Bill Harris (journalist)

Bill Harris
Born1943
DiedSeptember 5, 2019(2019-09-05) (aged 75–76)
OccupationJournalist
Known forCo-host of At the Movies

Bill Harris (1943 - September 5, 2019) was a Hollywood broadcast journalist known for being co-host with Rex Reed the syndicated program At the Movies.

Harris had two sisters. He attended Claremont High School.[1]

Harris was one of the first reporters for Entertainment Tonight.[2] He was head writer/reviewer on Rona Barrett's segments for the Today show and Good Morning America.[3] He began his career as a writer on The Ralph Story Morning Show on KABC-TV in Los Angeles. He went on to review movies for the syndicated show PM Magazine. He did celebrity interviews for Showtime that ran alongside movies airing on that channel.[4] He wrote for the Victor Awards and the Mrs. America and Mrs. World pageants. He started hosting At the Movies with Rex Reed after the departure of Siskel and Ebert.[5] The two were described as having "no chemistry" and Harris only worked for the program from 1986 through 1988.[6]

Harris was nominated for two Emmy Awards for items he was executive producer on. His nominations were for Outstanding Informational Series category for the A&E Biography series (1996) and Outstanding Classic Music-Dance Program category for POPS Goes The Fourth! (2003).[7]

Harris collected checks written out by famous people as a hobby. His collections included checks from Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Marvin Gaye.

He was with his partner Gregg Barnette for 43 years.[8] The two of them regularly performed in "Lagunatics", a theatrical fundraiser and satirical look at Laguna Beach.[9][10]

Harris died of cancer at the City of Hope hospital in Los Angeles on September 5, 2019.[11]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Esterley, Sharon (2019-11-24). "William 'Bill' Harris (Deceased), Claremont, CA California last lived in Hollywood, CA USA". Claremont High School Alumni Society 1911-2024, Claremont, CA. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  2. ^ Barnes, Mike (2019-09-06). "Bill Harris, Former 'At the Movies' Co-Host, Dies at 75". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  3. ^ Arar, Yardena (October 10, 1986). "Movie Critics Gain Popularity in Wake of Siskel and Ebert". Times-Advocate. Escondido, California. p. 39. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  4. ^ DiMatteo, Ribert (July 26, 1987). "On The Cover". The Peninsula Times Tribune. p. 79. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  5. ^ "REED, HARRIS NEW CO-HOSTS OF 'AT THE MOVIES'". Sun Sentinel. 1986-05-13. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  6. ^ "Thumbs Down on TV Movie Critics". Sacramento Bee. June 11, 1988. p. 111. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Bill Harris". Television Academy. 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  8. ^ "Gregg Jon Barnette". Laguna Hills CA Funeral Home & Cremation. 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  9. ^ "Laguna Beach". No Square Theatre. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  10. ^ Diamond, Barbara (2012-11-01). "Our Laguna: A night of 'Schlock and Awe'". Daily Pilot. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  11. ^ Krauser, Emily; Seemayer, Zach (2019-12-31). "Stars We've Lost in 2019". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
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