Bill Lawrence

William H. Lawrence (January 29, 1916 – March 2, 1972) was an American journalist and television news personality whose 40-year career as a reporter began in 1932 and included a 20-year stint (1941–61) with The New York Times, for which he reported from major fronts of World War II, Korean War and, subsequently, as the newspaper's White House correspondent. In 1961 he joined ABC News where, for nearly 11 years, he served as the network's political affairs editor and, during his first year, as an evening news anchorman. Background A native Nebraskan, Lawrence was born in the state capital, Lincoln, and briefly attended the city's University of Nebraska. Career Lawrence dropped out of college to join hometown newspaper the Lincoln Star as a 17-year-old cub reporter. Newswires In 1935, at the age of 19, he moved to the Associated Press and, two years later, to the United Press. The first major assignment he covered for UP was the 1936–37 Flint Sit-Down Strike against General Motors and, having won plaudits for his reporting, was reassigned to Washington.