Andy Rooney
"The most felicitous non-fiction writer in television" is how Time magazine once described Andy Rooney, the CBS News correspondent, writer and producer, who has won the Writers Guild Award for Best Script of the Year six times, more than any other writer in the history of the medium.
Rooney wrote the first of what has become his specialty, the television essay – a personal format illuminating subjects most people take for granted – with "An Essay on Doors" in 1964.
His weekly report, "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney," became a regular feature on "60 Minutes" in September 1978. He won Emmy Awards in 1979, 1981 and 1982. In addition to his contributions to "60 Minutes," Rooney wrote, produced and narrated a series of broadcasts on various aspects of America and American life, including "Andy Rooney Takes Off," "Mr. Rooney Goes to Work," "Mr. Rooney Goes to Dinner," and "Mr. Rooney Goes to Washington," for which he won a Peabody award. He also participated in CBS News' extensive coverage of the 50th anniversary of D-Day by reporting on D-Day veterans en route to France aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, for CBS News' "Sunday Morning."
Between 1962 and 1968, Rooney collaborated with the late CBS News correspondent Harry Reasoner - Rooney writing and producing, Reasoner narrating - on such notable CBS News specials as "An Essay on Bridges" (1965) and "An Essay on War" (1971), which won Rooney his third Writers Guild Award. In 1968, he wrote two CBS News specials in the series "Of Black America." His script for "Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed" won him his first Emmy Award.
He wrote for "The Garry Moore Show" on the CBS Radio Network (1959-65) and was a writer for Arthur Godfrey (1949-55). He also wrote for such CBS News Public Affairs broadcasts as "The Twentieth Century," "News of America," "Adventure," "Calendar" and "The Morning Show."
Rooney is the author of many books, including: The Story of the Stars and Stripes and Sweet and Sour. The Story of the Stars and Stripes, which he wrote after three years as a correspondent for the legendary paper during World War II, was purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He worked as a writer at MGM on that and other projects.
In addition to his work as a CBS News correspondent, Rooney writes a weekly column for Tribune Media Services, which appears in 200 newspapers across the nation. He has also contributed articles to Esquire, Life, Look, Reader's Digest, Harper's, Playboy, Saturday Review and other magazines.
Andy Rooney Samples
Is There a Doctor Near My House?
Several years ago, I had a frank talk with my doctor. Well, the worst has happened. Now I have to find a new doctor. Now, I'm faced with a brand-new problem. A newspaper ad is a possibility, I suppose: WANTED: Doctor.
Desire is a Terrible Disease
"All the things I want I've had -- true love and change of weather," wrote the great E.B. White. I've had true love and a change of weather, but I've yearned for many more things over the years.
A Collection of Random Thoughts
When they're on vacation, columnists look for easy columns to write: Here are a few random thoughts and observations: We still say, "The phone is ringing," even though telephones don't "ring" anymore.
Things That Are True II
The following is a list of things I think are true: --Weeds grow faster than flowers. --When someone is nasty and mean-spirited and people say, "but he has a heart of gold," he usually doesn't. --Numbers of everything are longer than when I was 10.
Up In Smoke
There are two stories in the paper that make me mad. The second story I don't agree with says the tax on a pack of cigarettes is going up $1.60. That's for one pack. Now tell me this. Marijuana and heroin are illegal substances.
Watching My Watch My Way
I wear my wristwatch with the face on the under side of my wrist because I like it that way. The number of ads for expensive watches in magazines and newspapers makes me suspicious. Wristwatches started to get popular in the 1920s.
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