Nick Clooney talk

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Nick Clooney talks at Mt. St. Joseph Tuesday

Nick Clooney talks Tuesday about the evolution of investigative journalism from the 1950s McCarthy era, which was dramatized by his son George in his Oscar-nominated film “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005).

Clooney will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a free lecture open to the public as part of the the College of Mount St. Joseph freshman author series. Earlier in the day, he will speak twice at the college, where incoming freshmen were required to read the Oscar-nominated “Good Night, and Good Luck” screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. (The film received six nominations, including best motion picture; it didn’t win any Oscars).


CBS Newsman Edward R. Murrow in the 1950s.
In the evening speech, it’s not known how much Nick might reference his son’s movie about CBS Newsman Edward R. Murrow exposing powerful U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy. George learned a lot as a child about about Murrow, who was one of his father’s journalism heroes.

Nick speaks at 7 p.m. in the college theater on campus, 5701 Delhi Road, Delhi Township.


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Here’s my Oct. 21 2005 story with comments from Nick and George about “Good Night, and Good Luck”:

“Murrow no stranger in Clooney household”

By John Kiesewetter

Growing up in Nick Clooney’s home, George couldn’t escape Edward R. Murrow, his father’s hero.

A photo of the legendary CBS newsman, who died in 1965, sits on the living room mantle in Augusta.

“I fell in love with radio because of him. Ed was the guy,” said Nick Clooney, 71, the former Cincinnati radio and TV newsman and variety show host.


His son directed and stars in “Good Night, And Good Luck,” a new feature film about Murrow’s TV confrontation with anti-communist crusader Sen. Edward R. McCarthy of Wisconsin in 1954.

Even though George was only 3 when Murrow died, Nick and Nina Clooney often mentioned the newsman to their two children, George and his sister Ada.

Murrow “was someone that my father always talked about and quoted. That showdown (with McCarthy) was very famous in our family,” said George, 44.

Nick Clooney was first mesmerized by Murrow’s authoritative voice as a child during World War II, listening to Murrow’s CBS radio accounts of the German bombing of London.

In 1951, as a 16-year-old high school student, Nick was reading news on Maysville’s WFTM-AM – the first step in a broadcasting career in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York and other cities. His WKRC-TV (Channel 12) newscasts were No. 1 here in the early 1980s.

Nick admired Murrow for setting the gold standard for TV news in the 1950s, when the medium was in its infancy.

“He had guts,” Nick said. “We talked about Murrow all the time. and that the only thing that really matters is courage. Nina and I knew that wherever we were, the schools probably weren’t going to deal with this very much.”

Nick often cited Murrow, who lost his weekly CBS “See It Now” show a year after the McCarthy showdown, when explaining to George that anyone who picked a fight – or made a tough decision – must be prepared to lose. That was Nick’s experience when he battled managers at WCPO-TV (Channel 9) and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.

Nick repeated the advice when George dropped out of Northern Kentucky University and moved to Los Angeles to become an actor, against his father’s wishes.

Nick was no less an influence on George’s career than Murrow.

George’s love for live TV came from operating the Tele-Prompter for Nick’s Channel 12 newscasts. It inspired him to push for live broadcasts of an “ER” episode in 1997, and his CBS remake of “Fail Safe,” a 1960s Cold War drama, in 2000. CBS and Clooney also are planning a live TV remake next year of “Network,” Paddy Chayefsky’s 1976 scathing satire of television.

“When George first started doing well (on ‘ER’), he said he wanted to do an Ed Murrow story,” Nick said. Six years after leaving “ER,” George co-wrote the script, and bankrolled part of the $7.5-million film himself when Hollywood studios balked, dad says.


“You bet I really am proud,” Nick said.

Thanks IM....that sounds really interesting doesn't it ?

yes!

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Thanks It's Me! Great story!

Yes, thanks It's Me! Would love to hear him talk about it! Great subject matter!

Here's a tweet with nice photo of NC.....he seems like a sweet man:

Got a picture with Haley, Amanda, and Nick Clooney [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Sarah Catherine ツ (@sarah_neal14) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

he seems?

he IS !

Thanks, Silly Girl! He does look like a very nice man! Does he sound like George?

NIck has a deep, soothing voice, much like people who are chosen to be narrators. I would have gone to the lecture, but I was busy doing other things. Yes, Nick and Nina Clooney are kind people , but they are also forces to be reckoned with.

Oh yes...I remember Nina's comments about her son's private life...
And admired her for it.

Yes, Nina Clooney is the ultimate Steel Magnolia