The news of Robert Osborne’s passing was a bad way to start the day. We were friends from the day that our Delta Upsilon fraternity at the University of Washington assigned him to be my “big brother†and roommate. A fellow journalism major, Bob was confidant and adviser to this green freshman. Not long after his graduation, he took his love for the movies to Hollywood. For a time he pursued acting with Lucille Ball as his mentor (they are pictured together above). He became a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter, was an expert on the Academy Awards and literally wrote the book on the Oscars. Eventually, Turner Classic Movies hired him as their host. TCM exposure made him one of the most familiar television figures of his time. Here we see him with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Oz and I stayed in touch by way of occasional telephone chats and email messages but saw one another far too seldom. Our mutual college friend and brother Ted Van Dyk wrote this morning,
Bob was a talented, honest and good human being. He also happened to become famous,which was last in importance. God bless him.
Amen.
Bob Osborne RIP.