Rise and Shine! Snakkle Catches Up with Past Today Show Anchors!

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Barbara Walters on Today in 1973

In 1961, Walters started off as a writer and researcher for Today. She later moved up to a “Today Girl,” reporting on light assignments and weather before being promoted to be Today’s first female cohost. Another familiar “Today Girl” was Florence Henderson (a.k.a. Carol Brady). Walters left Today in 1976.

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Barbara Walters—Today

Walters is best known for her time at 20/20, her pre-Oscar interviews, and her place amongst the women on The View. She has interviewed countless celebrities, politicians, and public personalities, including the Shah of Iran, Fidel Castro, Michael Jackson, and Monica Lewinsky.

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Hugh Downs on Today in 1975

It was no surprise that Downs became a nine-year host of Today since he had already been such a regular part of America’s everyday by hosting shows like Kukla, Fran and Ollie; The Tonight Show; and the game show Concentration.

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Hugh Downs—Today

Downs was best known for being the coanchor of 20/20 from the show’s second episode in 1978 to his retirement in 1999. In 1985, he was certified by The Guinness Book of World Records for holding the most on-air television hours. He lost that honor to (who else) Regis Philbin in 2004.

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Tom Brokaw on Today in 1981

Brokaw held his post as cohost of Today from 1976 to 1981. Prior to that, he covered news-breaking topics like the Watergate scandal.

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Tom Brokaw—Today

Brokaw went on to be a 22-year anchor of the NBC Nightly News and has anchored history-making moments like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the attacks on the World Trade Center. He is also an author, Peabody award winner, and one of the biggest household names in news.

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Bryant Gumbel on Today in 1986

Gumbel replaced Tom Brokaw on January 4, 1982, and was on Today for 15 years, earning several Emmys. Gumbel started off as a sports reporter before becoming an anchor. He was such a household name that there’s a line in When Harry Met Sally... about him.

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Bryant Gumbel—Today

After leaving Today, Gumbel moved to CBS, where he was the cohost of The Early Show. Recently, he’s best known for hosting HBO’s acclaimed show Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Check out this other gallery of newsmakers, Morning TV Personalities, Before They Were Stars!

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Jane Pauley on Today in 1986

Following in Barbara Walters’ footsteps, Pauley held a 13-year position as cohost opposite both Tom Brokaw and Bryant Gumbel on Today.

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Jane Pauley—Today

After stepping down from Today, Pauley hosted Real Life with Jane Pauley, which later became Dateline. Pauley is the author of Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue (2004), in which she shares her experiences with bipolar disorder. Here's a photo gallery of NYE Hosts, Before They Were Stars!

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Deborah Norville on Today in 1990

Norville replaced Jane Pauley on Today in 1990 after years of being a regular substitute on the show. Her stint as cohost was shortened by poor ratings and a maternity leave.

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Deborah Norville—Today

Since 1995, Norville has been a host of Inside Edition. She has conducted interviews on controversial subjects like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and Mormon polygamy.

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Faith Daniels on Today in 1990

Daniels was one of the youngest national news anchors when she hosted the CBS Morning News at age 27. After that, she succeeded Deborah Norville for a brief stint on Today. Here she is being welcomed as a coanchor.

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Faith Daniels, 2002

These days Daniels spends most of her time off-camera supporting the National Council for Adoption.

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Katie Couric from Today in 1997

Couric spent 15 years on Today (from 1991-2006) opposite cohosts including Bryant Gumbel, Maria Shriver, and Matt Lauer. Her long tenure on Today earned her the title of “America’s Sweetheart” and no doubt contributed to her becoming the first female anchor on one of the big three weekly nightly news broadcasts (CBS Nightly News).

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Katie Couric—Today

Couric has interviewed presidents and first ladies from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama, celebrities including Lady Gaga and Sarah Jessica Parker, and best-selling authors like J.K. Rowling and Malcolm Gladwell. After leaving Today, she remained the highest-paid news anchor on television with a reported salary of $15 million per year at CBS. In September 2012, her new talk show called Katie will air on ABC.