{{Short description|American news presenter (1931–2025)}} {{Infobox person | name = Charlie Gaddy | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|9|17}} | birth_place = Roxboro, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|6|12|1931|9|17}} | death_place = North Carolina, U.S. | other_names = | known_for = | occupation = Television news anchor }}
'''Charlie Gaddy''' (September 17, 1931 – June 12, 2025) was an American television anchorman for WRAL-TV from Raleigh, North Carolina. He anchored the evening news for over 20 years, before retiring in 1994.
==Life and career== Gaddy was born in Roxboro, North Carolina on September 17, 1931, and later grew up in Biscoe, North Carolina. He was a graduate of Guilford College. His first appearance on television was as staff announcer with NBC in 1960.<ref name="mtairy"> {{cite news |newspaper=The Mount Airy News |date=1999-12-21 |first=Tom |last=Foreman |title=Kinard, Gaddy, Hardee Were Broadcast Pioneers |publisher=AP |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SHBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8lYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5163,8793125 }}</ref> In his 30s, he moved to Raleigh and subsequently worked for radio station WPTF for ten years as the host of ''Ask Your Neighbor''<ref name="mtairy"/> before joining WRAL-TV in 1970 to host ''Good Morning Charlie''<ref name="star"> {{cite news |newspaper=Star-News |date=1973-03-28 |title=Charlie Gaddy returns as pageant emcee |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Mmo0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=8QkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=938,6249069 }}</ref> After working various other positions at the station, Gaddy was named anchor of the evening newscasts in 1974. By the end of the decade, he was a major part of the number-one-rated ''Action News 5'' team with co-anchor Bobbie Battista, weatherman Bob DeBardelaben and sports anchor Rich Brenner. In 1981, Battista accepted an offer with CNN, Atlanta, and Gaddy became the solo anchor until Adele Arakawa joined in 1983 and Tom Suiter became the new sports anchor in 1981. On July 1, 1994, Gaddy retired from WRAL-TV after 24 years. In 2006, he joined a reunion newscast with Battista, DeBardelaben and Tom Suiter, although he appeared on WRAListens.
The Charlie Gaddy Center for Children was named in honor of Gaddy's public service in support of United Cerebral Palsy of North Carolina.<ref> {{cite web |title= Former WRAL Anchor Honored for Community Service |url=http://www.cbc-raleigh.com/capcom/news/2010/wraltv_10/gaddy_award/gaddy_award.html |accessdate=2011-01-29 }}</ref>
Gaddy was named to the Mid-South Emmy Award Silver Circle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nashville.emmyonline.org/ |title=Mid-South Emmy Awards |access-date=2012-08-13 |archive-date=2010-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206120004/http://nashville.emmyonline.org/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Gaddy died on June 12, 2025, at the age of 93.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/story/longtime-wral-anchor-charlie-gaddy-dies/4546249/|title='The loss of a giant:' WRAL, Triangle mourn longtime anchor Charlie Gaddy|date=June 12, 2025|website=WRAL.com}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaddy, Charlie}} Category:1931 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century American male journalists Category:People from Raleigh, North Carolina Category:People from Biscoe, North Carolina Category:American television news anchors
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