Frank Bourgholtzer

Bourgholtzer, Frank
October 26, 1919 - October 8, 2010
Frank Bourgholtzer, the first full-time White House correspondent for NBC News, died quietly at his home in Santa Monica on October 08, 2010. He was born in New York, NY on October 26, 1919.

Frank is survived by his wife, Shena McLaren, their son, Drew, daughter-in-law Darcy and granddaughters Rylie and Camryn. From his previous marriage to Audrey, Frank is also survived by son, Steve, and daughter-in-law Nancy. Preceded in death by son, John, Frank is survived by John's widow, Diane, granddaughter Danielle and grandson David.

Frank began his 40-year career with NBC News in 1946. He was NBC's White House correspondent when the three networks produced the first television tour of the White House, during which he persuaded President Truman to play an impromptu piano recital in the East Room.

Beginning in 1953 NBC News assigned Frank to Europe and as head of the Paris, Bonn, Vienna and, most notably, Moscow bureaus he reported from both Eastern and Western Europe during the height of the Cold War.

When he was transferred to NBC News in Burbank in 1969, he was instructed to "cover California like a foreign country" which he did in a long series of stories about the people, the life styles and the events of Western America. He retired from NBC in 1986 but continued to do special news assignments for a number of years after that, most of which were in, or related to, the Soviet Union.

A celebration of Frank's life will be held Sunday afternoon, November 7. Those wishing to attend please contact bourgholtzer@hotmail.com for further information.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to International Medical Corps, 1919 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 400, Santa Monica, CA 90404.