Tom Snyder began his broadcast career in 1959 as a staff announcer and D.J. at WRIT Kalamazoo, Michigan.

In 1987 Snyder returned to his roots and launched "The Tom Snyder Show" over abc Radio and heard locally on KEX. The show lasted 5 years until Snyder returned to television.

This from The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073000450. html

Fire up a colortini, sit back, relax, and watch the pictures, now, as they fly through the air.

An absolute original. Never took anything (or anyone) too seriously... including himself. He never found exactly where to "fit in", but I think that was precisely his charm. He's sorely missed.

I used to watch Tomorrow all the time. He had everything from politicians to pornstars on that show! It's hard to believe he's gone and even harder to believe he's that old.

And former 49ers legendary coach, Bill Walsh died today, appparently of the same disease, also in the Bay Area.

Both these gentlemen were giants in their respective fields. Snyder was a true original, and a great local anchorman back in the day as well.

I was a Snyder fan starting in 74 with his show after Carson and then continuing from there.His daughter if I recall, lived with her husband in Portland I recall his mentioning this on his radio show KEX there KOMO here. Did any of you see him maybe around town when he came for a visit? I recalled his doing a show at The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. He loved electric trains and remember seeing one in the studio. He also loved player pianos and had one in the studio an old Duo Art. He really cared about his audiences and would frequently have long conversations with the callers. He was interested in people no mater what status. I recall the love he had for broadcasting and the people in it. He worked best without a studio audience. He had one for awhile. That laugh his stories interviews great stuff. Whe his last show signed off I Signed off with it. I tried Kilborne Im sorry he just doesn't do it for me.... If Im not mistaken, Bill Walsh'es son Steve was a newsman at ABC and in the mid 90s worked at KGO Radio in news. Steve also had leukemia and pasted on as well. I recall this mentioned when Bill was on the last KGO Curithon.

I was a weird kid. I liked Tom Snyder and Dick Cavett.

What I always loved about Tom Snyder, he was without a doubt, the only host that consistently talked about the inner workings of the network he was on. Giving us a look behind the scenes. We were privy to things no other host would bring up. I think it made his shows even more interesting. You wanted to be tuned in at the beginning of his shows because that's when he would most likely expound on his last 24 hours.

Always thought Synder was a one of a kind broadcaster. Craig your right....It was always cool when he turned his head & talked to the staff behind the cameras....And you would hear bits of laughter at times...His interviews were terrific and his pace was like other on TV....
Would love to see a cable channel run repeats!
Maybe MSNBC late at night! I would stay up. His interview with Johnny Carson was the greatest ever.

A few years ago Tom mentioned on "The Late Late Show" that NBC was trying to clear racks and racks of old tape and offered Tom the entire "Tomorrow" library and the rights to each broacast for a quarter million. He told the audience he just didn't have a quarter million to blow on his old shows. I wonder why MSNBC or CNBC on weekends are not airing these classics?

Brooks, I agree it would be great to see those old shows. But there may be some copyright problems, who knows? Letterman owned the rights to Snyder's CBS show, perhaps there is a roadblock there. In fact, very little video of old Snyder seems to be surfacing. (Although there is a fascinating interview with Letterman on YouTube.

Another topic, but YouTube is probably the biggest media-related story of the decade. Although I've noticed that due to network pressure they have been cracking down on some network TV stuff and removing. (Mainly NBC, SNL stuff, etc.)

As I pointed out many times on the air, they always go in 3's.
Walsh, Snyder, Bergman.
Scary how that always works!

Dodger sez: "As I pointed out many times on the air, they always go in 3's."

Hmmm . . . lets see, in the last few months or so Tammy Faye Bakker went alone. Anna Nichole Smith went alone, Jerry Falwell went alone, Les Schwab went alone . . . this compelling evidence says they DON'T always die in 3's.

Perhaps issuing a correction to your listeners is in order (unless, of course, its the FOX News Radio Network -- in that case, nevermind ).

Brooks, it really makes you wonder what might have happened if 250,000 viewers sent in a dollar.

Craig nailed it down for me:

"What I always loved about Tom Snyder, he was without a doubt, the only host that consistently talked about the inner workings of the network he was on. Giving us a look behind the scenes. We were privy to things no other host would bring up. I think it made his shows even more interesting. You wanted to be tuned in at the beginning of his shows because that's when he would most likely expound on his last 24 hours."

I loved Tom. A nation raises a colortini to a great man.

Boy, if TV Land were smart, they would pick up a classic like the Tomorrow show. Along with another all-time great, like Britain's TWTWTW, they could really score an audience with a weekly slot.

For those not around in 1963: TW3 - That Was The Week That Was.

There are lots of Snyder interviews on youtube.

I remember many late nights staying up to watch Snyder and his interviews. He was a complete natural.

Oh, and I too loved Cavett as well. Remember the after Woodstock show he did with CSN&Y, Joni Mitchell, Grace Slick and others? Fantastic stuff for late night commercial TV.

Thank god we have infomercials now.

Recently, I saw an old Cavett show where his only guest was Woody Allen. I'd forgotten Woody could play the banjo.

skep why is it alway political with you?
man, I would hate to be locked in a room with you.
Give me the gun for myself.
Anyway, back to intelligent conversation, it is very weird how the "3's" works "MOST" of the time, to clarify.

In a way, Snyder was carrying the Garroway flame. In another sort of way, Costas carried on the Snyder flame, in his surprisingly thoughtful wee-hours how.

What a rare and refreshing break it is for someone on TV to respect the viewer's intelligence. (Is there some rule this can't be done before 1 a.m.?) O'Brien clearly could, but to my dismay is apparently being directed to go for yuks. I can't watch any more; it's like seeing a nervous breakdown coming in show motion.

(Of course, watching Cavett was basically seeing one taking place, but perversely, that was less disturbing.)

With all due respect, Costas was never the interviewer that Snyder was. Yes, likable, but didn't have Snyder's passion.

I agree, Cavett was great, but I am a little too young to remember watching him. I have seen only retrospectives, but he seemed to be of that mold.

I think it was Craig Adams who brought up the fact that Snyder would give you a "behind the scenes" feel to what he was doing. Wow, that was just great, made you feel you were part of the show! Letterman did that at NBC, less so at CBS. One of my favorite bits that David did at NBC was walk across the hall and interupt the local WNBC New York newscasts! Priceless!

dodge sez: "skep why is it alway political with you?"

Its has nothing to do with politics.

Dodge sez: Anyway, back to intelligent conversation, it is very weird how the "3's" works "MOST" of the time, to clarify.

Actually, with the evidence I provided obviously shows, "3's" don't happen "MOST" of the time either.

Surely you don't want me to compromise my journalistic integrity and lie about "3's" when there is no basis for supporting that claim?

Tom Snyder would expect no less from me too.

tom snyder will be missed.