# Hal Fishman Has Died: KTLA Newsman **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777 "2007-08-07T19:12:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/1 "2007-08-07T19:12:54Z")
Even though I haven’t lived in LA for about 10 years, Hal Fishman still ranks as one of the greatest local newscasters I have ever seen. He had an almost-Walter Cronkite presence about him that made you feel you were getting real news, not just watching some talking head reading off a teleprompter. Even if you are not from LA, you have probably seen him in many films playing the role of a newscaster A sad day for television news reporting. [The Hollywood Reporter Article](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i730b17b711a84f93e90e4deed5c32662) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/2 "2007-08-07T19:30:34Z")
I grew up in San Diego, but we watched KTLA a lot and I remember him always having this very casual gravitas. Very no-nonsense, and never pandering (though a little wry humor would sneak through at times). RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/3 "2007-08-07T19:45:53Z")
Non So Cal dopers may be aware of Hal from his [movie work](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0279873/) ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/4 "2007-08-07T20:01:36Z")
KTLA … Sharon Tay? (yum) ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/5 "2007-08-07T20:03:27Z")
I’m surprised he didn’t get picked up by a cable network like some of his fellow colleagues (Jim Lampley, Steve Kemetko, etc.). Anyone know of some of the other people he worked with that went on to national work? Truly sad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/6 "2007-08-07T20:33:41Z")
The end of an era. Hal was the last news anchor I respected or trusted. We are all the poorer for his passing. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/7 "2007-08-07T21:11:43Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] KTLA … Sharon Tay? (yum) [/QUOTE] Sharon Tay has been gone for quite a while, but she was certainly easy on the eyes. Back OT… I’ve lived in LA all my life, and I’ve been a Channel 5 watcher for probably 10 or 15 years. I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Hal, even though I’ve never been fond of his commentary. His delivery of the news and his expertise in breaking news situations is, in my opinion, unparalled locally. He will be missed. I always watch the morning news while getting ready for work, and it was quite the shock today when they switched from the normal format to talking about Hal when _they_ got the news while on the air. I don’t watch the evening news very often anymore, so I didn’t even know he had been ill, and I guess it was all incredibly sudden anyway. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/8 "2007-08-08T07:36:56Z")
Born and raised in Los Angeles, I’ll always have memories of my father and I watching the KTLA News at Ten with Hal Fishman. Even in my 30’s, when I would go back back to visit my folks in LA, pop and I would still have Hal to update us nightly. No longer… RIP Pilot, you’ve flying up to a higher place. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-fishman-has-died-ktla-newsman/414777/9 "2007-08-08T15:01:43Z")
I remember watching Hal Fishman. I’ve seen his name in _AOPA Pilot_, under trivia questions sent in by readers. I appreciated his reporting when there was an aviation story, as he knew what he was talking about.