Evening star., 1955-01-30
John Charles Days a Man
Of Diversified Talents
BY Morearet McMonus
NEW YORK.

NEW YORK.
John Charles DAILY. whose
name today Is synonymous
with the mere mention Of tele-
vision panel shows, is q man
Of unusually diversified talents.
He has the grace and wit
necessary to preside over pro-
grams featuring the participa-
ton of the nonprofessional.
unrehearsed audience. He Is
also q businessman Of rare
acumen, a quality rarely COM
patible with the talents OF a
performer.
Known to some trends and
associates as Charlie DAILY, he
is one of the very few highly
successful television person.
alities who employs no agent,
no business manager, no pub
licity manager, no encourage
of assistants to arrange his
appointments, and his life.
He negotiates his own con-
tracts and, by rumor and OBJ
vious evidence, they are excel
lent contracts indeed.
Professionally and person.
ally, he makes his own deci-
sions and then, for better or
for worse, abides by them.
This even applies to such
minor details as with whom he
will lunch and with whom he
will have a Scotch and soda
along about 5 pm.
Primarily a newsman. Mr..
DAILY is a vice-president OF the
American Broadcasting Co., in
charge of news, sports, public
affairs, special events and edu-
cation, for both the television
and radio networks.
Originally with CHS. he
TONED their news staff in
washington in 1887 after he
had successfully taken an
addition to replace Bob Trout.
then CBS' special events man
in the Capitol.
Took the Advice
Before that, he had worked
as a schedule engineer for a
transit company In Washing
ton, but he found the job so
dull that he was desperately
looking for an out.
He finally took seriously the
old cliche with which people
were constantly advising him:
my, but you have a nice
voice, you ought to be IN
radio"
So he went into radio,
crediting his remarkably fast
success to good luck. perfect
juxtaposition of the right cir
cumstances,s and timing. three
component parts which fell
into the proper places at the
proper moment.
John DAILY was born in
johannesburg, South Africa.
His father, a Bostonian, was
a geologist, and his mother
was an English woman who
met and married his father on
the West Coast while she was
on a trip around the world.
The elder Dalys subsequently
moved to johannesburg, where
John Charles and his brother,
John Grant DAILY. we're born.
The family lived there until
1923, when their father died
of African fever at the age
of 81.
On Own at Is
Mrs. DAILY then brought her
sons to their fathers native
city and entered them in the
Tilton Academy in Tilton. N. j.
When John Charles DAILY
was l6, his mother died, and
he was entirely on his own
resources. He says that this
is undoubtedly the reason he
can take such good care OF his
own affairs now.
IF. at the age 49," he said,
"you have to keep your own
life in order. you learn very
fast. You haven't time for
too many mistakes, nor too
much experimentation"
The moderator Of What's
MY Line?" one of the Oldest
and most popular panel shows
on Obs. Mr.. DAILY, neverthe-
less, regards his news work at
ABC. both the shows. and the
administrative work behind the
scenes, as his bread and but
ter job.
IT enjoy the panel shows"
he said, but my long-range
interest is In the news, which
I'm sure will survive in tele-
vision, no matter what other
fads and fancies may come
and 60"
Covered White House
On Wednesday at $50 pm,
over ABC-TV he is going to be
able to combine the news, and
a panel show. with the revival
Of who Said That?" a quiz
show revolving around quotes
in the news. Naturally. Mr..
Daly Is going to be the emcee.