Obit

Frost, 74

BRITISH  JOURNALIST David Frost died of a heart attack last August 31.

Frost was best known for his series of interviews with resigned US President Richard Nixon in 1977 in which the latter admitted his part in the Watergate scandal. The events were retold in a hit play, “Frost/Nixon”, which became a film in 2008 starring Michael Sheen as Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon.

Frost hosted BBC satire programs That Was the Week that Was or TW3 (1962-1963), Not So Much A Programme, More A Way of Life (1964-1965) and The Frost Report (1966-1967). He also hosted the Associated-Rediffusion’s The Frost Programme where he interviewed the notorious fraudster Emil Savundra. He also co-launched London Weekend Television and was one of the five presenters-cum-shareholders behind breakfast television station TV-am, which launched in 1983. (“Obituary: Sir David Frost“, BBC)

In 1993, he hosted BBC’s Breakfast with Frost and Al Jazeera English Channel’s weekly current affairs program Frost All Over The World.

Frost was twice awarded the Emmy Award for The David Frost Show. He was also awarded the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) fellowship, Royal Television Society Silver Medal, and the Richard Dimbleby Award in the UK and, internationally, the Golden Rose of Montreux. (“Biography: Sir David Frost“, Al Jazeera)

Frost was the only journalist to have interviewed all seven British prime ministers who held office between 1964 and 2010 and every US President who had occupied the White House between 1969 and 2008.

In a statement on Frost’s death, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said that “He had an extraordinary ability to draw out the interviewee, knew exactly where the real story lay and how to get at it, and was also a thoroughly kind and good-natured man. Being interviewed by him was always a pleasure, but also you knew that there would be multiple stories the next day arising from it.” (“David Frost dies aged 74“, The Guardian)

BBC’s Andrew Marr added: “David Frost changed British broadcasting not once but twice. He was a prime mover in the satire boom of the 1960s. A lot of that was down to him and his drive and shaping, influence and personality.” (“Sir David Frost, broadcaster and writer, dies at 74“; BBC)

Al Anstey, managing director of Al Jazeera English, said: “With his characteristic incisive, engaging, and unique interviewing style his shows hosted some of the most important and interesting names in recent history. His conversations with his guests elicited both news lines, and a unique insight into their lives.” (“Al Jazeera host David Frost dies“)