Pioneering ‘Today Show’ host dies two months after cancer diagnosis

Doctors couldn’t save legendary “Today Show” host Robbin Bain, who died just two months after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Robbin Mele Gaudieri, who was a beauty queen and one of the first hosts of NBC’s “Today Show,” has died at the age of 87, according to her family. He died on October 21 at his home in Long Island, New York.

She was known to NBC and the public as Robbin Bain and was a beloved presence on the network. She became a news anchor after winning a beauty pageant in 1959.

The News from New York reported that she was selected to represent Rheingold beer, which was popular throughout New England at the time. She was even selected as a model for Revlon and Helena Rubinstein advertisements.

Robbin Bain, winner of the contest and ‘Today Girl’, has died at the age of 87

After winning the annual Miss Rheingold beauty pageant, in which millions voted, she covered fashion and beauty for the popular morning show.#business #Finance #financial news #business news #News pic.twitter.com/betqwzY1ax

— Breaking News (@FastNews77) November 7, 2023

While modeling as Miss Rheingold, she won a $50,000 second prize The US sun. That was a huge sum at the time, equivalent to roughly $530,000 today.

An ad for Miss Rheingold said: “Soon you’ll see Robbin Bain almost everywhere, such an eye-catching reminder of the popular beer it represents: Rheingold Extra Dry!”

Looking back on his time in the role, Bain claimed it wasn’t just about his impressive healthy looks, it was also about selling beer.

“It wasn’t a body thing,” he told the New York Daily News in 2000 during an interview. “Personality and health were very important. You had to look very approachable to guys sitting at the bar or going to the supermarket.”

Some may remember Bain as the face of the idyllic housewife in newspaper ads and at events.

Barbara Jane Bain was born in 1936 in Queens, New York. He would eventually move to Bronxville with his family. Later in her career, she changed her name so she wouldn’t be confused with actress Barbara Bain.

‍♀️ Robbin Bain, the sassy and talented sensation who captured hearts as a ‘Today Girl’, has sadly died aged 87. Rest in fabulousness, queen!

— Demetri (@Demetri28902610) November 4, 2023

Bain came from a traditional family. His mother was a homemaker and his father was a Mack Trucks executive.

“In 1956, he began to transition into television hosting and worked on ‘The Jackie Gleason [Show]”, as one of the four women called ‘Portrettes,'” The US Sun noted. “In 1961, she was asked to join NBC’s Today program in a role covering fashion, make-up and women-oriented features.”

The “Today Girl” position only lasted six months. Bain had to leave for a while because she was pregnant with her first child…daughter Dina Nemeth. She eventually returned as co-host of the show and would become an interior designer.

“Famous news reporter Barbara Walters took Bain’s position at one point, describing it as ‘Neanderthal’ that women get stuck covering only women’s issues in her autobiography,” The US Sun wrote.

Bain didn’t see it that way and was proud of his time on the “Today Show.” He considered what he did at the time to be groundbreaking.

“I was the only woman with the exception of the make-up woman on set,” she remarked at a 2012 reunion event.

The media pioneer is survived by her daughters Lara and Dina; her husband, Alexander Guadieri; a stepson, Alexandre Guadieri; and six grandchildren.

Terresa Monroe-Hamilton is a constitutional conservative who researches and writes extensively on politics and current affairs.

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