Say it ain’t so, Denny
WDIO news anchor Dennis Anderson plans to retire in the next six months, after 50 years in broadcasting.
WDIO news anchor Dennis Anderson plans to retire in the next six months, after 50 years in broadcasting.
Although my personal interactions with Dennis Anderson have been few and brief, it’s easy to observe that he’s one of the nicest guys ever.
I’ll also note that I’m somewhat responsible for the only time I’ve seen him lose it on camera. WDIO covered a Geek Prom publicity stunt in 2004 in which we confirmed how many geeks could be crammed into a Kia. When the piece was over and the dean of broadcasters had to transition into sports, he couldn’t stop laughing.
I wonder if they’ll retire his sexy pink makeup mirror.
Video link if it exists please.
The king will be missed.
Nooo! I love Denny. Now how will I remember to “be kind” without him to remind me every night?
He and Gary Eichten are what make me HATE the dumbed down discourse. The “King”…puke. Buh Bye.
+1 re Gary Eichten
Although Denny is retiring, his moustache will remain behind the anchor desk, and Justin Liles has agreed to grow mutton chops.
(On a side note, I hear there is a petition to get George Kessler to shave the fuzz from his face.)
Links to video of vintage Dennis Anderson / WDIO newscasts:
https://attic.areavoices.com/
I remember him way back when he was bald. Good luck, Denny.
I first met Denny at his house, where he and the WDIO crew were interviewing the authors of “Will to Murder” just before its 2003 release, and the second time on a brisk January morning in Goodyear, Arizona, as “Will” co-author Gail Feichtinger and I (and a crew from WDIO and KARE-11) waited for Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen to be released from prison in 1994. We had lunch later that day, and here’s what I noticed about Denny: What you see is what you get. He is a great guy, HUGE family man, and laughter comes to him easy. And a pro: he never lets his strong Catholic faith–or personal opinions–get in the way of responsible journalism. He was a pro to work with on his memoir, allowing us to edit without any ego getting in the way. At the launch party for his memoir, “Good Night, Everybody, and Be Kind,” over two dozen of his Virginia high School classmates (Class of 1962) drove down for the event, which was also packed with family, WDIO and other local news colleagues, and a great many members of the Church where Denny is a deacon. Denny is just plain a really good, solid person.
As for the hairpiece, Denny makes great sport of it in his memoir, and his grandchildren often tease him about it. Best of all, the memoir contains a great photo of Denny, sans hairpiece, celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary in Hawaii with his wonderful wife Judy and, naturally, Charo!
Hootchie-cootchie-coo!
I spent a winter working as camera man at WDIO and would every once in a while get jammed into a mic booth while Denny did his voice overs for the upcoming broadcast. He was so dialed, some of the other announcers would stumble, do two takes, etc. Denny would nail it literally every time, and if he did another take it was generally not because it was a mistake but because he knew he could do it better. He has an awesome sense of humor and was a really fun person to work with, even in a pretty high-stress environment.
“A good Swede never washes his coffee cup.” Words to live by. Thanks, Denny!
I think he was a mortician too…
He agreed to do a short video for a comedy revue show at Renegade 8 or 9 years ago about how he came up with his catchphrase. So, so funny, and he was such a good sport.
Among the many gems they had him recite at his desk…
‘Good night, and sock it to me’
‘Good night, and WE WILL BURY YOU!’
and
‘Good night, and hold me closer, tiny dancer’
I’m not sure if he was a mortician but he does have ties to the mortuary industry. He was a guest speaker in one of my college courses, during which he gave a detailed description of the embalming process and answered a lot of nuts-and-bolts type questions regarding what exactly happens between death and burial.
A consumate gentleman and true broadcast professional. Best wishes for a very long & happy retirement!
You know they don’t hand out moustaches like that to just anybody. Hopefully it will be retired into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. All kidding aside I have run into Denny on several occasion in my neighborhood. No doubt about it, he is a true gentleman. A very rare commodity in this day and age!
He almost ran me over in the Kenwood Super One parking lot a few years back.
I was pretty pissed off about it until I realized who was driving the car that nearly ended my life.
Then I couldn’t stop laughing.
I’ll certainly miss watching danderson every night.
Though, hopefully, I’ll still get to hear that legendary voice at St. Ben’s for years to come.
I saw a prime time special in the 70’s of the Kathy Linde Show (I’m pretty sure that is what it was and not “The Dotty Becker Show”) where he had his hair piece fitted for all to see. That was awesome. Great moment in local TV. His sign off of “Goodnight and be kind” is genuine because he is caring person. We will never see anyone like him or Marsh Nelson ever again. He will be missed. Can’t imagine having to watch that guy on Fox 21 for my evening news. Hire well, WDIO.
Eirik, it was actually “The Peggy Chisolm Show,” which Denny said was patterned after Dotty Becker’s show on KDLH.