Sam Donaldson Birthday & Fun Facts | Kidadl

FOR AGES 1 YEARS TO 99 YEARS

Sam Donaldson Birthday & Fun Facts

Height, Age, Net Worth, Biography & More

Arts & Crafts
Learn more
Reading & Writing
Learn more
Math & Logic
Learn more
Sports & Active
Learn more
Music & Dance
Learn more
Social & Community
Learn more
Mindful & Reflective
Learn more
Outdoor & Nature
Learn more
Read these Tokyo facts to learn all about the Japanese capital.

Sam Donaldson Birthday Highlights

Birth Name
Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr
Place Of Birth
El Paso, USA
Age
89 years old
Birth Date
March 11 1934

Sam Donaldson Facts

Child Star?
no
Occupation
News Anchor, Journalist
Education & Qualifications
New Mexico Military Institute
Net Worth
$50,000,000
Current Partner
Sandra Martorelli Donaldson
Children
Samuel Donaldson III, Jennifer Donaldson, Thomas Donaldson, and Robert Donaldson
Parents
Samuel Donaldson, Chloe Donaldson

About Sam Donaldson

Sam Donaldson was born Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr.

Sam Donaldson is one of the biggest names in the news industry. He rose to fame after becoming a part of the news broadcast team at ABC News.

Sam Donaldson worked as a station manager for the campus radio at Texas Western College. During his military service, he was an artillery officer and was actually one of the observers of the detonation of an atomic bomb. He served in the US Army for a period of three years, from 1956 to 1959. After the end of his service in 1959, he joined KRLD-TV, now known as KDFW-TV, where he worked for a year before moving to New York in search of a broadcasting job. He joined WTOP-TV, where he covered both national and local news. Some of the highlights of his time there included his coverage of Goldwater's presidential run, the Medicare bill, and the Senate arguments regarding civil rights. He worked with John Douglas, who was in charge of weather reports. He continues to remain an inspiration for young reporters in the news industry. Keep reading for more interesting information!

Sam Donaldson's Net Worth, Earnings & Spending Habits

What is Sam Donaldson's net worth?

Sam Donaldson has an estimated net worth of $50 million as of 2022.

How much does Sam Donaldson earn per year?

Sam Donaldson has an estimated annual income of $4-5 million. His primary source of income is as a reporter.

Height, Age & Physical Attributes

How tall is Sam Donaldson?

Sam Donaldson stands at the height of 5 ft 8 in (173 cm).

How old is Sam Donaldson?

Sam Donaldson celebrates his birthday on March 11. He was born in 1934, making him 88 years old as of July 2022.

Childhood And Education

Sam Donaldson was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, the United States of America. His parents are Samuel Donaldson and Chloe Donaldson. His father was a farmer by profession, while his mother worked as a school teacher, and he grew up on their family farm. There is no further information available regarding his childhood and early family life.

Donaldson went on to attend New Mexico Military Institute, followed by Texas Western College.

Family, Romance And Relationships

Who is Sam Donaldson's partner?

Sam Donaldson is married to Sandra Martorelli Donaldson, and the pair got married in 2014. He was previously married to Patricia Oates, Billie Kay Butler, and Janice C Smith. He has four children: Samuel Donaldson III, Jennifer Donaldson, Thomas Donaldson, and Robert Donaldson. He currently lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with his family.

Career And Professional Highlights

Best Known For…

Sam Donaldson got the biggest break of his career when he joined ABC News as their correspondent from Washington in 1967. The news anchor from Texas was soon promoted and made the anchor of their weekend 11 o'clock shows. In 1967, he covered the Vietnam War on behalf of ABC News. He also covered the Watergate trial and the investigation into the proposed impeachment of President Nixon. He was also in charge of covering the presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter in 1976, after which he became the White House correspondent for his network in 1977. The news anchor was also a panel member on the show 'This Week with David Brinkley'. He became one of the show's anchors after Brinkley retired and was joined by Cokie Roberts. He was also the anchor for 'World News Sunday' for a period of 10 years, starting from 1979.

Donaldson was also the anchor for the program titled 'Primetime Live', for which he worked with Diane Sawyer. He was also responsible for his network's coverage of the Gulf War and even hosted 'Primetime Live' directly from Kuwait after troops from Iraq were forced to leave. The news anchor is also remembered for an iconic moment of his career that came in 1991 when he ended his show with the announcement of the breaking of the Soviet Union whilst the Soviet anthem played in the background. He also covered the stepping down from the office of the Soviet Union's president Gorbachev. He traveled to Saravejo for an assignment with his producer, whom he lost due to an accident. However, he was adamant about reporting on the same night and continued with the show, a testament to his work ethic. He returned to the White House in 1997 as the network's chief correspondent and was responsible for President Clinton's impeachment coverage.

Sam Donaldson was responsible for his network's coverage of every political convention held from 1964 until 2012, when he finally retired from ABC News in the year 2013. He was the first anchor to host scheduled news broadcasts on the internet. He was also put in charge of 'Politics Live'. He has also appeared in a political documentary titled 'Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story'. He is still revered for the pinpoint questions he asked presidents during his two tenures as a White House correspondent. He is still a reference for reporters all across the news industry.

Charity Work

Sam Donaldson serves as a board member for the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, which aims to provide care to cancer patients in need.

What awards has Sam Donaldson won?

Sam Donaldson won the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. He was also awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award by Washington State University in 1997. He has also been the recipient of four Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards in total. He also won the DuPont Award in 2000 and the Paul White Award in 2008. He has also been granted an honorary doctorate from the University of New Mexico.

Sam Donaldson's Hobbies And Interests

Donaldson harbors an interest in ranching.

Other Interesting Sam Donaldson Facts And Trivia

  • Sam Donaldson's zodiac sign is Aquarius.
  • His Chinese zodiac sign is the tiger.
  • Donaldson has been named a Washingtonian of the Year, a title by Washingtonian Magazine.

We would love your help! If you have a photo of Sam Donaldson, either of them alone or a selfie that you would be happy to share, please send it to [email protected].
If you have knowledge or information that you think would help us improve this article, please contact us.

Kidadl Team
Written By
Kidadl Team

Read The Disclaimer

Was this article helpful?