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Richard Carlson, former KABC reporter and father of Tucker Carlson, dies at 84

BBG News

On Monday, Richard Carlson, a well-known yet contentious figure in West Coast television news during the 1970s, passed away at his residence in Florida following a prolonged illness.

Tucker Carlson, the conservative commentator who once hosted Fox News, shared news about his father’s passing through a post on platform X.

Richard Carlson, initially known for his career kickstart as a copy boy at the Los Angeles Times, eventually became a recurring figure on the screens of Los Angeles television audiences, serving as an investigative reporter for KABC. He also honed his skills at KGO in San Francisco and KFMB in San Diego.

As a dedicated cinephile reporting for KABC, I relentlessly covered the downfall of G. Elizabeth Carmichael, an innovative transgender woman who aimed to revolutionize transportation with her three-wheeled electric vehicle. However, amidst the nation’s spiraling gas prices, Carmichael failed to materialize the car, and instead found herself in court for defrauding investors.

In a 2021 HBO documentary titled “The Lady and the Dale,” Carlson, who had previously exposed that Carmichael was transgender in their reporting, continued to stand by their actions. When confronted about outing Carmichael, Carlson defiantly compared it to the behavior of Jeffrey Dahmer, stating, “If Liz’s actions are normal, then so too is Jeffrey Dahmer’s.

At his job with KFMB, he publicly identified Renée Richards as a transgender woman following her victory in the women’s singles division championship at a tournament in La Jolla.

Carlson departed from journalism not long after the Richards story, expressing his disappointment with the worldwide hype it created. He stated, “There are numerous intriguing subjects I believe are significant and captivating, but the media will undoubtedly perform acrobatics over such scandals and sexual sensations,” to The Times in 1984.

Richard Carlson came into the world on February 10, 1941. At that time, his mother was just fifteen and spoke Swedish. She placed him in an orphanage situated in Boston. Following numerous years in various foster families, Carlson was eventually adopted by a family residing in Norwood, Massachusetts.

At age 12, Carlson lost his adoptive father who was a manager at a tannery. This tragic event led him to get into trouble with the law and he ended up being arrested and imprisoned for car theft when he was 17. Later on, he chose to serve in the Marine Corps, had a stint as a merchant seaman, and eventually embarked on a career in journalism, as mentioned by Tucker Carlson in his post.

Following his military duty, Richard Carlson affiliated with The Times newspaper. There, he struck up a friendship with Carl Brisson, the son of renowned actress Rosalind Russell. Together, they forged a journalistic alliance that culminated in a Look magazine article implicating former San Francisco mayor Joseph Alioto in organized crime. This revelation ultimately brought an end to his political career.

As a passionate cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: “Alioto accused an article of being a politically motivated character smear, ultimately winning a substantial libel settlement worth $350,000. Interestingly enough, Carlson was not implicated in this legal matter.

Hollywood Inc.

Tucker Carlson, a fixture on conservative cable channel Fox News, exited the network on April 24.

1971 saw Carlson transferring to television station KABC, where his hard-hitting investigation into car promotional fraud garnered him a Peabody Award. Four years later, he joined KFMB as both a reporter and an anchor in 1975.

In 1975, Carlson’s first spouse chose to part ways with him, leaving him as a lone parent to nurture Tucker and his sibling, Buckley. He tied the knot again in 1979 with Patricia Swanson, an heiress of the frozen-food enterprise, who unfortunately passed away in 2023.

Following his departure from television, Carlson moved on to Great American Federal, a savings and loan company based in San Diego. He considered venturing into politics, but his attempt to become San Diego’s mayor in 1984 fell short, losing to incumbent Roger Hedgecock who was facing indictment for perjury at the time.

1985 saw Carlson relocate to Washington to serve under the Reagan administration. He held the position of Voice of America’s director for a five-year tenure before transferring to Seychelles as the U.S. ambassador. Subsequently, in 1992, he assumed the role of CEO at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an organization that distributes federal funds for public media.

1997 saw Carlson’s employment at King World, a syndication firm that broadcast “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Jeopardy!”, and “Wheel of Fortune.” This company was later acquired by CBS in 1999. Subsequently, he held the position of vice chairman for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based organization known for its neoconservative ideologies.

Along with his two sons, Carlson is survived by five grandchildren.

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2025-03-27 04:31

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