Jim Hartz 1940-2022

Jim Hartz, the NBC News veteran who covered the space program for a decade and co-hosted the Today show in the 1970s alongside Barbara Walters, has died. He was 82.

Hartz died April 17 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at a hospital in Fairfax County.

Hartz beat out Tom Brokaw and Tom Snyder when he stepped in for fellow Oklahoman Frank McGee as co-host of Today in July 1974. McGee had spent three years on the job before dying of bone cancer at age 52.

When Walters exited Today in June 1976 to join ABC News — Jane Pauley replaced her — Hartz was removed in favor of Brokaw a couple months later. He spent a brief stint as a correspondent before leaving the network.