David Hartman

David Downs Hartman was born on May 19, 1935, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the son of Fannie Rodman (Downs) and Cyril Baldwin Hartman. He began his professional career as an actor before transitioning into broadcasting, where he became best known as the original male co-host of ABC's Good Morning America.

Hartman's Broadway career spanned from 1957 to 1965 and included appearances in The Yearling, My Fair Ladies, and Hello, Dolly!. His role in the original 1964 production of Hello, Dolly! was followed by The Yearling in 1965. In 1966, he played a lead role alongside Hal Linden in the industrial musical Diesel Dazzle. His film work during this period included the Doris Day comedy The Ballad of Josie (1967), Nobody's Perfect (1968), and Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? (1968) with Phyllis Diller. He also appeared in the 1973 television film remake of Miracle on 34th Street.

On television, Hartman appeared in The Virginian in 1969 and earned a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of a dedicated physician, Dr. Paul Hunter, on The Bold Ones: The New Doctors. He later starred as a teacher in the series Lucas Tanner.

On November 3, 1975, Hartman became the original male co-host of Good Morning America on ABC, a position he held until 1987. Despite lacking a formal journalism background, he conducted more than 12,000 interviews over his eleven years on the program, during which GMA frequently ranked as the highest-rated morning news show on network television. He customarily closed each broadcast with the sign-off, "Make it a good day today." In 2017, Hartman received the National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award.

Following his tenure at Good Morning America, Hartman anchored and hosted documentary programming on the Discovery Channel, History, and PBS member station WNET in New York City. Produced by James Nicoloro, his PBS work consisted of a series of "Walk Through" documentaries covering communities across the New York City area, beginning with A Walk Down 42nd Street in August 1998 and continuing through A Walk Around Staten Island in 2007.

Hartman was married to Maureen Downey from 1974 until her death on September 17, 1997. They had four children together. In 2001, he married Mary Clark Putman.