chandler | Ross J. Carmady | |
| 1972 | The Carey Treatment | Dr. Joshua Randall | |
| 1972 | The Loners | Police Chief Peters | |
| 1975 | Lady Cocoa | Ramsey | |
| 1975 | Alias Big Cherry | ||
| 1978 | The Astral Factor | Dr. Ulmer |
References
edit- ^ a b Alexander Dreier, 83, Broadcast Journalist Who Won 7 Emmys. New York Times. March 16, 2000 [1]
- ^ "Board of Trustees". Shimer College Record. Vol. 52, no. 4. December 1960.
- ^ James Janega (2000-03-15). "Alex Dreier, Broadcasting Pioneer". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ a b Palm Springs Cemetery District, "Interments of Interest"
- ^ Alex Dreier on the Internet Movie Database
External links
edit- Reaction of children listening to Alex Dreier during WWII Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
- Ron Moody (October 19, 2001). "Alex Dreier". Broadcaster. Find a Grave. Retrieved June 30, 2011.