RIP

May 25, 2014 2:20 PM

Knowlton Nash, former long-time host of CBC's flagship news program The National, died yesterday, aged 86.

For a change, the comments on that article actually are worth reading. As of the time of this post anyway.

posted by feckless fecal fear mongering (24 comments total)

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posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:21 PM on May 25, 2014

I didn't want to editorialize the post, but some of my earliest memories involve hearing his voice (and such a voice it was) introducing The National and that meant I was up wayyyy past my bedtime.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:23 PM on May 25, 2014 [5 favorites]

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posted by philip-random at 2:26 PM on May 25, 2014

The National opening, December 24, 1987.
posted by bowline at 2:53 PM on May 25, 2014 [3 favorites]

I'm a bit too young to recognize the name (he retired when I was 11), but I definitely know the face. Having read the obit (acknowledging that the CBC is bound to be a bit on the hagiographical side): More like him, please.

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posted by Sys Rq at 2:57 PM on May 25, 2014

At eight years old, he put together his own newspaper. At 10, he operated his own newsstand.

Hard to beat that...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 3:02 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by Cosine at 5:21 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by acoutu at 5:32 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by islander at 5:33 PM on May 25, 2014

When I was a kid and occasionally caught the beginning of The National (and also was up WAY past my bedtime), I was always so comforted by Knowlton Nash's presence. As a child, I "adopted" him as "my" newscaster.

Peter Mansbridge is great, but Knowlton Nash was my guy. So sad to hear of his passing.

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posted by juliebug at 5:38 PM on May 25, 2014 [1 favorite]

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posted by droplet at 6:02 PM on May 25, 2014

When I was a little kid I used to think it was called "The Nashional" after Knowlton Nash himself.

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posted by jess at 6:05 PM on May 25, 2014 [8 favorites]

Jess, YES! The way the intro said "The National, with Knowlton Nash" I figured there was no way it could be a coincidence.

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posted by dry white toast at 6:17 PM on May 25, 2014 [1 favorite]

He was the gold standard.

He also gave the best commencement address I've ever heard, and I've heard plenty.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:34 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by mazola at 8:48 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 10:03 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by bicyclefish at 11:24 PM on May 25, 2014

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posted by samhyland at 8:37 AM on May 26, 2014

In 1978, CBC's flagship news program opened like this:

The National with Knowlton Nash

I used to call him the National Nolt. He wrote a hell of an autobiography.
posted by bc_fred at 1:52 PM on May 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

He had that great 60-70s anchor voice that just made you know what he said was serious business.

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posted by Mitheral at 5:45 PM on May 26, 2014

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posted by antiquated at 7:19 PM on May 26, 2014

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posted by Kevin Street at 1:59 PM on May 28, 2014

Knowlton Nash was the face and voice that shaped my view of the world growing up and made me want to become a journalist myself. He was extremely dedicated to his craft, always conscious that its importance and impact transcended any single on-air personality. Beyond that, he was a kind human being, patient, virtually impossible to anger, and loyal to a fault.

There will not be another like him again. He will be missed!

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posted by rhombus at 2:15 PM on May 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

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posted by tessmartin at 1:41 PM on June 12, 2014