Journalist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Mary Barrett and Estill Chancellor. At 14, he got a part-time job as a copy boy for The Chicago Daily News. In 1947, The Chicago Sun-Times hired him as a copy boy, and he then worked his way up to reporter, rewrite man, and finally and feature writer. He then moved to NBC's Chicago affiliate and became the Midwest correspondent. In September 1957, the network sent him to Little Rock, Arkansas to cover school desegregation. In 1958, he covered the revolt in Algeria that helped make General Charles de Gaulle the French President. In 1960, from Moscow, he covered the trial of Francis Gary Powers, and the story of Yuri Gagarin, cosmonaut. He was then named the successor of Dave Garroway as host for the 'Today' show, but his unwillingness to be other than a complete professional led to his being reassigned the following year. A year as a European correspondent was followed by his famous removal from the 1964 Republican National Convention. In 1965, at the request of the President of the United States, he became the director of the Voice of America, a position he held until 1967. He was then given the post of senior correspondent on the 'Huntley-Brinkley Report ' on NBC, and in 1976 he became the anchorman for the 'Nightly News.' He ceded the anchor desk in 1982, and became the program's senior commentator, delivering news analyses until his retirement in 1993. That year he was honored by the Overseas Press Club of America for distinguished service. He lent his voice to such documentaries as, 'Baseball' (1994) and 'The Fifties' (1997), serving as narrator. He had published two books; 'The News Business' and in 1990, 'Peril And Promise: A Commentary On America.'