Bob Goodrich

Bob Goodrich was an All-American football player who has become one of television’s most respected sports producers.

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Bob Goodrich played football and was an All American for Woodrow Wilson High School, from which he graduated in 1963. Goodrich was inspired by his father, who was a Methodist Minister and Bishop who hosted and produced the live weekly television show The Pastor Calls.

Although Bob Goodrich was offered 50-60 scholarships from schools around the country, Goodrich chose to play college football in his hometown for the renowned Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. Here, Goodrich received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology as well as played tight end on the SMU team that won the 1966 Southwest Conference (SWC) Championship and played in the 1967 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Goodrich started his career in 1970 at ABC Sports. He began working for ABC on a part-time basis, performing various duties on different sports telecasts. In addition to the hands-on experience he gained, Goodrich learned about the business from the legendary sports broadcasting pioneer Roone Arledge. Goodrich joined ABC Sports full-time in 1971 as a production assistant, becoming an associate producer in 1973 before being elevated to full producer in 1976.

Goodrich was producer of ABC’s NFL’s Monday Night Football from 1980-86. As a tribute to the work done on Monday Night Football, authors Bill Carter and Marc Gunther wrote Monday Night Mayhem, which became a made for TV movie of the same name that documents the creation of ABC’s Monday Night Football in 1970, and how the program rose to the top of the ratings, becoming an American television institution in the process. In this film, actor Brennan Brown portrayed Bob Goodrich, and Bob worked as a consultant on the film.

Goodrich was the producer for the Monday Night Footballgame on Monday, December 8, 1980, the night John Lennon was killed. Goodrich relayed the news to Howard Cosell, who memorably informed the television audience of Lennon's death.

Among the many highlights during Goodrich’s career at ABC Sports was serving as the producer for the network’s first-ever coverage of the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIX, in January 1985 in Stanford, California. He also produced the Super Bowl XXV pre-game and halftime programs in Tampa, Florida in 1991.

...
Wikipedia