Louis Rukeyser, Longtime TV Host, Dead At 73

wcbstv ^ | May 2, 2006 11:45 pm

[lunarbicep]

Louis Rukeyser, a best-selling author, columnist, lecturer and television host who delivered pun-filled, commonsense commentary on complicated business and economic news, died Tuesday. He was 73.

Rukeyser died at his home in Greenwich after a long battle with multiple myeloma, a rare cancer of the bone marrow, said his brother, Bud Rukeyser.

As host of "Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser" on public TV from 1970 until 2002, Rukeyser took a wry approach to the ups and downs in the marketplace and urged guests to avoid jargon. He brought finance and economics to ordinary viewers and investors and was rewarded with the largest audience in the history of financial journalism.

"He brings to the tube a blend of warmth, wit, irreverence, thrusting intellect and large doses of charm, plus the credibility of a Walter Cronkite," Money magazine wrote in a cover story.

[lunarbicep]

Louis Rukeyser

[zarf]

RIP Louie! Thanks for Wall Street Week.

[martin_fierro]

A shame. Rest in peace.

[RichardW]

I didn't know he had the disease. This killed my mother back in 1985. It is bad news. She was down to 60 pounds when she finally and mercifully died at age 65.

It is my understanding they now treat this disease with Thalidomide. Geraldine Farraro is supposed to have this same disease and seems to be doing OK, last I heard.

Sad to hear of his passing.

[HAL9000]

He always projected a great sense of optimism about the American economy.

PBS showed their true colors when they dumped him.

[speedy]

I loved his show. A sly wit, and always with common sense. Plus he looked like George Washington. Very much missed. RIP, Mr. Rukeyser.

[FairOpinion]

May he rest in peace.

He gave personality to business news.

[Draco]

RIP Professor Lou. Thanks for being one of the long running and worthwhile PBS hosts. May you collect your full reward now.

[SuziQ]

Oh man! I loved Wall Street Week, even though I didn't understand all the financial lingo. Rukeyser was just fun to watch.

[Yaelle]

RIP, Louis. He will always hold a soft spot in my heart, though I never meant to watch his show. My Dad was addicted to it and absolutely never missed it, videoing it when he could not be there. I lived overseas and my Dad would send me fun TV shows to watch now and then. My Dad was not the greatest video recording genius, so several times, the videoed show would get right to the most exciting part of the episode and the screen would go fuzzy and then there would be Louis Rukeyser going on about the markets. It was always kind of funny. I am so sorry he was so ill.

[July 4th]

I got a real kick out of this:

Before debuting on CNBC, Rukeyser for 32 years was host of the most popular financial program on television, PBS's "Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser."

In March 2002, Maryland Public TV, which produced the show, announced that it would be put out to pasture when Rukeyser's contract was up that June, to be replaced by "Wall Street Week With Fortune," setting the stage for one of the most exciting broadcasts in the history of financial-news television programming.

Rukeyser was offered a gig as commentator on the new show -- an offer he refused. That Friday, Rukeyser opened "Wall Street Week" by telling his millions of loyal fans that he had been "ambushed" by public television and that he was developing a new, rival program. He also revealed, on the air, that "Wall Street Week" was a "major cash cow" for public television, costing a mere $2 million a year to produce while bringing in about $6 million in national underwriting. "And that doesn't include massive local underwriting!" he added for good measure.

"I want you to rise out of your chair," Rukeyser told his viewers, "not to shout, 'I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!' but to . . . write or e-mail your local PBS station saying you heard Louis Rukeyser is still going to have a program and you'd like to see it.

"I promise you that if enough of you do that, it will do the job."

MPT responded by firing him, effective immediately. Early that April, Rukeyser announced his CNBC series, getting the last laugh by arranging for it to be rerun on PBS stations. "Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street" is carried by more than 160 PBS stations.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18913-2004Oct8.html

[lawnguy]

When Lloyd Benson was Treasury Secretary, Louis had him on his show and caught him red-handed lying about his past support for capital gains tax cuts. It was great.

RIP

[RHINO369]

How odd is it that my childhood memories include watching Wall street Week every Friday with my dad and my uncle. When I was under 10.

[Petronski]

Great theme music too!


RIP

[Knitting A Conundrum]

RIP...I had been watching him, off and on since I was in my late teens back in the 70s...

[OKIEDOC]

Was an excellent show that I enjoyed very much.

[Petronski]

In the 80s, there were two "must see" financial programs on PBS: Louis Rukeyser on Friday nights, and the Nightly Business Report every weekday dinner hour, with a very young Neil Cavuto.

Must see TV.

[Siena Dreaming]

All the guests always seemed so...classy.

Great, pro-American show.

God bless him and his family.

[decal]

The best W$W programs were the ones with his father Merryle as guest. Easy to see where Lou got his wit from.

[mkjessup]

"He brings to the tube a blend of warmth, wit, irreverence, thrusting intellect and large doses of charm, plus the credibility of a Walter Cronkite,"

Why insult a good man upon his death?!?

Rest in Peace Sir, You done good, and you will be missed.