Biography of david hartman
Home / Celebrity Biographies / Biography of david hartman
This “infotainment” model, which he helped perfect, became the dominant formula for morning television and remains so to this day. Hartman went to Mount Hermon School (now Northfield Mount Hermon) in high school and aspired to play professional baseball.
David rejected a baseball scholarship to attend Duke University, where he studied economics.
His career stands as a testament to talent, versatility, and an enduring commitment to providing information that viewers could use “in a useful way in their personal lives.”
Team Dailly WikiBio
A passionate team of writers and researchers dedicated to sharing authentic life stories of celebrities, influencers, and public figures from around the world.
Where is David Hartman today?
While some colleagues and industry journalists anecdotally described him as demanding or autocratic, many others found him to be caring, knowledgeable, and well-prepared. His transition from a successful actor to the pioneering host of “Good Morning America” marked a definitive shift in the tone and content of morning television, creating a blueprint that is still followed today.
Moreover, in 1969, he was featured in The Virginian and gained fame as a dedicated doctor on The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. After college, he served as an officer in the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force for three years.
He worked as a supply officer at Dow AFB in Bangor, Maine, and appeared in several local musicals, including Oklahoma!, in which he played Curly.
GMA was frequently the highest-rated morning news program on network television throughout his 11 years as a co-host. (1965). Upon graduation, Hartman served his country for three years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, specifically in the Strategic Air Command.
• As of April 2022, his net worth is estimated to be over $4 million.
Known for movies
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969-1973)
as Dr.
Paul Hunter
The Island at the Top of the World (1974)
as Prof. “My daily sign-off phrase, ‘Make it a nice day today,’ represented ‘GMA’s’ ideals and the belief that every one of us can touch our lives in a positive way, that our program was, we believed, a public service,” David said in a statement prepared for the 30th anniversary “GMA” broadcast in 2005.
…
Furthermore, Hartman has worked as an anchor and host for the Discovery Channel and WNET, a PBS member station in New York City, on a number of documentaries.
This work allowed him to continue his passion for informing the public in a thoughtful, in-depth format, a stark contrast to the fast pace of live morning television. His early career was rooted in acting. During his peak at “Good Morning America,” he was a high-earning television personality, with a reported salary of $2 million a year around the time of his departure in 1987.
Their marriage lasted for 23 years until Downey’s tragic death in September 1997. Despite his lack of journalism experience, Hartman conducted over 12,000 interviews professionally throughout his stint on the show.
“Make it a good day today,” Hartman would say at the end of every Good Morning America show. In June 1974, he married Maureen Downey, who was a television producer.
After leaving the morning show spotlight, he carved out a second legacy as a dedicated documentarian, producing content that educated and informed audiences on a deeper level.
Interesting Facts about David Hartman
- He was a talented baseball player in high school and turned down a professional baseball scholarship to attend Duke University.
- He served for three years as an officer in the U.S.
Air Force’s Strategic Air Command after college.
- Despite becoming one of America’s most famous television journalists, he had no formal training in journalism before hosting “Good Morning America.”
- During his 11 years at “Good Morning America,” he was on live television for over 5,000 hours.
- He starred in a 1973 television movie remake of the holiday classic “Miracle on 34th Street.”
- His production company is named Rodman-Downs Inc., incorporating his mother’s maiden name.
- He is a Life Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.
Controversies
David Hartman’s career has been remarkably free of major controversy.
Dead or alive? His success proved that an anchor didn’t need a traditional hard-news background to be credible and connect with an audience; warmth and curiosity were equally, if not more, important. His contributions to broadcasting have been recognized with multiple awards, including National News and Documentary Emmys.
David Hartman Personal Life & Family
David Hartman has largely maintained a private personal life despite his decades in the public eye.
He gained significant recognition as Dr. Paul Hunter in the medical drama “The Bold Ones: The New Doctors,” which aired from 1969 to 1973 and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. During his 11-year tenure, Hartman conducted over 12,000 interviews with a vast range of individuals, from world leaders and politicians to celebrities and everyday people.