Career
He hailed from Salem, Illinois and was an anchor at KNTV-television, National Broadcasting Company, LA, California-television and KCBS-television for over 40 years, beginning in the late 1950s. As an anchor, Marlow also delivered commentaries for National Broadcasting Company, LA, California and hosted the station"s public affairs program "News Conference", He also filed reports from Vietnam and the Soviet Union. Marlow began his television career in 1958 at a station in Rock Island, Illinois. He moved from Rock Island to San Jose California.
He was first a reporter and then became Anchor for KNTV, then an American Broadcasting Company affiliate.
He was regarded as a knowledgeable reporter covering politics, including the beginning of Ronald Reagan"s first campaign for Governor. National Broadcasting Company learned of Jess Marlow"s excellent skills and hired him.
Also hired at the same time was another Midwestern television newsman, Tom Brokaw. Jess came to National Broadcasting Company, LA, California in 1966 as a reporter and became an anchor in 1968.
At one point, Jess anchored the 5 pm news, with Tom Snyder at 6 Prime Minister and Tom Brokaw at 11 Prime Minister. In 1980, Jess moved to KCBS and moved back to National Broadcasting Company, LA, California in 1986.
While at KCBS, his co-anchor was Connie Chung. He retired in 1997, but returned to host "Life & Times", a Southern California public affairs program on Californian Community Educational Television in 2001 until he officially retired in 2003. In retirement, he moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and later to Loveland, Colorado.
He had worked with many television news anchors during his period in Los Angeles, including Kelly Lange, Colleen Williams, Paul Moyer and his "Life & Times" co-host Val Zavala.
He was also very involved in professional journalism organizations, including to help found the Foundation for American Communications which, for more than a quarter-century, was the leading educator of working journalists.
At his last broadcast, Marlow said: "You may have heard and you may have cheered that it"s my final broadcast, and I hope I"m glad to be here.".