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Standing 6'5" tall, affable, and charming, actor and multimedia host David Downs Hartman was born in Rhode Island on May 19, 1935, to Fannie Rodman (Downs) and Cyril Baldwin Hartman. His father, once a Methodist minister, left the clergy to become a salesman. His parents' later divorce had a profound impact on him. David grew up mastering various musical instruments and studied choral singing. Though initially inclined toward a professional baseball career in high school, he declined an athletic scholarship to attend Duke University, where he majored in economics. While at Duke, he explored radio, commercials, and TV appearances, sparking his interest in entertainment.
His budding career was interrupted by military service in the Air Force's Strategic Air Command, but after his discharge, he returned to acting with roles in musical summer stock productions such as Oklahoma! (playing Curly), South Pacific, and Kismet, alongside some television appearances. David made his Broadway debut as Rudolph in the original 1964 production of Hello, Dolly! starring Carol Channing. He also appeared in the 1965 Broadway show The Yearling, which unfortunately closed after just three performances.
David’s on-screen debut came as a waiter in a 1967 episode of Coronet Blue. Soon after, he was signed by Universal and transitioned smoothly into "nice guy" co-star roles. However, these parts in forgettable films like The Ballad of Josie (1967) with Doris Day, the naval comedy Nobody's Perfect (1968), and the quirky Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? (1968) starring Phyllis Diller failed to establish him as a leading film actor. Instead, he shifted focus to television, making a strong impression joining the western series The Virginian (1962) as David Sutton. This led to major success as Dr. Paul Hunter on the acclaimed medical drama The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969), where he starred alongside E.G. Marshall and John Saxon. Hartman earned a Golden Globe nomination during the show's five-season run.
Television remained his forte, with memorable guest roles on popular series such as Marcus Welby, M.D., The Name of the Game, Ironside, and Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law. He also showcased his talent in lighter fare through TV movies, playing a male chauvinist cop opposite Barbara Eden in The Feminist and the Fuzz (1971); a detective working with Don Knotts investigating mysteries in a spooky mansion; and stepping into the John Payne role in the 1973 remake of Miracle on 34th Street, co-starring Jane Alexander and Sebastian Cabot.
After starring as a professor in Disney’s family fantasy adventure The Island at the Top of the World (1974), David returned to series television as Lucas Tanner, a retired baseball player turned high school teacher, in the 1974 show Lucas Tanner. His performance received praise, but the series was canceled after one season. Unbeknownst to him, a new career path awaited.
Despite lacking a journalism degree and professional experience—besides co-hosting The Mike Douglas Show once—David was hired on November 3, 1975, as the original male co-anchor for ABC's newly retitled morning news program Good Morning America (1975). He remained for 11 years, conducting over 12,000 interviews, achieving high ratings, and earning a daytime Emmy. He was warmly remembered for ending each show with the phrase, "Make it a good day today!"
After leaving Good Morning America, David maintained a low profile but occasionally appeared as an emcee for late-night infomercials. In the 1990s, he became an anchor and host for a series of documentaries on the Discovery Channel and New York City's WNET. His PBS Walking Tour series (1999), featuring various New York City communities, won him several Emmy and journalism awards. In North Carolina, Hartman also hosts the North Carolina Symphony radio broadcasts on Public Radio and WCPE-FM. Widowed in 1997 and father of four, David remarried in 2001 and welcomed another child.
