Madeline Amgott

Madeline Amgott
Born
Madeline Michelle Barotz

(1921-08-31)August 31, 1921
Bronx, New York
DiedJuly 19, 2014(2014-07-19) (aged 92)
NationalityAmerican
EducationBrooklyn College
Occupation(s)television producer, newspaper bureau
Known for

Madeline Rochelle Amgott (August 31, 1921 – July 19, 2014) was an American television news producer. A pioneer of early television news, Amgott was one of the first, and only, women to produce television news shows during the mid-1950s and 1960s.[1][2]

Life

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Amgott was born Madeline Rochelle Barotz on August 31, 1921, in the Bronx, New York.[1][2] She graduated from Brooklyn College.[1]

Amgott worked at the Washington D.C. bureau of The San Diego Union before moving back to New York City.[1] In 1955, she joined the staff of CBS News. Amgott helped create Calendar, CBS daytime show aimed at women, which was hosted by Harry Reasoner and Mary Fickett from 1961 to 1963.[1] She left Calendar after being turned down for an open producer on the show.[1]

Amgott was next hired by as a television news producer at WABC-TV in New York. She produced The Big News, which is believed to have been the first major network affiliate news show made without network news staff.[1][2] The show aired on WABC. During the 1970s, Amgott produced episodes of the NBC talk show, Not for Women Only, which was hosted by Barbara Walters.[1]

She later returned to CBS where she produced episodes of 60 Minutes, as well as episodes of 30 Minutes, a half-hour children's format of 60 Minutes which aired on Saturdays from 1978 to 1982.[1] Amgott's work on 30 Minutes earned her three Daytime Emmy Awards.[1]

Amgott produced the 1987 PBS mini-series, In Search of the Constitution, hosted by Bill Moyers.[1] She also produced segments for Morning News on CBS. Amgott produced a television film on Hans Hofmann, which aired on PBS in 2003.[1]

Madeline Amgott died from lymphoma in Manhattan, New York City, on July 19, 2014, at age 92.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Madeline Amgott Dead: Pioneering Female TV News Producer Dies at 92". Variety. 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  2. ^ a b c Martin, Douglas (2014-07-22). "Madeline Amgott, Television Producer, Dies at 92". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-08-14.