Born in 1947, son of a dentist in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Divorced from former TV anchor Adrienne Meltzer; the two had met co-hosting a WCBS-TV magazine-style show in New York. Graduate of Trinity College, Connecticut who succeeded quickly after graduation to a role in a Broadway comedy. Spent much of early TV career as reporter in Baltimore, becoming acquainted with then-up-and-coming TV reporter Oprah Winfrey. Much respected in New York in 1970s and '80s for writing, and reporting original, offbeat human-interest stories on local TV stations. Also produced numerous documentaries for and with Winfrey's production company.