Bernie Cohen, a former producer with ABC‘s World News Tonight and the network’s primetime newsmagazine 20/20, died Saturday in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He was 84.
Cohen worked with many ABC News personalities throughout the years, including Geraldo Rivera, Frank Reynolds, Harry Reasoner, Barbara Walters, Peter Jennings, John Stossel, Hugh Downs and Tom Jarriel, his closest associate.
With Cohen as his producer, Jarriel won an Emmy for a segment titled “The Ump” that aired on 20/20 in the mid-’80s.
A native of the Bronx, Cohen was drafted into the Air Force and then attended the University of Tampa on a baseball scholarship, graduating with a degree in English/Journalism. He was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers but broke his pitching elbow and had to change careers.
Cohen worked for The Long Island Press, then was hired in 1965 by ABC. He eventually became a producer for ABC‘s World News Tonight, anchored by Reasoner and Walters, before shifting to 20/20.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Shirley; his daughter, Lulu Cohen of marketing-publicity firm Lulu Cohen Media; and grandson Raimi Cohen Glad.
