Jessica Savitch on Letterman, 1982-83

By request: Jessica Savitch's three appearances on Late Night:
1. February 22, 1982: for three segments.
2. August 11, 1982: for one segment (sorry about the video quality)
3. February 22, 1983: Her appearance was part of a celebration honoring last February 22's guests. After Dave introduced and briefly chatted with everyone, the network Director of East Coast Programs Jon Maas then gave them all a tour of the the studio.

[@brookehanley3659]

You can tell Jessica Savitch had a great sense of humor. Nice to know.

[@chadsoard500]

We sure could use Jessica Savitch on the news these days!!!

[@tiffanyd.4832]

Jessica Savitch how I wish you were on the airwaves in 2019.

[@Vejur9000]

This women was brilliant. A groundbreaker. A great anchor, and news person, ahead of her time.

[@georgiesimmons5924]

She was ahead of her time extremely articulate and intelligent but most of all she was very passionate about her work RIP

[@leilanirocks]

This reminded me of a couple things. One is just how much I miss Jessica Savitch. The other is how much I enjoyed Dave’s show during this period when it was new and I was in my teens. This show was so fresh, in many ways, and made staying up way too late a real pleasure. Great TV was had by all. 📺

[@jessicabernstein5776]

Oh, I miss Dave as much as I possibly can! Theres no late night tv anymore..not what I consider late night TV. We were spoiled with Johnny Carson, David Letterman...no was Jay Leno had the slick, sharp edge needed to really make me laugh. Now? I watch movies. Fallon tries so hard to kiss ass its embarrassing.

[@MrRoflfrost]

Agreed. I'll watch David on KZbin for laughs and relief

[@foleynj86]

@@jessicabernstein5776Jay Leno hosting the Tonight Show was an embarrassment. Not funny at all and a terrible interviewer. Not to mention, he screwed Letterman and stole it back from Conan.

[@seventiesmemories5116]

Letterman's show was wonderful, I watched every one. Even better, I started watching it in the early 80's, when I was in school in the Midwest- so it came on an hour earlier!

[@patton303]

My dad taught her at Atlantic City High School. He ran the language department and the school TV studio. She always stayed in touch with him until her passing and mentioned him in her book. I remember the Christmas cards she sent with her dog on it. Lovely woman.

[@russellgrimes3491]

I consider myself a great judge of character. She seemed like a self-loathing, insecure, clout-chasing, self-destructive piece of trash. She also looked a decade older than she was.

[@1958fury]

Do you still have the cards?

[@patton303]

I personally don’t. My folks are both gone but one of my sisters may have them. They have most of the family memorabilia and photos. I’ll ask them.

[@lablaine1981]

She is 💯👍...Dave is a chump salad" here

[@joygrace7924]

Eerie when she says, "I thought I had died and no one had notified me about it."

[@dm95422]

RIP Jessica & Chewy.

[@eameam7828]

I worshipped Jessica at a young age.A VERY young young age. Depression.Didnt eat for days.Didnt sleep either.Was devastated too.l cried myself to sleep for weeks too.

[@andjusticeforall13]

No one can compare to her today. Nobody.

[@robertnycguyraisedonrecord7587]

I remember when she died. I used to catch those NBC News Update and News Digests with Jessica every night on Primetime TV early 1980's-1981-1983. . Not because I intentionally wanted to see them but because so many of my fave TV series aired on NBC. CHiPS, Different Strokes, Gangster Chronicles, Harper Valley...the first seasons of Family Ties, Cheers...Her voice always had a strange effect. Kinda fear because she announced many deaths of famous people in those News Digests. She probably would've been retired by now. Primetime News and news breaks was a huge deal then. They were respected. I usually caught the 5 and 11 PM news on the 3 networks and I was only a teenager.

[@RichardHandal301]

That was upsetting. The dog in the art she showed was surely the dog that drowned along with her and the guy she was dating at the time. I'm glad I saw that. Thanks, Don. 33 years. Wow.

[@dongiller]

Wow. I had completely forgotten about the dog.

[@peterdarker1]

Yeah...'Chewy'.

[@chadsoard500]

It was the same dog that died with her!!! When they found Jessica, they thought her dog(Chewy) was a fur coat....True Story!!!

[@savage_skirt5386]

yes, chewy was the dog who died along with her and the boyfriend

[@RichardHandal301]

@@savage_skirt5386 Timing. I’ve been thinking of her a lot over that last week or so, and already this afternoon. Odette’s has FB ads I keep seeing, for one.

[@skylarmccready]

Rip Jessica and Chewy 🥺 passing together in a car accident.

[@dougbell2071]

Tremendous Woman - loved her book & nightly updates Well missed! We All miss you Jessica💥❤❤

[@esliet]

I remember her so well as a reporter, she had an air of professionalism and intelligence. She was all personality on this segment. RIP

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

She was one smart lady! I'm impressed with her charisma and cleverness.

[@drewhunkins7192]

In the early 1980s she put together an enthralling and spectacular documentary on NFL football, gambling, possible game fixing and the outlaw line. One of the best things I've ever seen on the internet. It's extremely difficult to find online. I've seen it on KZbin only to disappear then reappear then disappear, etc.

[@epickup08]

I think that Jessica Savitch was beautiful and had a great voice. She is much better than the anchor women these days.

[@creamcheese1048]

Thank you for posting this. I forgot how hard it was being a woman and breaking into an all men's field. I was in law school when she was on the air. Some men could be really rotten, but not all men. The key is to have a sense of humor.

[@SuburbanDon]

...and get even.

[@sandragrant8271]

To add to that, I understand , and it's sad . Rest in peace, with your dog. Sad.

[@jjthor407]

Beautiful voice

[@indanekwaffles7074]

What a voice! I'd let Jessica tell me the world is ending all night long!

[@Charliecomet82]

I still miss Jessica...

[@thechicksofquantumcomedy]

Thank you for posting this🦋

[@Grisostomo06]

In the early clips of David Letterman's show he was much less snide and sarcastic than he was in later years. He's nice to Ms. Savitch. Probably helped that she like Letterman both worked for NBC and that his show was still in its infancy. It also helped that Savitch was America's Sweetheart so he didn't want to be mean like he could be to other guests. Watch his interview with Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran and you'll see what I mean.

[@paulwalker1443]

This was aired, I think, within one year of her death. She seemed quite bright and intelligent here. Her history is less than perfect, but she handled this interview well. Very unfortunate that such a talented person died way too soon.

[@sheenaghdabbagh1585]

Does the host look bright and intelligent ? , is your history less than perfect ? Hopefully !

[@siggylloyd3566]

@@sheenaghdabbagh1585 what? literally, what?

[@Melody-ww7gs]

she was bright and intelligent always!

[@russellgrimes3491]

You put your brightness in my intelligence. You put your intelligence in my brightness.

[@anitalavey1465]

this is only six months later? She seems to have aged at least 10 years in the August segment. Must be different lighting, makeup, even her teeth seem different. WTH?? The February1983 segment later seems better, her makeup and hair more like before. She was a terrific news anchor, unique voice and demeanor. Wow.

[@crazysnarfy861]

I was in my early teens when I saw Jessica on NBC News, and even then I could tell she had a gravitas that rivaled any of the great male news anchors. Being young and impressionable at the time, when she would report some serious breaking news story, I remember finding it almost jarring, as if everyone, everywhere should stop and listen to what she was saying. I had never heard that she had died until recently. Such a shame.

[@spooley]

Never ceases to amaze when the episode is up here when I search. The official YT for Dave has a Feb 22 show today which references this one. Thanks, Don. You are a keeper of the flame. Also seeing as Huntz Hall was on, Gilbert Gottfried would have been glued to his set.

[@leegate1237]

From this tape Miss Savitch seems like a fine and funny woman. That she had problems doesn’t surprise me; if she was facing such a dilemma involving substance abuse today, I believe she would have been able to get help without the stigma. Her horrendous and untimely death was a tragedy I wouldn’t want any human being to have to suffer. For this I have great sympathy for her.

[@russellgrimes3491]

Women are weak and children at heart. They have no place in a man’s world.

[@bufnyfan1]

At 04:51 Ms. Savitch shows a picture/art rendition of her dog "Chewy". Sadly when Ms. Savitch passed away in a tragic drowning accident in 1983 her dog died with her

[@crmay72]

She had the cutest laugh!

[@seventiesmemories5116]

She was amazing, so ahead of her time. But the powers that be chewed her up. Sad love life, too. Peace, Jessica, peaceful memories. . . . .

[@Vejur9000]

This woman is an icon of broadcast for women and pioneer. Not only was this woman brilliant. She was

[@danielhayes7967]

I had a crush on her back when I was 8. When she was on KYW in Philadelphia.

[@jasonbertalotto2355]

Check out the website with her name on it, shows her work on the site

[@louisadrill7060]

she was so charismatic

[@jpolar394]

I'd take her a million times over compared to the crap anchors that's on today. RIP Jessica.

[@louisadrill7060]

class.intelligence.highly charismatic.lovely

[@SuburbanDon]

She seems intently serious.

[@lakb45]

2017 women aren't going to believe the "dress" thing. But, believe it.

[@muffs55mercury61]

So sad indeed. Women were still relatively a minority as newscasters back in Jessica's day. She might not have been a pioneer in the trade but she really paved the path to get more women on the air and today's newscasters owe Jessica for it. Gosh a fine looking women she was.

[@AWiz-lx8lh]

I Love the Little Kids Expression at the End When They Hand Him the Sticker and Pen. His Face says, “This Cannot Be Happening, Where Are The Toys”!

[@xennial80sxberner]

wow, she was only 35-36 here (born 1947). She seemed like a classy 55 year old lady by today's standards, did everybody just look/act older back then?

[@herbyverstink]

bingo buddy...i had relatives in their late 20s/early 30s who could pass for 60 year olds today..we are talking late 70s and most of the 80s.Thing is,people live longer and refuse to grow up nowadays..used to be the men would be married with a couple kids by 24

[@murph8837]

It was likely her personal life taking a toll on her.

[@Alfredromeothatsme]

drugs

[@bridgetosomewhere8635]

If she was the NBC newscaster, and just about has to be the same person, she drowned after a tragic automobile accident on October 23, 1983.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

I was guessing she was at least 46 here. Weird how people in the past really did age faster. Hard to explain but I see guys all the time on old tv shows that I would place as at least 50 years old and when I look them up, they were 40. Cant explain it but todays 60 is yesterdays 50 and 50 is yesterdays 40.

[@johnwier5428]

She was a great journalist, period. She did have personal demons. Her caliber and standards of broadcasting are sorely missed.

[@timprescott4634]

Such a nice laugh...

[@mainmast8955]

there's two of the best. thx

[@scottym9778]

Great smile

[@CityGirlCountry]

Jessica Savitch looked very thin in this clip - thinner even than many of her successors, who are also slender. Rumor has it that she was anorexic; at 5'5" and 100 lbs, she was far below her ideal weight. Still, Jessica had the ideal charisma and professionalism for news broadcasting. Her love of animals is a plus to me.

[@brookehanley3659]

I thought she may have been anorexic too.

[@brookehanley3659]

This is really thin; even for her.

[@Heartbeat214]

@Irene Markoja Cocaine :(

[@CityGirlCountry]

Brooke Hanley She was anorexic, and her cocaine addiction didn't help matters.

[@4got102c]

Jessica Savitch was wasted on cocaine (most of the time). Thus, her "high energy" and fast, manic conversation.

[@smariebryant70]

Great.

[@jessicabernstein5776]

She was a friend, I'm so proud to say. The kids in school cut me up about my name Jessica.. o, you name it.." Jessaqueer" seemed to be the favorite. I mean it..I went thru hell. So..being from philly and liking her as everyone else did..I wrote to her..the letter began; Dear Jessica. Hi Jessica . Can I ask you a question? Do you HATE your name"?? I explained, at 12..no one had seem to have ever heard the name yet. Well, Jessica not only answered my letter, but asked me to call and leave my phone number...so I did. One night after dinner..the phone rang. My mother says," yes she is, may I tell her whose calling"? " oh, yes, shes right here. And my mom looked at me..and smiling...said" Jessica? ..JESSICA SAVITCH". We talked and talked, invited me down to the studio where I met and saw everyone I'd always known..then we went out for lunch. Cheeseburgers!! I bought her a gift..I knew she liked tennis..and I said..mom..I'll know it when I see it...meaning her gift. Then..there it was. The small gold tennis racket pin..." "that's it...", I said. At lunch, I said.." Oh! I almost forgot...here. " She just stared at the little box. " for me?" " yes, it's a gift...for you." " oh, wow..I...wow..ok...I better open it ,huh?" " yeah!" She opened the box, and held the tiny ,gold tennis racket..looking at it as if it were...I dont know..." do you like it Jessica?" " yes. I cant remember receiving a gift I've loved quite as much...in a very long time. Thankyou Miss Bernstein" " You're welcome, Miss Savitch". We ended our lunch..and stayed in touch til the very early end. I cried. I'm crying now. She had so much. So much to give ..but it seemed , sometimes...that no body wanted it. Sge had no one to give it to...she was warm..kind..and Chewie..her wonderful dog. I was so lucky to have reached for her hand in a very confusing time in my life. I loved her. If she was your friend. .she really was.

[@joemartines3545]

Interesting...

[@johnd.1849]

What a beautiful memory of her, thank you for sharing this. I never had the privilege of meeting Ms Savitch, but remember her broadcasts vividly. She was articulate, charismatic and certainly beautiful. Such a tragic death at a young age.

[@Heartbeat214]

Thank you for this, Don Giller.

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@danielpoitras1858]

Interesting as the third interview occured some 8 months before her death in a car accident.

[@Ranwolfe]

I liked her wish she could have lived on she was the best

[@JCNDCIII]

She's so charming in the first segment. In the second segment she constantly looks at the monitor to see herself. And she looks drastically different a year later. The book came out after her husband's suicide so she was speaking form the heart when talked about how a personal life is hard even if you are successful in your career. Maybe the appearance was after her nose job? Sweet she has the portrait of Chewy who was killed in the car accident with her.

[@brookehanley3659]

The nose looks different and not better.

[@brookehanley3659]

They did a bad job on her nose it is too flat. Looked better with the original bump. Poor plastic surgeon.

[@DanielSwartfiguer]

Maybe all the coke she was shoving up her nose by then forced her to get it fixed and the excuse was that she got a nose job for cosmetic reasons?

[@virginiawright42]

@@brookehanley3659 a

[@Gammarklar]

I recently walked past where Jessica tragically died as its close to where i live. It is kind of baffling when u see the spot.. not too far of a drop and it makes u wonder how someone would accidentally veer into that part of the canal. Although it was raining hard that night and visibility was low. Jessica seemed like one of a kind and was very much a trailblazer for female news anchors. Supposedly Christina Applegate's character in Anchorman was largely based off of her persona

[@Heartbeat214]

@Gammarklar "Accidentally" may be the operative word.

[@Nick96S]

@Heartbeat214 You don't think it was an accident either?

[@Gammarklar]

i did not mean to insinuate that i think foul play was involved. i do think it was an accident. just a very a strange, freak accident.

[@Nick96S]

Only reason I asked was because there is a conspiracy theory regarding the mob killing her after her Frontline episode in January 1983 regarding the fixing of NFL games.

[@marysunshine2027]

Nick Knack you are correct and look into her Italian Mafia ties also.

[@RobertRothman1]

Thank you for posting. Jessica was the ultimate news anchor. Forever. Period.

[@BettinaBalser]

Ain't nobody been like her, before or since. Rest in peace, Jess.

[@nlcrme]

I fully agree! She was amazing.

[@mainmast8955]

yes and yes

[@creamcheese1048]

Yes she was. Why do people love to trash people after they are dead and cannot defend themselves ?

[@DanielSwartfiguer]

@@creamcheese1048 perhaps as a warning so others don't fall into the same trap?

[@facedownchuck]

She’s beautiful and intelligent. And she really talks fast.

[@PlugIntoSybie]

Chewy died with her in that car. She lit up showing his picture

[@mainmast8955]

yeah, still hurts.

[@douglasdixon524]

I remember that, so sad. Here it is June 2021 almost 38 years later. God it's been a lifetime, she was only 36 years old at the time she died.

[@handsome-brute2666]

@13:50 she speaks on her mortality

[@brettshears]

Anchorman's Veronica Corningstone was based on Jessica, you can see it.

[@jfjoubertquebec]

20:13 Spot on.

[@jodizzle6321]

She looks much older than 36 in this video. It's obvious that she had lived a hard, demanding life up to that point.

[@kamironLance]

Mary Hart reminds me of Jessica Savitch.

[@lakb45]

Wow---where did the concept of objective newscasters go?? I loved the 80s.

[@2004cyrus]

Journalism died 20 years ago

[@billyshepard5514]

The Dog Chewy drowned with Jessica sadly

[@JPMcFly1985]

18:46 34 is HELLA young now

[@lyssamaried]

don't mind me, just bookmarking some stuff for class 6:00 7:16 14:07 17:29

[@uratrick]

I'm somewhat of chauvinistic dude. But I always thought she was great news anchor. Sad day when she died so unexpectedly.

[@joeambrose3260]

18:45. Fibber. She was 35

[@savage_skirt5386]

people looked so much older in the 80s

[@limolnar]

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

[@MrGlendale111]

Letterman presents a much better show than today's late night. Fallon, Colbert and Kimmel are not all that good. Kimmel and Colbert start every show with political propaganda. Horrible and tiresome. Jessica was excellent at her job. So sad she turned to drugs to numb her pain. Her tragic death seems like yesterday. Hard to believe it's so long ago.

[@orvilleh.larson7581]

Jessica Savitch was a news reader--er, uh, "anchor." These vain, egotistical people think the world revolves around them. Savitch was no exception. Years ago, I read "Almost Golden: Jessica Savitch and the Selling of Television News" by Gwenda Blair. Savitch was an unstable personality. She was given to temper tantrums. She demanded things nobody else had, or asked for. She had an on-again, off-again, years-long relationship with Ron Kershaw (who often beat her up). She wasn't much of a reporter. When she got to NBC in 1977, she was assigned to cover the U.S. Senate. She couldn't hack it. In fact, Reuven Frank--one of the pioneers of broadcast journalism--said that he wouldn't trust Savitch to cover a fire.

[@JCNDCIII]

Her reporting skills were just fine. She was just in over head at the Senate. Making things worse, NBC didn't give her a chance to learn the ropes because they were sending her out on press junkets. Frank was a old school male chauvinist who didn't like Savitch. She could cover a fire just as well as Tom Brokaw could.

[@w.c.orielly9059]

im surprised at how terribly nervous she is and Dave has to try to wrangle that nervous energy(cocaine😬) all in in and make it ...."entertaining".... WOW 😟🥴

[@lindaeasley4336]

She seems rather nervous and uncomfortable here

[@chadsoard500]

Well she said that she was very nervous for that first show and if You do a little cocaine it really doesn't help it,but I think she's great!!!

[@SuburbanDon]

She has a lisp ?

[@Jupe367]

Man, she talks so fast.

[@rascal211]

No, you have slow listening.

[@MitchGrooms]

Chey the dog and they never talked about her book,,

[@ATLcentury334]

I remember the week she died very well. She passed away close to Halloween. I went to Backstreet in Detroit for a Halloween party. A guy was dressed as a woman, in blue suit, skirt, white bow tie blouse, he had a mangled New York license plate hanging around his neck by a small chain. His makeup was stark white, then a regular makeup job over that. I was stumped as to who he was supposed to be. Finally I got close enough to get a better look. On the lapel of the jacket was a pin in the shape of the NBC logo. It said Jessica Savitch. He won the costume contest that night.

[@dmimcg]

cocaine is a powerful drug.

[@herbyverstink]

sounds like dentures

[@johnoman6617]

I liked her when she was doing the news but with David Letterman she is either very uncomfortable or made of plastic. She comes across as very fake to me. Wish I had not watched this.

[@siggylloyd3566]

So sorry kid, seeing this broke your little fantasy? Imagine thinking people are EVER real on TV.

[@mtsflorida]

On the contrary she was open and honest. It's sad that from Ed Bradley to her 2nd husband the OBGYN she was involved with drugs and at the end it made her life fast lived. She got into a car after having dinner with a news exec who paid no attention to his weather warnings and drop the wrong way into a storm that caused him to drive off the road into water and mud. All 3 drown including her companion Chewy the husky as they were trapped inside for many hours. America so caught by drug problems and people lacking safety habit including bad drivng.

[@aisthpaoitht]

WOW she was thin. Very rough-looking. Yikes.

[@creamcheese1048]

What does her weight have to do with her job as an award winning journalist ?

[@timprescott4634]

STFU

[@suzii6690]

I think she looks fine!!

[@pmitsos1]

Rough-looking???? Why don't you show your face and let us call you what you look like. You're a pig.

[@manofiske3318]

@@creamcheese1048 _When_ it("her weight") is indicative of health problems, whether they be of the mental and/or physical variety.

[@boriskarloff3270]

I wish I could remember all of the dark jokes afterwards, they were pretty freakin' funny. I still remember telling them to my dad, even he smiled and laughed, which was a monumental achievement in itself. I can only remember two: Why did Jessica Savitch drown? A: Because she was an anchorwoman. Who could have saved her? A: Roger Mudd.

[@forreal245]

She is so thin in this interview. I remember her in Texas & thought she was a lesbian from the way she spoke & carried herself. I don't understand why people think she was "gorgeous". I thought she was quite plain. Her life (from 12 onwards) was so sad & ended horrifically.

[@kdkseven]

for real, you sure sound smart.

[@DanielSwartfiguer]

Don't pay attention to the other two morons who replied to your comment, it was spot-on. They're probably just insecure about something.

[@timprescott4634]

You’re an awful human being...

[@perfectpens1262]

Wth is wrong with David Letterman’s hair

[@Johonnac]

Her walk was surprisingly unfeminine; like a teenage boy’s gait