The Dick Cavett Show aired on American television for 20 years from 1968-88. For most of its run, the program appeared on ABC and its affiliates, and it was recorded in front of a live studio audience in New York City.
The host, Dick Cavett, had been a comedy writer for Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, both former hosts of NBC’s The Tonight Show.
Cavett’s guests were often erudite and eclectic, not just the latest pop star plugging a new project. Cavett himself often came across as witty and urbane, more like a New Yorker magazine contributor than a comedian.
June 5, 1971: It began as a typical show. Taping commenced at 5 pm and was scheduled to air later at 11:30 on the East Coast.
Cavett’s first guest was health-related author and publisher J.I. Rodale.
The guest wore glasses, had salt-and-pepper hair, and sported a goatee. Born and raised in Manhattan at the turn of the century, he was now 72 years old. That week’s New York Times Sunday Magazine featured a cover article about him.
Rodale had an incredibly eclectic life. He had dabbled in electrical manufacturing, invented exercise devices, wrote plays, was a farmer, and more recently made a living publishing and editing his own magazine called Today’s Health.
He literally wrote the book on organic farming (Pay Dirt, 1945). At that time, it was a novel concept.
Rodale created Prevention magazine in 1950, which is still published today.
Far ahead of his time, Rodale was a proponent of avoiding processed foods and instead eating natural, organic fare.
During his interview with Dick Cavett, he stated that he never felt better and wanted to live to age 100. He also joked, "I’m in such good health that I fell down a long flight of stairs yesterday and I laughed all the way.”
After concluding roughly 30 minutes of witty conversation, Rodale remained onstage but moved over one seat to make room for Cavett’s next guest.
Novelist and New York Post columnist Pete Hamill was introduced and sat next to Cavett.
In the midst of Hamill’s discussion of politics, Rodale made an odd noise that sounded like he was snoring. His head fell to his chest.
Cavett quipped, “Are we boring you, Mr. Rodale?” (Cavett, however, has no recollection of having said that. Some say he actually said, “Mr. Rodale, are you alright?”)
Hamill looked askance at Rodale and said, “This looks bad.”
Cavett called out to the audience for a doctor. Two people with medical backgrounds rushed to the stage. They put Rodale on the stage floor and commenced CPR.
Some audience members gasped and wept. The stage crew scrambled to find oxygen tanks. An ambulance arrived and took the man to a hospital.
It was too late. J.I. Rodale, the man who promoted a healthy lifestyle, was dead.
The show stopped taping, and the audience was sent home. A rerun aired that night instead.
For over 50 years, countless strangers have told Dick Cavett how they recall watching that ironic episode about the health guru who died on his show. Cavett has had to repeatedly correct them, though. Anyone who remembers it is having a false memory, because that episode was never broadcast.
ALSO:
Rodale was an anti-vaxxer.
He also wrote a book titled Happy People Rarely Get Cancer.
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