Charles Osgood was the host of “CBS News Sunday Morning” from 1994 to 2016 and the host of radio’s “The Osgood File” for close to 50 years.
- Died: January 23, 2024 (Who else died on January 23?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Saddle River, New Jersey, of complications from dementia at the age of 91.
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Charles Osgood’s legacy
After working at the campus radio station of his alma mater, Fordham University, Osgood got his start in broadcasting as an announcer on a New York City classical music radio station. He honed his skills while serving in the U.S. Army – in 1955, knowing he was likely to be drafted, he pursued a job as the announcer for the U.S. Army Band at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. He held the job for three years while also singing in the U.S. Army Chorus and working at nearby radio stations during his service.
After leaving the military, Osgood continued working in radio and joined CBS News in 1967. In 1971, he debuted “The Osgood File,” a series of short segments focusing on a single story. These stories were sprinkled throughout morning drive-time radio, and their subject matter varied from human interest to breaking news. Osgood often added his own rhyming poetry to “The Osgood File” segments, earning the friendly title of the CBS “Poet in Residence.” He continued presenting “The Osgood File” until 2017.
The same year that he began hosting “The Osgood File,” Osgood also made his TV debut for CBS News. He anchored and co-anchored several shows, including “CBS Sunday Night News” and “CBS Morning News.” His longtime stint at the helm of “CBS News Sunday Morning” began in 1994, and he became a familiar face on the program over 22 years as its host. Among Osgood’s trademarks were his bow tie and his signoff, “Until then, I’ll see you on the radio.”
In addition to his work as a broadcast journalist, Osgood also wrote a biweekly syndicated newspaper column, as well as several books. He was the narrator of the 2008 animated film “Horton Hears a Who!” A pianist, Osgood performed with such ensembles as the Boston Pops and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Osgood on his favorite kind of story to cover
“Something that I can sink my teeth into. Nothing bizarre. Sometimes if you take a conventional story, add a rhyme to it, you can turn it into something special and spin it out over two and a half minutes. Of course, the story should be funny. Or poignant. Sometimes you’re lucky, and it turns out to be both.”—from a 1994 interview for the New York Times
Tributes to Charles Osgood
Full obituary: The New York Times
