Fog Blog Entertainment Log: Hugh Downs Former Host of 20/20 Dies at 99:

HUGH DOWNS ....FAMOUS FOR BEING ANCHOR ON THE LONG RUNNING NEWS PROGRAM ON ABC...20/20 HAS DIED......HUGH EVEN MADE IT INTO THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS

BY LOGGING A STAGGERING 10,000 HOURS ON TV....MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.....Hugh Downs, the versatile and Emmy-winning broadcaster whose decades-long TV career ranged from anchoring ABC News' "20/20" to the "Today" show to serving as Jack Paar's sidekick on "The Tonight Show," has died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 99.

Local outlet AZFamily was first to report the news of Downs' passing, citing a statement from his great-niece, Molly Shaheen. Downs -- who retired in 1999 -- was essentially there for the very start of commercial television, serving as the announcer for the children's show "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" and comedy legend Sid Caesar's "Caesar's Hour" in the 1950s. In 1957, when Paar succeeded Steve Allen as host of "The Tonight Show," Downs became the announcer. The next year, Downs launched his run as the original host of the game show "Concentration." When Paar left "The Tonight Show" in 1962, Downs -- who had frequently substituted for Paar -- thought he might be asked to replace him. Instead, the network hired Johnny Carson and Downs segued to NBC's "Today," where he spent nearly a decade on the morning program.