Phyllis Ann George, the 50th winner of the iconic Miss America pageant, pioneering sportscaster, and former First Lady of Kentucky, died Friday, May 14, following a long struggle with a blood disorder.
George was born June 25, 1949 in Denton, Texas. She attended the University of North Texas for three years until being crowned Miss Texas in 1970. At that time, Texas Christian University awarded scholarships to Miss Texas honorees, and as a result, she left UNT to enroll at TCU, where she studied classical piano until she won the Miss America crown in the fall of 1971.Her 1974 role as Allen Funt’s co-emcee of the Candid Camera show launched her career in television. That same year, CBS recruited her to join Irv Cross, Brent Musburger and Jimmy the Greek on the NFL Today’s pre game show, where she co-hosted live pregame shows before National Football League games.
She was one of the first women to have a nationally prominent role reporting for television sports. She also covered horse racing events, including the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. In 1978 George became the host of the entertainment show People, the television version of People magazine. In 1985 she co-anchored the CBS Morning News show, where she interviewed prominent guests, including then-First Lady Nancy Reagan.
George was briefly married to Hollywood producer Robert Evans, whom she divorced in 1978. In 1979, she married businessman John Y. Brown, who owned Kentucky Fried chicken and later the Boston Celtics basketball team. George served as First Lady of Kentucky when Brown became the state’s governor. During her marriage to Brown, she had two children, entrepreneur Lincoln Tyler George Brown and CNN White House corespondent Pamela Ashley Brown.
George was born June 25, 1949 in Denton, Texas. She attended the University of North Texas for three years until being crowned Miss Texas in 1970. At that time, Texas Christian University awarded scholarships to Miss Texas honorees, and as a result, she left UNT to enroll at TCU, where she studied classical piano until she won the Miss America crown in the fall of 1971.Her 1974 role as Allen Funt’s co-emcee of the Candid Camera show launched her career in television. That same year, CBS recruited her to join Irv Cross, Brent Musburger and Jimmy the Greek on the NFL Today’s pre game show, where she co-hosted live pregame shows before National Football League games.
She was one of the first women to have a nationally prominent role reporting for television sports. She also covered horse racing events, including the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. In 1978 George became the host of the entertainment show People, the television version of People magazine. In 1985 she co-anchored the CBS Morning News show, where she interviewed prominent guests, including then-First Lady Nancy Reagan.
George was briefly married to Hollywood producer Robert Evans, whom she divorced in 1978. In 1979, she married businessman John Y. Brown, who owned Kentucky Fried chicken and later the Boston Celtics basketball team. George served as First Lady of Kentucky when Brown became the state’s governor. During her marriage to Brown, she had two children, entrepreneur Lincoln Tyler George Brown and CNN White House corespondent Pamela Ashley Brown.
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