ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 2, 1996 TAG: 9601020183
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
Palmer Williams, who helped to create the legendary CBS news programs ``See It Now'' and ``60 Minutes,'' died Monday of prostate cancer. He was 79.
Williams, a native of Tenafly, N.J., spent his military career in World War II working with Hollywood directors on film documentaries, including Frank Capra's Academy Award-winning ``Why We Fight.''
After a brief postwar career in documentaries, he joined CBS to develop Edward R. Murrow's radio show, ``Hear It Now,'' for television. With Murrow and Fred Friendly, he helped create ``See It Now.''
``We didn't know the first thing about film. Palmer taught us. He was the true anchor man,'' Friendly said.
Williams also was a director, producer and reporter for CBS News, ``CBS Reports'' and, for 15 years before retiring in 1981, senior producer and managing editor of ``60 Minutes.''
Don Hewitt, creator and executive producer of ``60 Minutes,'' called Williams ``the ultimate pro'' in TV news.
``His contributions were so many, and so quietly performed, that they cannot be separated from the entire development of the genre,'' said former anchorman Walter Cronkite.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 34 linesby CNB