37 Facts About Bryant Gumbel

Bryant Charles Gumbel was born on September 29,1948 and is an American television journalist and sportscaster, best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's Today.

Bryant Gumbel is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.

Since 1995, he has hosted HBO's acclaimed investigative series Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, which has been rated as "flat out TV's best sports program" by the Los Angeles Times.

Bryant Gumbel returned to sportscasting for NBC when he hosted the prime time coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics from Seoul and the PGA Tour in 1990.

Bryant Gumbel is the third longest serving co-host of Today, after former hosts Matt Lauer and Katie Couric.

Bryant Gumbel stepped down from the show on January 3,1997, after 15 years.

Bryant Gumbel moved to CBS, where he hosted various shows before becoming co-host of the network's morning show The Early Show on November 1,1999.

Bryant Gumbel was hosting The Early Show on the morning of September 11,2001.

Bryant Gumbel left CBS and The Early Show on May 17,2002.

Bryant Gumbel is the son of Rhea Alice, a city clerk, and Richard Dunbar Gumbel, a judge.

Bryant Gumbel's surname originates with his great-great-grandfather, who was a German-Jewish emigrant from the village of Albisheim.

Bryant Gumbel graduated from Bates College in 1970 with a degree in Russian history.

Bryant Gumbel began his television career in October 1972, when he was made a sportscaster for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.

Already a local evening news sports anchor for KNBC, in Los Angeles, Bryant Gumbel was hired by NBC Sports in the fall of 1975 as co-host of its National Football League pre-game show GrandStand with Jack Buck.

Bryant Gumbel returned to sportscasting for NBC when he hosted the prime time coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics from Seoul and the PGA Tour in 1990.

Bryant Gumbel began his affiliation with Today as the program's chief sports reporter contributing twice-weekly features to the program, including a regular series entitled "Sportsman of the Week," featuring up-and-coming athletes.

Bryant Gumbel became a candidate for the job just by chance when he served as a last-minute substitute for Today co-anchor Jane Pauley in August 1981.

Bryant Gumbel so impressed executive producer Steve Friedman and other NBC executives that he quickly became a top contender for the Today anchor position.

Brokaw signed off of Today on December 18,1981, and Bryant Gumbel replaced him on January 4,1982.

Bryant Gumbel served as the show's traffic cop, opening and closing the program and conducting New York-based interviews, but Pauley and Wallace handled newsreading duties, and Wallace conducted all Washington-based hard news interviews.

Bryant Gumbel won plaudits for his performance, erasing any doubts about his hard-news capabilities.

In 1989, Bryant Gumbel, who was already known for his strong management style as Today anchor, wrote a memo to the executive producer Marty Ryan, on Ryan's request, critiquing the program and identifying its shortcomings.

Bryant Gumbel is the third longest serving co-host of Today, after Matt Lauer and Couric.

Bryant Gumbel stepped down from the show on January 3,1997, after 15 years.

Bryant Gumbel appeared for the show's 60th anniversary and hosted with Lauer and Pauley on December 30,2013.

Bryant Gumbel left The Early Show on May 17,2002.

Bryant Gumbel was hosting The Early Show on the morning of September 11,2001.

The Media Research Center reported that he uttered those words; Bryant Gumbel openly admitted to saying so when guest-hosting a June 2007 episode of Live with Regis and Kelly.

In February 2006, Bryant Gumbel made remarks that some viewed as "reverse racism" regarding the Winter Olympics and the lack of African-American participation, and others considered important sports journalism commentary.

Bryant Gumbel's efforts are typical of a commissioner who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern-day plantation overseer, treating men as if they were his boys.

Bryant Gumbel's moves are intended to do little more than show how he's the one keeping the hired hands in their place.

Bryant Gumbel made a cameo appearance alongside Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine in The Weather Man, a film directed by Gore Verbinski.

Bryant Gumbel made a cameo appearance on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld during which he interviewed Jerry Seinfeld on Today while Jerry was wearing the puffy pirate shirt in the episode "The Puffy Shirt".

Bryant Gumbel made a cameo appearance on the sitcom The Nanny during which he gives Fran Fine an audition for a job in television in the episode "Fair Weather Fran".

Bryant Gumbel's performance was the subject of criticism over his entire run because of his voice and a perceived lack of knowledge about the game.

Bryant Gumbel stepped down as play-by-play announcer in April 2008, prior to the 2008 NFL season.

Bryant Gumbel would be replaced on the NFL Network telecasts by Bob Papa.