Jim Hartz was an American television personality, columnist and reporter.

Hartz covered the space program for a decade and co-hosted the Today show in the 1970s alongside Barbara Walters.

Hartz beat out Tom Brokaw and Tom Snyder when he stepped in for Frank McGee as co-host of Today in July 1974.

From 1966-76, Hartz covered every manned flight for the U.S. space program, including the Apollo launches that sent the first astronauts to the moon.

After Today, Hartz co-anchored the news for NBC-owned WRC-TV in Washington from 1977-79 and succeeded Hugh Downs to co-host with actress Mary Martin PBS’ Over Easy, about aging gracefully. He hosted the PBS science program Innovation as well.

The five-time Emmy winner also served as a visiting scholar at the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and was the longtime chairman of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission.

Hartz died April 17, 2022 in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was 82.