Career
Crim joined WDIV-television Detroit in 1978 and he retired from anchoring television newscasts in 1997. He also anchored at We Have A Signal-television in Louisville, KYW-television in Philadelphia and WBBM-TV-television in Chicago. Crim was considered to be a top candidate by former American Broadcasting Company News president Roone Arledge to be a co-anchor for American Broadcasting Company"s World News Tonight newscast in 1978.
In 1984, he hosted a technology program on Public Broadcasting Service, New Technical Times.
Crim anchored the American Information Network (American Broadcasting Company) program News Around The World in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as well as many other hourly newscasts. In addition to his anchoring duties, Mort Crim also has four syndicated editorial and news features for radio: One Moment Please (originally a television feature), News You"ll Care About (a five-minute news summary), Second Thoughts and American Spirit.
He was also previously a substitute anchor for Paul Harvey"s daily radio programs. Crim contributed an intro monologue to The White Stripes" song "Little Acorns", from their 2003 album Elephant.
Crim remains active as a keynote speaker, addressing conventions and conferences across the country.
He is the author of seven books and currently is writing his eighth. He also writes and produces television documentaries—his most recent, Flight Level Seven Four and Still Climbing, an account of the solo cross-country flight he made in his light sport aircraft to celebrate his 74th birthday. In February 2007, Crim was diagnosed with colon cancer.
According to his doctors at Mayo Clinic, the cancer was caught early and Crim has since made a full recovery.
The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Crim into their Hall of Fame in 2009. In a 2013 interview, actor/comedian Will Ferrell revealed that Crim was the main inspiration for his popular television news anchor character Ron Burgundy.