A Bit About Bobby Rivers

Some of you who follow my blogpost may not be aware of the TV work I did. This post is about that.

 Here's a question about me that came from an ABC News producer in 2000 and the producer of a national radio show in 2006: "Does he know anything about movies?" In both cases, I was pushing to get the job of film reviewer and historian on new shows about to make their debut. I had to push because neither producer had taken time to read my resume. However, I did get the jobs.

I've been a classic film enthusiast and student ever since I was a grade school kid back home in Los Angeles. My knowledge of classic films led to my first TV appearance. When I was in high school, I became the youngest and first Black contestant on a syndicated film quiz show shot in Hollywood. It was called THE MOVIE GAME and was hosted by a fellow from New York named Sonny Fox. I was nervous. But I won.

My first professional TV job, after I graduated from a Milwaukee university, was to be the weekly film critic and celebrity interviewer on a show called PM MAGAZINE that aired on the city's ABC affiliate. I also did print film reviews in local publications, I worked on Milwaukee's ABC affiliate for four years. Some of my celebrity interviews aired nationally and that led to me getting a TV job from New York City.

In New York, in the late 80s, I was approached to be a VH1 veejay. And I was given my own prime time weeknight celebrity talk show. I loved working there. Here's some of my VH1 shows.

After VH1, I was contacted to work on live morning shows in New York City.

 I also loved hosting film shows on local cable.

When I was the entertainment editor for an ABC News production that aired on live Lifetime TV, I had the chance to do some film history in my weekly segments.

Thanks for watching,