Tom Snyder dead at the age of 71

August 2, 2007

Los Angeles - Talk show host Tom Snyder has died at the age of 71 after a long battle with leukemia.

Snyder gained national fame as the host of NBC's late-night series The Tomorrow Show from 1973 to 1982.

Through a trademark cloud of cigarette smoke, he conducted John Lennon's final televised interview in 1975 and U2's first US TV appearance in 1981.

Fellow TV host David Letterman said: "Tom was the very thing that all broadcasters long to be - compelling."

He added: "Whether he was interviewing politicians, authors, actors or musicians, Tom was always the real reason to watch. I'm honored to have known him as a colleague and a friend."

Letterman hired Snyder in 1995 as host of The Late Late Show, which followed on from his own program.

Memorable interviews

One of Snyder's most famous interviews was with mass murderer Charles Manson, whose mood fluctuated dramatically during the program.

The Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten once decided he was not in the mood to be on a talk show, leading to an excruciating 12 minutes of airtime.

Snyder gained fame in his heyday when comic Dan Aykroyd spoofed him in the early days of legendary comedy series Saturday Night Live. His black eye brows, robust laugh, digressive way of asking questions, clipped speech pattern and chain-smoking made for a distinctive send-up.

Born in Milwaukee, Snyder began his career as a radio reporter in his home town in the 1960s, then moved into local television news, presenting bulletins in Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles before moving to late night TV.

Snyder returned to local news presenting in New York after The Tomorrow Show ended.

He eventually hosted an ABC radio talk show before returning to television on CNBC.

© AlaskaReport News