Read, Brooks, 1926-1991.

Radio and television journalist, political observer, actor, and storyteller Brooks Read was born in Baton Rouge, La., in 1926. He began broadcasting on Baton Rouge radio station WJBO at the age of nine reading Uncle Remus stories on air. He continued announcing at WJBO and entered Louisiana State University in 1941, where he participated in theatrical productions.

Read then attended Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) on scholarship from the National Broadcasting Company, and later Columbia University. He managed several Louisiana radio stations, and from 1955-1964 he worked for Baton Rouge television station WBRZ as "Your Esso Reporter."

Also during the 1950s, Read began recording both his renditions of Joel Chandler Harris's stories of Brer Rabbit and his own stories based on Harris's characters. These recordings were marketed to and broadcast by radio stations nationwide. In the mid-1960s, Read established an advertising and public relations firm while also serving as capitol correspondent for New Orleans television station WWL. He died in 1991.