Alexander McDuff Dreier (June 26, 1916 – March 11, 2000) was an American news reporter and commentator who worked with NBC Radio during the 1940s, and later with the ABC Information Radio Network in the 1960s and early 1970s. Dreier then became an actor and appeared in a number of TV series and films.
Early years Dreier was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, attended Stanford University, and graduated in 1939. He then went into journalism, and was covering Berlin for United Press when he joined NBC in 1941. During his year in Berlin he was under surveillance by the Gestapo, and he left the city one day before the Pearl Harbor attack.
His commentary aired on NBC on Saturdays from 1942 to 1945 and weekdays from 1951 to 1956. Known as Chicago's "Man on the Go," Dreier was the city's top TV anchor during his years on NBC-owned WNBQ-TV, serving as a news reporter and anchor. He also handled news for NBC-TV's Today on the Farm from 1960–61. He was replaced as WMAQ anchor by Floyd Kalber in 1962; he then moved to ABC owned-and-operated WBKB-TV.
From 1959 to 1964, Dreier also co-hosted the television program Championship Bridge with Charles Goren. These can still be seen on the Arts Channel of TV4U.com.
Later years
Dreier moved to California in 1967, where he worked in Los Angeles for KTTV and also began a career as an actor in many films such as The Boston Strangler (1968), Chandler (1971), The Carey Treatment (1972), The Loners (1972), Lady Cocoa (1975) and The Astral Factor (1978), and TV shows, including Mannix, Kojak, Land of the Giants, Hart to Hart and Love, American Style between 1968 and 1979. He served as chairman of the board for the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences and as a board member of Shimer College and the Eisenhower Medical Center. and the Eisenhower Medical Center. In 1989, he was inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Hall of Fame.Alexander Dreier, 83, Broadcast Journalist Who Won 7 Emmys. New York Times. March 16, 2000
Death Dreier died on March 11, 2000, in Rancho Mirage, California.Alex Dreier on the Internet Movie Database He is buried in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan Radio Announcer Uncredited1968 The Boston Strangler News Commentator 1971 Chandler Ross J. Carmady 1972 The Carey Treatment Dr. Joshua Randall 1972 The Loners Police Chief Peters 1975 Lady Cocoa Ramsey 1975 Alias Big Cherry 1978 The Astral Factor Dr. Ulmer
References
External links Reaction of children listening to Alex Dreier during WWII