Longtime NBC newsman Irving R. Levine dies at 86

Irving R. Levine, an NBC newsman whose trademark was a bow tie, has died at 86. Levine was a fixture on NBC, explaining the fine points of economics to millions of viewers for nearly a quarter century. Known for his dry, measured delivery and trademark bow ties, Levine was a presence at NBC since 1950 when he began covering the Korean War until his retirement in 1995.He had become the network's full-time economics correspondent in 1971 and in the last five years of his tenure also did weekly commentaries on CNBC. He also appeared on "Meet the Press" more than 100 times over the years. Levine once recalled that producers trying to shorten a television news story of his "finally suggested I drop the R in my sign-off, Irving R. Levine. I held my ground."

"`No,' I said, 'I'd rather drop the B in NBC.'"