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Real-life San Diego anchor man who inspired Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy and the movie character’s fiercely mustachioed look dies at 82
Harold Greene, a veteran Southern California news anchor whose 1970s appearance helped inspire Ron Burgundy’s look in the film Anchorman, has died aged 82. His family announced his death on Tuesday, marking the loss of a journalist who spent nearly four decades reporting and presenting for CBS and ABC audiences.
Greene began his career as a producer and reporter in 1970, then became a familiar face on ABC 10News in San Diego. Filmmakers spotted his feathered haircut and thick moustache in photographs while researching the era; colleague Jack White said Greene contributed visual inspiration, though Burgundy was an amalgam of people. Former mentee Hal Clement recalled Greene as a serious journalist with a strong sense of humour, and stressed that he was very different from the film’s foolish character.
In short
- Harold Greene died aged 82.
- His 1970s look helped inspire Ron Burgundy.
- Colleagues remembered him as a smart, funny journalist.
Explained simply
San Diego’s local television news has long been presented by anchors who report major events and help viewers follow developments in their community. Harold Greene worked in television news from 1970, including as an anchor for ABC 10News in San Diego and for CBS.
The film Anchorman is a comedy about a fictional 1970s television news presenter, Ron Burgundy. Its makers drew on photographs of Greene’s hairstyle and moustache for Burgundy’s appearance, but the character combined influences and was not a portrait of Greene’s journalism or personality.
Greene’s career spanned nearly four decades, as television news changed and reached audiences across Southern California. Former colleagues remembered him as a serious journalist who also had a sense of humour.