Harvey Hauptman, One Of WCBS 880's Original Anchors, Dies At 87
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – The WCBS Newsradio 880 family has lost a dear friend.
It is with sadness that we report the passing of one of our original WCBS news anchors Harvey Hauptman.
He was 87 years old and had been suffering from lingering health issues. He passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning surrounded by family.
Hauptman was a news writer at WCBS in the early 1960s before becoming one of the original news staffers when the station made the switch to its all-news format in August of 1967.
For years, he was the silk-voiced news anchor who wrote flawless news copy and delivered it on air like no other. He was also universally loved.
"In a newsroom full of barbs and sarcasm, Harvey was a zen presence who was loved and respected by virtually everyone," current WCBS morning anchor Wayne Cabot says. "He was a part of New York and a familiar voice of my youth."
"Harvey was a true professional and a delightful colleague. He was a stickler for accuracy in fact, in grammar and syntax, as well as in pronunciation, but he had a lightness of spirit, a quick wit and a radiant warmth," longtime WCBS reporter Rich Lamb adds. "He was an effective AFTRA shop steward and a friend to all who had the privilege of working with him. Those who knew him mourn his loss."
Former WCBS Sports Director Ed Ingles calls Hauptman "a quality person and outstanding broadcaster."
Former reporters Jane Tillman Irving and Fred Fishkin both remember him as a gentleman whose conversational style on air was a "pleasure to listen to."
Hauptman worked with a number of co-anchors over his decades with the station, including Rita Sands.
"Harvey and I co-anchored together on WCBS many times over the years, and while our friendship grew so did my insight into how well prepared he was as a news anchor, a business anchor, a sports reporter, an interviewer," she says. "He never went on the air without being ready for anything. He loved the work."
A service for Hauptman will be held Friday at noon at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
He was a longtime member of Anshe Emeth and served on the board of trustees. He graduated from Rutgers University and served in the Korean War. He spent more than three decades at WCBS and will be remembered as a great friend and broadcaster.
