Harold Greene, the San Diego news anchor whose distinctive mustache and hairstyle served as a visual inspiration for Will Ferrell's character Ron Burgundy in the movie Anchorman, has died at the age of 82. His family announced his passing on Tuesday.
Greene was a prominent figure in Southern California journalism for nearly four decades, reporting for CBS and ABC. He began his career in 1970 as a producer and reporter before becoming a well-known news anchor for ABC 10News in San Diego during the 1970s.
According to ABC 10News, filmmakers consulted with Greene's colleague Jack White, a fellow 10News anchor, for the 2004 satirical comedy. While reviewing old scrapbooks, they discovered photographs of Greene from the 1970s featuring a feathered bowl cut and a thick mustache, which became a key element of Ron Burgundy's on-screen persona.
White told ABC 10 in 2013 that upon first seeing Will Ferrell in costume, he remarked, "What's Harold doing here?" He clarified that the character of Ron Burgundy was not a direct imitation but an amalgamation of various individuals, with Greene serving as a significant visual influence.
Hal Clement, a former mentee of Greene's and a longtime journalist, noted that Greene sometimes expressed frustration when people equated him with the fictional character. "Ron Burgundy is dumb. Harold Greene is smart. There is a huge difference between that," Clement recalled.
Greene's daughter, Courtney Greene, announced his death on social media, stating, "Our beloved husband, father, uncle, and friend has signed off for the last time." She added, "We have a feeling he's already settling into the great newsroom in the sky, no doubt with a few suggestions on how things should be run."
Greene was remembered by Clement as a serious journalist with a "terrific sense of humor" and a "great laugh."