Charles Herring was born on August 18, 1922 and raised on a farm
outside of Walla Walla, Washington. Herring attended Washington State
University briefly, and graduated from Whitman College in 1941 with a degree in
English. While at Whitman, Herring worked for a radio station in Walla Walla,
then he served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theater during World War II.
On his return to Seattle, Herring took a newscasting job at the radio station
KJR for two years, before becoming the first news director and anchor at
KING-TV Channel 5 in 1951.
With his first newscast on the two-year-old KING-TV, on September 10,
1951, Charles Herring became Seattle’s first live television news broadcaster.
Herring worked for KING-TV for 16 years, covering stories in Washington State,
Alaska and abroad in Europe and Asia. Herring covered memorable Northwest
moments such as the historic test flight of the Boeing 707 prototype in July
1954, the riot at the Walla Walla state penitentiary in 1955, and Burt Thomas’s
swim across the Strait of Juan de Fuca in July 1955. Initially, the entire news
department consisted of Herring and a cameraman, and the first newsroom was
jury-rigged in an old grocery store on Queen Anne Hill. The crew would create,
rehearse and edit the show in the newsroom then drive to the South Lake Union
studio, sometimes arriving minutes before the airtime of the nightly 15-minute
newscasts.
Herring’s broadcasts also marked technological milestones in the
fledgling television industry. His Washington, D.C. coverage of the McClellan
Committee hearing into the affairs of controversial teamster's president Dave
Beck marked the first time Seattleites saw news televised live cross country;
TV signals were sent live across the Atlantic for the first time with the
coverage of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, beamed to Europe aboard the
satellite Telstar.
Herring left KING-TV in 1967, and with his wife, Mary Bemus, purchased
KAPY-AM in Port Angeles; the couple ran the radio station until 1978. He then
worked for Boeing as a video producer until retiring in 1987.
Charles Herring died in Seattle on January 23, 2006.
Content Description
The collection consists of 16 mm films, videotapes, audiotapes, and
radio transcription discs from the news broadcasting career of Charles Herring,
1951-1967, primarily for Channel 5 KING-TV in Seattle.
The first series consists of a compilation of the highlights of
Charles Herring's career from 1951 through 1967, featuring nine segments. Two
series include films related to the
Overseas Report and
Washington Reporter broadcasts, with
footage from various Washington State locations as well as locations in Europe.
These include coverage of the 1965 Seattle earthquake and reports from various
Washington cities such as Forks, Lynden, Richland and Quincy. Other films
include footage of an interview with teamster's president Dave Beck,
commercials for Alka-Seltzer voiced by Herring, and films from Alaska.
Sound recordings including audiotapes of some of Herring's television
broadcasts as well as recordings of other events, such as National Public
Broadcasting roasts and the farewell speech of Washington Secretary of State
Victor Meyers. Three radio transcription discs provide samples of Herring's
work at radio station KJR in Seattle, prior to his becoming a television
broadcaster.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use :
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation :
Charles Herring Collection of News Broadcast Films and Other Material,
Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
The films were arranged into series based on inscriptions on film cans
and reels; possibly some of the miscellaneous films belong within named series,
but were not labeled as such.
Arranged in 7 series:
"Herring Highlights"
The Overseas Report
The Washington State Reporter
King-TV News
Miscellaneous films
Sound recordings
Other material
Acquisition Information :
Gift of Charlie Herring, Charles Herring's son, April 13, 2006
Processing Note :
Processed by Melinda Snarr, 2006
Preservation work was performed on ten of the 16 mm films as part of
the Washington Film Preservation Project at the University of Washington
between 2006 and 2008. Specific films on which preservation was performed are
noted in the inventory.
As part of the preservation work, each film was inspected, cleaned,
cored and canned. The original information was recorded from the reel/can and
leader and the original leader was replaced.
The Overseas Report seems to have been
a series filmed in Europe in the early 1950s, and was possibly a predecessor
series to
The Washington Reporter.
Titles were taken from inscriptions on film cans and reels. Titles
which seem to be show titles or which are unclear are given between quotation
marks.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
3
2006.10.28: Athens
1 reel (15 minutes 5 seconds)
circa 1953
3
2006.10.29: Berlin
1 reel (580 feet) : negative
circa 1953
3
2006.10.30: "F. Patterson shots"
1 reel
Possibly Fred Patterson of the National Bank of Commerce
early 1950s
3
2006.10.31: Frankfurt
1 reel (15 minutes 15 seconds) : negative
early 1950s
3
2006.10.32: Frankfurt
1 reel (15 minutes)
early 1950s
3
2006.10.33: London
1 reel
early 1950s
3
2006.10.34: National Bank of Commerce Europe
report
The Washington State Reporter news
program on KING-TV was produced locally by the National Bank of Commerce (NB of
C) from 1951 to circa 1956. The program featured a reporter on location
throughout Washington state interviewing local business people, leaders, and
citizens about industries, economic growth, and other issues. The series also
covered Alaska and the Pacific Rim countries.
Titles were taken from inscriptions on film cans and reels. Titles
which seem to be show titles or which are unclear are given between quotation
marks.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
2
2006.10.7: Aberdeen, Washington
1 reel (10 minutes 37 seconds)
1954
2
2006.10.8: "D.P. Show"
1 reel (11 minutes 50 seconds)
This is possibly the show on displaced persons arriving to the
United States from Eastern Europe after WWII (circa 1952)
1952
February 19
2
2006.10.9: "Fairchild ?"
1 reel
undated
2
2006.10.10: Fairchild Air Force
Base
1 reel (10 minutes 38 seconds)
1952
June
2
2006.10.11: "Farm in a Day"
1 reel (10 minutes 55 seconds)
1952
June
2
2006.10.12: Forks, Washington
1 reel (10 minutes 48 seconds)
circa 1952
2
2006.10.13a: Grand Coulee Dam
1 reel
circa 1953
2
2006.10.13b: Quincy, Washington
1 reel
circa 1953
2
2006.10.14: Longview, Washington
1 reel
1953
2
2006.10.15: Lynden, Washington--release
print
circa 1953
2
2006.10.16-17: University of Washington medical
school
circa 1953
3
2006.10.18: Port of Seattle
1 reel (186 feet)
Preservation work performed in 2006.
circa 1954
2
2006.10.19: Richland, Washington
1 reel
circa 1952
2
2006.10.20: Salmon institute
1 reel (11 minutes 27 seconds)
Probably about the Fisheries Research Institute of the
University of Washington
1953
4
2006.10.21: Woodland Park/Zoo
1 reel (155 feet)
Preservation work performed in 2006.
VHS available for viewing
circa mid-1950s
2
2006.10.22: Yakima--full show
1 reel
1955
2
2006.10.23: Yakima--clips
1 reel (11 minutes 20 seconds)
1955
3
2006.10.24: Zoo
1 reel (480 feet)
Preservation work performed in 2006.
circa 1951
2
2006.10.25: Washington State
Reporter--composite work print, part 1
Titles were taken from inscriptions on film cans and reels. Titles
which seem to be show titles or which are unclear are given between quotation
marks.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
2
2006.10.44: "October 14, 1960"
1 reel
1960
October 14
7
2006.10.45: "Athletic Alphabet
Crisis"
1 reel
Includes 16 page transcript
undated
4
2006.10.46: Teamster president Dave Beck
interview, May 16
1 reel (64 feet)
Preservation work performed in 2006.
A second reel of this program, labeled "Dupe Sound," is in Box
5
circa 1957
4
2006.10.47: "CHH newscast"
1 reel
undated
5
2006.10.48: "Early Edition"
1 reel
1957
July 5
4
2006.10.49: "Herring news"
1 reel
Preservation work performed in 2007-2008.
1955
4
2006.10.50: Seattle earthquake
1 reel (70 feet) : negative
Preservation work performed in 2006.
1965
April 29
7
2006.10.51: "The Intruders"
1 reel
Label on can indicates this film was entered by Charles Herring
into the 1966 Washington State Competition for Awards for Excellence in
Journalism in the category "Spot News."
circa 1966
4
2006.10.52-53b: "Lake Chelan promo"
2 reels : negative
1 reel : positive
undated
5
2006.10.54: "Man in Space" ("School
Special")
1 reel
undated
4
2006.10.59: Civil rights (?)
1 reel
Reel is in a box mailed to Mrs. A. Scott Bullitt from the U.S.
Conference of Mayors
Includes films that were not labeled with a program series title,
though some probably are probably related to the
Washington State Reporter series.
Titles were taken from inscriptions on film cans and reels. Titles
which seem to be show titles or which are unclear are given between quotation
marks.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
4
2006.10.56: Alka-Seltzer
commercial
1 reel
1957
January 7
4
2006.10.57: Alka-Seltzer
commercial
1 reel
1955
December 22
2
2006.10.58: West Virginia
1 reel : negative
undated
4
2006.10.60: Transportation in
Alaska
1 reel
Enclosed note: "This film is one of the "Alaskan Reporter"
series entitled "Transportation" or "Over mountain, tundra and sea."
1953
2
2006.10.61: "Josh 1:00 promo"
1 reel
undated
4
2006.10.62: Miser's Bluff
1 reel : answer print
undated
2
2006.10.63: "Number One Son"
1 reel
undated
4
2006.10.64: "Home Run"
1 reel
Preservation work performed in 2007-2008.
undated
4
2006.10.65: "Swansong"
1 reel
1954
4
2006.10.66: "Syncopated Clock"; "Ask Me";
"Dixie Jump"; "Please Mr. Sun"
1 reel
undated
4
2006.10.67: Teamster election
film
1 reel
Note on film leader: "Paduano-Cavano from, UT"
1959
January 6
2
2006.10.68: Telstar (from Seattle World's
Fair?)
1 reel : negative
1962
July 27
4
2006.10.69: "What's the Story"
1 reel
Preservation work performed in 2007-2008.
1956
January 1
4
2006.10.70: "What's the Story," Fairbanks
Goldmining
2006.10.76: King-TV 5 "Celebrate with us: 35
years of Broadcasting"
1 audiocassette
Audiocassette composed by Dan Dean
1983
5
2006.10.78-79: National Public Broadcasting
banquet roast
2 audiocassettes
1993
cassette-side
1/1
Chuck Morris roast
1993
½
Wendall Kinney, Merrill Mael,
Dick Harris
1993
2/1
Morris Gets Even
1993
2/2
Chuck's Favorite
78s
1993
5
2006.10.80-81: National Public Broadcasting
Convention--Dave Richardson and Bill Brubacker
2 audiocassettes
1994
6
2006.10.82: King-TV telecast "What's the
Story," with guest Dave Beck, teamster's President
1 audiotape
1957
March 18
6
2006.10.83: End of Victor Meyers farewell
speech at legislature
1 audiotape
1965
6
2006.10.84: Evans on Chuck
Herring
1 audiotape (44 seconds)
undated
5
2006.10.85: ABC reports, Ma poster
winner
1 audiotape
1967
May 4
6
2006.10.86: King-TV Seattle, Washington; Ken
Jones, NBC, Los Angeles
1 audiotape
undated
6
2006.10.87: Braman--2 sound cuts
1 audiotape
undated
6
2006.10.88-89: Untitled
2 audiotapes
undated
2006.10.90: Samples of Herring's radio
work
5a.1.4
1 radio transcription
disc
A letter from Charles Herring to Vic Reed at the American
Broadcasting Company describes the content of this disc, which seems to have
been sent to ABC in consideration of potential work for Herring. The cuts all appear to have come from his work at radio station
KJR in Seattle. Herring describes each cut:
Cut 1: Coverage of the Washington International Sprint
Regatta, 1947
Cut 2: Coverage of the Washington-California JV crew
race, 1951
Cut 3: Coverage of Huskies-Bears-Stanford Indians Varsity
crew race
Cut 4: Wire recording from scene of a halibut fish oil
plant explosion in North Seattle, July 6, 1948
Cut 5: Description of above area and explosion, in
retrospect
Cut 6: "Main Street America," a show written and narrated
by Herring but never sold, included "as an example of dramatic
narration"
Cut 7: Air check of Herring's morning newscast, April 5,
1950
1951
August 21
2006.10.91: "Binyon Eyeopener
News"
5a.1.4
1 radio transcription
disc
"Binyon Eyeopener News" was Herring's early morning radio show
on KJR, which included news, music, weather and commercials narrated by
Herring.
Transcript of first trans-Atlantic telecast originated by an
American independent television outlet employing the Early Bird satellite,
broadcasting from London, Paris, Washington, D.C. and Seattle on the subject of
Vietnam.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Personal Names :
Beck, Dave,
1894-1993
Corporate Names :
KING-TV
(Television station : Seattle, Wash.)
KJR (Radio
station : Seattle, Wash.)
Subject Terms :
Broadcast
journalism--Washington (State)--Seattle
Television news
anchors--Washington (State)--Seattle
