I never got to meet Mort Lloyd, although he was in my living room day after day, year after year. He was Chattanooga’s most-watched TV news anchorman. He switched channels a couple of times, and his loyal viewers always followed him. He died in a plane crash on August 20, 1974, setting off my list of “What If?” questions.
What if he had decided to stay in TV? By 1974, he had tired of the daily TV grind. Twenty years earlier, at the age of 23, the Shelbyville, Tennessee native was hired by WDEF Channel 12 to be its first news anchor the day it signed on the air. At that time, when radio was still king, TV announcers were hired primarily for their voices, and no one’s voice was deeper than Mort’s. His first radio job was at WHAL in his hometown, before making it big at WSIX in Nashville. When he took the WDEF-TV job, Mort’s hair was already thinning, and he decided to shave his head, a rarity in television. His distinctive appearance and bass voice caught on with viewers.
In 1956, Channel 3 (then WRGP-TV) signed on, also offering a nightly newscast. Mort also did some radio work on Chattanooga’s WDXB.
By 1958, Channel 3 was making no progress in the ratings against Mort, so they lured him away from Channel 12. It was a bold move, and Channel 3 made a big splash with Mort’s hire, putting billboards all over town. Immediately, his Channel 3 newscast shot to the top of the ratings, remaining there for twelve years, when Mort switched channels again.
In 1970, Channel 12’s manager decided his station had been in second place long enough, so he offered Mort enough cash to come back to his old station. Mort accepted the offer, under the conditions that the news department would be expanded, and that his longtime weatherman John Gray would come over from Channel 3 too. History repeated itself, as Mort’s viewers again loyally followed him, putting Mort and “the TV-12 Professionals” on top of the ratings.
By 1974, Mort was dissatisfied with what was going on in Washington. Richard Nixon was in the White House, and Republicans were facing a tough mid-term election year. Incumbent GOP 3rd Dist. Rep. Lamar Baker was in his second term, and Mort decided to seek the office as a Democrat. He was 43 years old. To answer my first question, had he decided to stay in TV, he could have surely made a comfortable living for decades to come. Instead, he took a leave of absence from the news desk, and tested the political waters.
Morty, Marilyn, Mort and Mari Lloyd celebrating his election win, August 6, 1974
Mort fared quite well. In early August, he won the Democratic primary, capturing 60 percent of the vote against two opponents. Heading into the November general election, he was considered the favorite against Rep. Baker. Mort’s TV persona had made him a familiar face, and Baker was not a particularly charismatic Congressman. With the stench of Watergate still fresh in voters’ minds, it was not a good time to be a Republican candidate.
On Tuesday August 20, 1974, Mort decided to fly his 1946 Swift airplane to Shelbyville to visit his parents. He was a veteran pilot, and had flown his plane to destinations near and far. As far back as 1958, when a Chattanooga judge faced an impeachment trial in Nashville, Mort flew to the state capital each morning, returning to report the story on the Channel 3 evening newscast.
He took off, flying solo from Chattanooga that morning shortly after 11:00 a.m. He never made it to Shelbyville.
Thirty minutes into his flight, a blade broke loose from the propeller assembly, throwing the engine off balance. The engine shook loose from its mount, and the plane spun out of control. Witnesses saw the plane go down in a wooded field near Manchester. Mort was found slumped over in his seat, dead at the age of 43.
What if he had lived? Political observers say he would have likely won the 3rd District Congressional seat. He was young, popular, and in good health.
Mort’s widow, Marilyn told Democratic party leaders she wanted to run for the seat in the November election, despite formidable competition from two big names: Chattanooga developer Franklin Haney and Oak Ridge banker Jake Butcher. Both were quite wealthy, and both had recently run for governor, losing the Democratic nomination to Ray Blanton. Mrs. Lloyd had campaigned with her husband, and was a savvy businesswoman, having operated a radio station she and Mort owned in Dalton, Georgia. The party chose Mrs. Lloyd over Haney and Butcher, and she easily defeated Rep. Baker in her first election try. She went on to win nine more elections, before retiring from Congress in 1994 after serving ten terms.
We’ll never know what Mort might have achieved in government. Would he have chosen to run for U.S. Senate, as many House members do? Would his popularity have spread statewide as it did in southeast Tennessee? What were his interests, his causes? What committees might he have served on? Would he have used his influence in constructive ways for TVA, the Chickamauga Lock, our highways and health care? Or would he have become frustrated by Washington, and opted to return to the local TV business?
There are no definitive answers. Still, more than forty years after Mort Lloyd’s sudden death, it’s important to note that he made quite an impact on the Chattanooga area in his life, cut short all too soon by tragedy.
Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to find any existing video of Mort’s TV work. Video recording was not a common practice during his career. However, some audio still exists, and if you would like to hear Mort Lloyd’s amazing voice, here’s a brief segment from my YouTube channel, accompanied by several photos:
I was at WDEF TV when this happened. Only a couple of days before, he sat in my office telling me that he felt good about the upcoming election. We were all devastated when he died. He was one of the most honorable men that I have known & after all these years, I still think of him often.
Thanks Ben, I wish I could have met him.
I was 13 but I remember him and hearing about his plane crash. If you lived anywhere near the Chattanooga area and were at least 10 years old at the time how could you not remember him?
that’s an unforgettable voice, for sure. Thanks Lisa.
I interviewed Mort Lloyd the day before he died. He discussed the economy of the Third District…and the recent resignation of President Nixon. Lloyd felt America was a strong nation…and Nixon’s resignation would be a footnote in history. There’s no doubt Lloyd would have won the election…I was also there the day the Democratic Party introduced Marilyn Lloyd as his election successor. There was no doubt she’d win too.
Ed, did you hear Jim Underwood’s voice, on the Tri State Report intro on the YouTube clip?
David, this is a great piece. I, too, remember it well, though I was only 11. I only met Mr. Lloyd once, but he was kind to our family. Moreover, Mrs. Lloyd represented the 3rd District honorably for 20 years. A strong legacy for a man who died much too young.
Thanks Oscar, I appreciate you reading my blog!
David,
I had been at WRCB all of maybe 2 weeks when this happened. This was my first job out of college in Ohio and I was as green as they get. When the WRCB newsroom got word of the crash, I was the only one available. Jerry Wise loaded the CP16 and got me on a single engine plane to Manchester. I was on my own once the plane took off. We landed near Manchester and I managed to borrow an old pick up from a local guy. I bounced around the back roads until I found the crash site and got the video. I think they sent Betty Mac up there in a news car to get me. The film turned out fine! It was some adventure for a kid who’d never spent any time in the south up until then. I never knew Mort, but I covered his wife when she was elected. Everyone I met always spoke highly of him.
Although many were faithful followers of Mort’s broadcast career, few knew of the extent of his love for flying. In addition to being a pilot, He had several business interests in aviation, including ownership of a company known as “Executive Aviation” at Lovell Field. I accomplished my first solo flight in an airplane there on my 16th birthday just 3 months before his untimely accident. Mort was always very supportive and encouraging, and I remember that special day he even picked up the aircraft rental fee for an elated new pilot.
I will never forget Mort. The day I took my little 16 yr. old boy to solo. Mort approached me and said, “What are you doing sitting out here “Shivering ? I reminded him that was my “Baby” going up in that plane for the first time by himself” To which he responded. “Don’t you worry about that boy, He’s got a Level head on his shoulders!…Of course anything could happen, it could happened to me, and I’m a veteran flyer of {x} numbers of years!” and shortly after it did . We Love you, Mort and we’ll never forget you ! Lenora a Green
David.
I enjoyed your story on Mort Lloyd. It brought back some fond memories and my chance to meet and sometimes work with Mort. I was in the Army till November 1964, when I returned to Chattanooga and shortly took a job at Channel 3, where Mort was. At any rate, Mort was always friendly and I was particularly pleased when Mort told me that I did a good job producing his 6pm newscast one week. I even got a chance to drop by Mort’s and Marilyn’s radio station and read a few newscasts. It made me think… I guess I’m the last (and oldest) one of former Chattanooga newscasters still be alive.
Thanks for keeping us up to date thru your webpage. I really enjoy it.
Ray White
Ray, please send me an e-mail (dcarroll@wrcbtv.com) or give me a call (267-5412, ext 122). I’ve been trying to track you down! Thanks, David
Mort Loyd was such an integral part of tv history in Chattanooga, he will never be forgotten. His wife was a good replacement for him in Congress. She was a true lady. Mort’s voice was undeniably magnificent. He would have been a star in D.C.
I was a young mom (21 years old) when he crashed. I remember it well, but the main thing I remember about him was that wonderful voice. Thanks for this story David!
David,
Thanks for remembering my father. It’s hard to believe his passing was 40 years ago today. While a great man, I will always remember him as a great father. I was blessed to enjoy ten years with my dad. We shared much flying and many happy years together. He was passionate about everything he did, from newscasting to politics to aviation. He will always be remembered and loved by those who knew him.
Morty
Morty, he would be so proud of you, as are we all. I love your Mom too. David
In my family we all sat down to dinner and then after we all watched the news together. I had grown up watching him every day on the news and was a kid when Mort passed away…it was like losing a member of our family. I still think of him at times, specially when I hear someone with a deep voice (LOVED Mort’s voice) and like you wonder “what if?”.
Wow, hearing that voice and even the news music and that announcer’s voice really took me back to childhood. I was fortunate to get to know Congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd as I came up in politics below the state line and was a student at UTC. Thank you David for preserving our shared history as a people in these parts!
McP
Had he lived and won the 1974 election, I hope that he would not have become Republican-lite like his widow would. One of my major complaints about Marilyn was her support for male-only draft registration while she hollered for equal rights with men. When she was eighteen, she never had to deal with the draft. Only a high lottery number saved me from the dismal fate of having to risk life and limb in a stupid and pointless war like Vietnam and its predecessor, Korea. Perhaps if she had had to serve, she would have thought twice about supporting George H. W. Bush’s decision to send U.S. ground troops into the Persian Golf War.
Don’t know how far he reached he was heard in southwestern NC north Georgia etc don’t know if you ever heard of Culberson NC he was heard there we could only get one channel so when he left wrcb we could no longer get him I was 12 or less when he went to wdef can’t even dream of getting any Chattanooga station here in Hendersonville NC miss getting 3,9 and 12 out there used to watch shock theater on Saturdays at an uncles house wasn’t really interested in news at 12 so don’t remember much about him I think he or the station had today’s news today slogan were he still alive what would he think of CNN cnbc msnbc fox etc
I used to fly to Memphis with Mr. Mort in his Globe Swift and a couple of 172’s, and 182’s. I loved the way he treated me as an equal in the flying world. I would fly 172’s back from Memphis for him because I was totally in awe of him. they were always “no radio airplanes.” Our mutual friend, Henry Milner, would wire the airplanes with avionics so that they could sell the airplanes as real stuff.
I assumed that Mr. Mort made money on these deals.
I didn’t care. I would call the Memphis tower before takeoff and get light signals.
I would then fly a little southeast and find the Tennessee river, until I recognized towns, railroad tracks and highways.
They always got me back to Dalton. Georgia.
I later became a corporate pilot, and an airline pilot, only because Mr. Mort let me help.