American noted TV anchor man in Los Angeles. Known for his on-air brashness and controversies, the broadcast journalist developed a loyal following in spite of many detractors. Noted for his bold, intense commentary, he has built a notoriety and familiarity with the American public. Anchorman for various weekly News Magazines, host of the innovative late-night “Tomorrow” TV show and “Prime Time Sunday,” Snyder has a remarkable facility for drawing people out and asking the kind of broad-based questions we’d all like to ask.
Snyder’s dream as a kid was to be the news anchorman on WTMJ in Milwaukee. He had always been interested in tape recorders, phonographs, microphones, radio stations, and TV. His brother is six years younger than he and they are not very close. Self–conscious about a gray spot of hair on the side of his head, he does not like to be photographed from that side. It turned gray after he was hit in the head with a baseball when he was 13. The difference in color caused the kids to call him “Old Paint” and “Old Spot.”
In high school he participated in the drama program and found that he could make people laugh and applaud and respond which he says was “like shooting heroin into my veins. I loved it.” He enrolled at Marquette University as a pre-med student to fulfill his dad’s dream that he become a doctor but found he could not go through with it and changed his major to journalism. While going to college he got a job in the news department of WRIT, Milwaukee. He never received his bachelor’s degree and dropped out of Marquette during his final year. Snyder went on to serve with WSAV-TV, Savannah, WAII-TV, Atlanta, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, and KYW-TV, Philadelphia.
In 1970 he moved to KNBC, Los Angeles where he anchored the 6-7 PM segment of the station’s two-hour newscast. He was an instant success and got the attention of the network brass who made him host of the late-night show “Tomorrow” in October 1973. In 1974 he also became anchorman of the 6-7 PM portion of “NewsCenter 4,” a two-hour newscast on WNBC-TV, New York, staying in this dual role until April 1977. He inaugurated the one-hour news magazine “Prime Time Sunday,” in June 1979. Later the show became “Prime Time Saturday. He later went on with “The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder,” which started 1/09/1995. Snyder, whose three main interests are golf, bridge and toy trains, says he’s a loner who doesn’t do well in crowds of people. When Snyder’s dad died on 5/28/1974, Snyder was more focused on his career and that same evening he went on to win an Emmy Award, appearing on the “Today” show the following day. Years later he found regret in that he didn’t take the time to reflect on his dad and the fact that he never got to know him well.
Snyder divorced in 1979 after a 17-year marriage and one daughter.
On April 15, 2005, the talk-show personality announced on his website that he had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He expects to undergo treatment and feels optimistic about his future. Sadly his younger brother was recently diagnosed with the same disease.
On July 29, 2007, the noted anchorman died in San Francisco, CA from complications associated with leukemia. He was 71.
Link to Wikipedia biography