Robert T. Howard

03/11/2001

Robert T. Howard, 73, of Murrells Inlet, S.C., formerly of Pittsfield and a former president of NBC Television, died March 11 in New York City. Born in Red Bank, N.J., on June 18, 1927, he attended the University of Virginia and received an honorary doctorate from St. John's University. He was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II. In the 1980s, he owned and operated radio stations in New England, including station WBEC AM/FM, as part of Citicom Radio of Pittsfield Inc. He was also the president of a joint venture with General Instrument that operated the first satellite television service. During a 33-year career at NBC, he rose from a page to president of the network. During his tenure as president from 1974 to 1977, long-term hits such as "Little House on the Prairie" and "Saturday Night Live" went on the air. He was responsible for acquiring the rights to the mini-series "Jesus of Nazareth" and "The Holocaust." He also acquired the broadcast rights for $90 million to the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Mr. Howard was the driving force behind the "Godfather Saga," a chronological presentation of the Godfather Parts I and II. He contributed to the development of talent, including Tom Brokaw, Tom Snyder, Sue Simmons and Frank Fields from the New York market, as well as Kelly Lange in Los Angeles. He also helped to take the Phil Donahue show national. He was a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science and past president of its international council, and a member of the Urban League, the Greater New York Council of the Boys Scouts of a America and the Indian College Funds of America. He leaves his wife of more than 51 years, the former Joan Alice Volkman; a daughter, Barbara-Jo Howard of Manhattan, N.Y.; three sons, Robert Howard of Murrells Inlet, Gregory Howard of Gutt-enberg, N.J., and Brian Howard of Baiting Hollow, N.Y., and two grandchildren.

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