MARIO MACHADO - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 07/27/1984 - HFSID 36702

MARIO MACHADO
The Emmy Award-winning television journalist and community leader sends letter of thanks to a museum director, signs name in black ink
Typed letter signed: "Mario" in black ink. 1 page, 5½x8½. Written on personal MJM Communications letterhead. July 27, 1984. Los Angeles, California. Addressed to Todd M. Axelrod, Executive Director of the American Museum of Historical Documents. In full: "Dear Todd! Thank you for your letter and request. Enclosed you'll find what you need for your museum. Much success.". Mario Machado (1935-2013) was an eight-time Emmy Award-winning television and radio broadcaster who famously made history when in 1970 he became the first Chinese-American on-air television news reporter and anchor in Los Angeles, and most likely the nation. Born in Shanghai to the vice-chancellor of the Portuguese Consulate, and a Portuguese/Chinese mother, Machado became a U.S. citizen in 1965. Machado worked numerous L.A. local reporting jobs, and first came to prominence as a regular reporter for CBS's nightly broadcast, The Big News, which was L.A.'s most popular newscast and where he worked alongside news icon Jerry Dunphy. In the early and mid-70s he hosted the daily news and interview show Noontime which aired for seven years, as well as hosted the nationally acclaimed medical investigation show Medix, which ran for 208 episodes over eight season and which garnered several Emmys and nominations, including three for "Outstanding Achievement as a Host". Machado was a lifelong soccer fan and served as the "Voice of Soccer" for CBS and as the English language commentator at four FIFA World Cups and at the 1984 Olympic Games, as well as published the Soccer Corner Magazine from 1976 to 1984. He often starred in major Hollywood films, playing himself or that of a news reporter, in movies such as Brian's Song (1971), Rocky III (1982), Scarface (1982) and St. Elmo's Fire (1985). Through his company MJM Communications, he has produced several cultural events, most notably the Old China Hands Reunion of 1996 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is considered the biggest and best ever. Toned. Light surface creases. Pencil notes in unknown hand. Fine condition.