Television Broadcasting Pioneer George Mills Dies at 86
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Local television broadcasting pioneer George Mills lost his long battle with kidney disease Wednesday at 86 years old.
Mills was born on Jan. 7, 1930 in Philadelphia.
In 1948 Mills enlisted in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Staff Sargent and becoming a decorated military veteran. He received an honorable discharge in 1952 after serving in the Korean War and receiving a Purple Heart, the United Nations Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Korean Service Medal.
He then married Mary Ross and moved to the Brooklyn in South Baltimore. The couple relocated to the Brooklyn Park community of northern Anne Arundel County, where they raised their two children, Diane and Keith, and have lived since. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in November. After being discharge from the Army and relocating to Baltimore, Mills began working as a television cameraman and technician at WAAM Television, which later became WJZ-TV Channel 13, when Westinghouse Broadcasting bought the station in 1957.
At WAAM and WJZ Mills became a local broadcast institution. He was the 'cover' camera for three presidential inaugurations, Baltimore Colts football, Baltimore Orioles baseball, Baltimore Bullets basketball, horse racing at Pimlico Race Course plus local college football, lacrosse and basketball.
Mills was part of WJZ's technical team that broadcast the first Colts game in 1954 and was a big part of the the station's award-winning Orioles coverage from 1958 to '83, working alongside such legendary broadcasters as Ernie Harwell, Harry Carey, Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell and providing network coverage of the team's World Series championship seasons of 1966 and '70.
During that span Mills was also the head of the station's technicians union and worked as a studio camera operator and 'floor director' for the Buddy Dean Show, The Bob McCallister Show, People Are Talking With Oprah Winfrey and Richard Sher and the award winning and wildLy popular 6 and 11 p.m local news on Channel 13 with Jerry Turner and Al Sanders.
In Brooklyn Park, Mills coached a variety of football, basketball and baseball teams through the Anne Arundel Optimists, Brooklyn Optimists and Brooklyn Park Youth Athletic Association, impacting the lives of thousands of young boys and girls in the northern Anne Arundel County area.
He was also a political activist, running for offices in both the Anne Arundel County Council and Maryland House of Delegates and supporting a variety of elected officials, including former Anne Arundel County Executives Bob Pascal and James Lighthizer, U.S. Congressman Tom McMillan, House of Delegate members Ted Sophocleus, and Michael Busch and State Senators Ed DeGrange and Phil Jimeno and once hosted Anne Arundel's Most Wanted, a local cable television show in the county with Sherriff George Johnson. He supported local schools, churches and businesses and represented both the local police and firefighters in union contract negotiations.
Mills is survived by his wife Mary, his daughter Diane, son Keith and son-in-law Steve Bennett. Seven grandchildren: Adam and Rebecca Bennett,, Josh and Lacey Bennett, Tyler Bennett, Alexandria and Nicholas Mills and great grandchildren: Jackson, Grayson and Brooklyn Bennett.
The family asks that a donation be made to Special Olympics Maryland.
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