Wally Bruner
Encyclopedia
Wally Bruner was an American
journalist
and television host.
He covered Congress and the Lyndon Johnson administration for ABC News
in the 1960s. He was the first host of the 1968-1975 syndicated
version of What's My Line?
and went on to host the syndicated home repair show Wally's Workshop.
in 1931 to Wallace and Audrey (Scott) Bruner. He was raised in Tell City, Indiana
. He married his classmate Patricia (Thomas) Bruner after graduation. They had eight children: Rickey, born in 1950, Sherri, born in 1951; Michael, born in 1952, Ted and Tim (twins), born in 1954, Kathy and Kevin (twins) born in 1955, and Kristine, born in 1957. They divorced in the late 60s. Bruner met his second wife, Natalie, when she was a contestant on What's My Line?. They had two more children, Wally, Jr. and Lee. Natalie co-starred on Wally's Workshop, and in the early 1990s, ran unsuccessfully for the United States Congress
on the Democratic
ticket against Dan Burton
of Indiana
. Her husband served as her campaign manager. Wally Bruner was also active in politics. He served as campaign manager for Senator Vance Hartke (D-Indiana), and as west coast coordinator of Senator Eugene McCarthy's campaign for president. He also produced an album of poetry with Senator Everett Dirkson (R-Illinois) and created one of the first film libraries for the purpose of selling archived interviews and footage to the network news programs. Wally Bruner was one of the USA's first heart transplant recipients, after he suffered a massive heart attack in his 50s. Bruner died in 1997 of liver cancer
in Indianapolis, Indiana
at the age of 66.
in Terre Haute, Indiana
in the mid-1950s and continued with a variety of roles in small-market stations around the country. He also built and operated Radio Station WKZI in Casey, IL with his first wife, Patricia. He also was News Director of KTVK-TV, the then ABC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona where he worked with his assistant news director, Stanley Rocklin. He then landed a job as Capitol Hill Correspondent for ABC News and he moved to Washington, D.C.
. As a news correspondent, he covered the US Congress and the White House throughout the 1960s; was nominated for an EMMY for his coverage of the war in Santo Domingo; and went to Viet Nam to cover the war. Upon his return from Viet Nam, he helped organize the AFTRA strike (which divided the news team of Huntley & Brinkley)to force the networks to treat war correspondents more fairly. Following his time with ABC, he served as coanchor with Alan Smith of the nightly news for Washington, D.C., television station WTTG, Channel 5, with Maury Povich (sports).
approached Bruner to audition for the new syndicated version of What's My Line? Like Bruner, original host John Charles Daly
had worked for ABC News as a correspondent.
Part of the audition was an opportunity to view old kinescopes of the original CBS version. Bruner told Goodson that he did not need to do so, since one of his jobs in the 1950s had been to direct commercial breaks of the network
feed of What's My Line? He claimed to have seen every episode that aired over a period of several years.
Bruner hosted the show from CBS Studio 50, the Ed Sullivan Theater
, from 1968 to 1972. Broadway
actor Larry Blyden
succeeded him for the program's final three seasons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and television host.
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
in the 1960s. He was the first host of the 1968-1975 syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
version of What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
and went on to host the syndicated home repair show Wally's Workshop.
Personal life
Bruner was born in Ames, IowaAmes, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
in 1931 to Wallace and Audrey (Scott) Bruner. He was raised in Tell City, Indiana
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
. He married his classmate Patricia (Thomas) Bruner after graduation. They had eight children: Rickey, born in 1950, Sherri, born in 1951; Michael, born in 1952, Ted and Tim (twins), born in 1954, Kathy and Kevin (twins) born in 1955, and Kristine, born in 1957. They divorced in the late 60s. Bruner met his second wife, Natalie, when she was a contestant on What's My Line?. They had two more children, Wally, Jr. and Lee. Natalie co-starred on Wally's Workshop, and in the early 1990s, ran unsuccessfully for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ticket against Dan Burton
Dan Burton
Danny "Dan" Lee Burton is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the , serving since 1983. He is a member of the Republican Party....
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. Her husband served as her campaign manager. Wally Bruner was also active in politics. He served as campaign manager for Senator Vance Hartke (D-Indiana), and as west coast coordinator of Senator Eugene McCarthy's campaign for president. He also produced an album of poetry with Senator Everett Dirkson (R-Illinois) and created one of the first film libraries for the purpose of selling archived interviews and footage to the network news programs. Wally Bruner was one of the USA's first heart transplant recipients, after he suffered a massive heart attack in his 50s. Bruner died in 1997 of liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
at the age of 66.
Early television career
Bruner began his career in television as "Wally the Weatherman" with WTHI-TVWTHI-TV
WTHI-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station in Terre Haute, Indiana. Owned by LIN TV Corporation, it operates on VHF digital channel 10. Its transmitter is located in Farmersburg, Indiana...
in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
in the mid-1950s and continued with a variety of roles in small-market stations around the country. He also built and operated Radio Station WKZI in Casey, IL with his first wife, Patricia. He also was News Director of KTVK-TV, the then ABC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona where he worked with his assistant news director, Stanley Rocklin. He then landed a job as Capitol Hill Correspondent for ABC News and he moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. As a news correspondent, he covered the US Congress and the White House throughout the 1960s; was nominated for an EMMY for his coverage of the war in Santo Domingo; and went to Viet Nam to cover the war. Upon his return from Viet Nam, he helped organize the AFTRA strike (which divided the news team of Huntley & Brinkley)to force the networks to treat war correspondents more fairly. Following his time with ABC, he served as coanchor with Alan Smith of the nightly news for Washington, D.C., television station WTTG, Channel 5, with Maury Povich (sports).
What's My Line?
In 1968, producer Mark GoodsonMark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
approached Bruner to audition for the new syndicated version of What's My Line? Like Bruner, original host John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
had worked for ABC News as a correspondent.
Part of the audition was an opportunity to view old kinescopes of the original CBS version. Bruner told Goodson that he did not need to do so, since one of his jobs in the 1950s had been to direct commercial breaks of the network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
feed of What's My Line? He claimed to have seen every episode that aired over a period of several years.
Bruner hosted the show from CBS Studio 50, the Ed Sullivan Theater
Ed Sullivan Theater
The Ed Sullivan Theater, located at 1697-1699 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th, in Manhattan, is a venerable radio and television studio in New York City...
, from 1968 to 1972. Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
actor Larry Blyden
Larry Blyden
Larry Blyden was an American actor and game show host, best known for his appearances on Broadway and as the host of the game show What's My Line?-Personal life:...
succeeded him for the program's final three seasons.