The famous CBS newcaster, Walter Cronkite, died today at age 92, and you can read an obituary and see a timeline of his life on the CBS site. Cronkite even blogged for Huffington Post, and that site has collected a few of his most famous broadcasts (JFK and MLK assassinations among them).
What you probably don't know is that Cronkite was seriously into cars. In this episode of The Twentieth Century
from January 1962, Cronkite talks about the phenomenon of sportscars in American culture while driving an Austin-Healey.
Then, you see him at Lime Rock and finally the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, where he narrates a Stirling Moss win.
"A lot of the thrill of sports car driving is just day-to-day driving," Cronkite observes as he stuffs the Austin into a corner. "From office to home, home to office, well, it puts the fun back into driving. Take a corner like that, you see, well you can really put your foot into it and get up to speed quickly. The car corners nicely."
After the jump, there's a clip from an April 1967 episode of Twentieth Century where Cronkite narrates "The History of the Auto" -- much more interesting than the title suggests.
billt9 says:
11:55 PM, 07/17/09
omg what a car freak i bet he picks up all the hot chicks in his prime and beyond! Check out his ride!
check out those peeps styling their suspenders and capris and overalls! ooh guys rubbing chicks on their laps! smoking Cronkite!
rick8365 says:
01:33 PM, 07/20/09
R.I.P