Fred Facey facts for kids
Ferdinand A. Facey (born October 19, 1930 – died April 13, 2003) was an American radio and television announcer. He was best known as Fred Facey. He used his voice to introduce many popular shows and news programs for the NBC network for over 30 years.
A Voice for NBC
Fred Facey joined the NBC network in New York City in 1967. He worked there for the rest of his life. He became one of the few announcers to have a lifetime contract with NBC. Before NBC, he worked as a freelance announcer in places like Washington, D.C. and Long Island.
Early Radio Work
In his early years at NBC, Fred Facey mostly worked in radio. He was often heard on WNBC (AM), NBC's main radio station in New York. His voice was also part of live radio broadcasts, especially during the annual New Year's Eve celebrations.
Moving to Television
Around the mid-1970s, Facey started working in television. He began by announcing short promotional messages and station breaks. In 1979, he became the voice for WNBC-TV's nightly news show, NewsCenter4. He continued to announce for the station's newscasts, which later became News 4 New York, for many years. He also announced for Live at Five when it first started.
The Voice of NBC News
Fred Facey and Howard Reig became the main voices for NBC News. This happened after another famous announcer, Bill Hanrahan, retired. For the next two decades, you could hear Facey's deep voice on many important NBC News programs.
- The Today Show
- Meet the Press
- The News with Brian Williams
- Weekend editions of NBC Nightly News
He also announced for NBC's coverage of big events. These included political conventions and space shuttle launches and landings. His voice was also used for commercials promoting shows like Saturday Night Live.
His Passing
Fred Facey passed away in New York at the age of 72. He died from cancer.
