Legendary New York City television news anchor Ernie Anastos has died.
His wife, Kelly, says he died early Thursday morning of pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital. He was 82.
Anastos anchored right here at WCBS. He also worked at WABC, Fox 5, and Channel 9, earning more than 30 Emmy Awards throughout his career.
“If there was a Mount Rushmore for news anchors in New York, Ernie would be one of the four faces,” CBS News New York’s Tony Aiello said. “He worked at four stations. He paired well with every co-anchor they ever put him with because he was such a pro.”
New York, NY – 1986: WABC news anchor Ernie Anastos.
American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Anastos taught so many of us how be on television.
“When I made the switch from print to TV, I was terrified, terrified to go on the set,” CBS News New York’s Marcia Kramer said. “So he knew this and he would hand me a rose, throw a pencil at me, one time, he threw a paperclip at me. All of it to make me believe that I was not gonna die and fall on the floor.”
Anastos made elegance a must.
“Always dressed to the Ts, embracing us all always with calls and messages, ‘Let’s have lunch.’ He had fans everywhere,” CBS News New York’s Jennifer McLogan said.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 03: Ernie Anastos attends the 54th Annual New York Emmy Awards at Marriott Marquis Times Square on April 3, 2011 in New York City.
Andy Kropa / Getty Images
And he could make work fun.
“You never knew when he was going to break out in a song or just a little dance or something around the newsroom,” CBS News New York’s Thomas Busch said.
“We laughed. Lots of time, we laughed inappropriately on the air,” former WABC news anchor Rose Ann Scamardella said. “He was special. He is special. He will always be special in my heart.”
Anastos was beloved. He was always positive. He never lost his passion, and he never was cynical. He treated every day like it was his first day on the job.
Anastos knew everybody, and everybody loved him.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 18: Ernie Anastos attends the Luisa Diaz Foundation 9th Annual MAG Gala at The Plaza on May 18, 2023 in New York City.
Mark Sagliocco/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
He was a proud son of the New York Greek community.
“You couldn’t go into a Greek diner anywhere in New York for a generation and not see a picture of a smiling Ernie Anastos hanging there behind the cashier,” Aiello said. “He was like the patron saint of the Greek diners, looking down on you and giving you a little bit of a blessing with that million-watt smile.”
In recent years, he developed the program “Positively Ernie,” which was very appropriate, since he was one of the most optimistic people you could ever know.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family.
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