Jeni Watson
The best moniker for the late Phyllis George is certainly “Hurricane Phyl,” as referred to by her daughter. She is a risk-taker and a pioneer, and her limitless energy has demonstrated that everything is possible if you put your mind to it.
About Phyllis George | Family and Education
Phyllis Ann George was joyfully born on June 25, 1949, in Denton, Texas, to James George and Diantha Cogdell. She was an only child.
Before becoming Miss Texas in 1970, she spent three years studying at the University of North Texas.
However, she relocated to Texas Christian University from North Texas. Miss America 1971 was crowned later in the fall.
She joined Zeta Tau Alpha as a member of a sorority.
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Zodiac signs predict that George is cancer. Tenacious, extremely inventive, sensitive, and sympathetic are the characteristics most frequently associated with Cancer.
George’s career as a pageant queen, sportscaster, First Lady of Kentucky, author, and businesswoman unquestionably exemplifies these qualities.
Her powerful blend of knowledge and positivity motivated many to think that anything is possible.
George demonstrates the adage, “Magic Happens when you say YES! to YOURSELF,” which she lives by.
Professional Life and Career
George’s career began when she has crowned Miss Texas in 1970, albeit she didn’t succeed the first time. Later, as Miss Denton in 1969, George competed for Miss Texas and finished fourth.
The following year, she reentered the pageant as Miss Dallas and was crowned Miss Texas 1970.
She joined the Miss America 1971 pageant with the finest moral character and a desire to win, and as a result, she was named Miss America 1971 on September 12th, 1970.
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George did the same, visiting various regions of the nation and participating in a lot of news conferences and discussion programs.
During her press conferences and talk shows, she responded to a variety of inquiries on everything from teen issues to fashion to global events.
George took part in a 22-day United Service organization tour for American troops in Vietnam and six other stunning countries in August 1971.
NFL Network
After winning the national championship, George blazed the way in the overwhelmingly male-dominated field of sportscasting.
We refer to her as a “Trailblazer” for women in sports media because she was the first female co-anchor of the national football pregame show “NFL Today.”
George became one of the first women to hold a prominent position on the national stage in television sportscasting.
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Despite having a promising future as a sportscaster, she frequently faced criticism for not upholding the required requirements due to her previous status as a beauty queen.
After three seasons on The NFL Today, CBS News replaced George as host, but she quickly returned in 1980 and continued to host the program until 1984.
George also contributed to other CBS Sports programs, such as Preakness and Belmont Stakes, in addition to The NFL Today.
Morning News on CBS
In 1985, CBS News extended a three-year offer to George to become a permanent anchor for the “CBS Morning News.”
An event that occurred in May 1985 during an interview with Gary Dotson and Cathleen Webb during her eight-month tenure on CBS Morning News resulted in harsh newspaper criticism of George.
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According to news sources, CBS hired George to boost the show’s ratings.
There were many qualified candidates for the show, but CBS News personnel were perplexed as to why George, who had little to no journalism experience, was chosen.
After a few months, George was fired by CBS News from the show.
Information on George’s Career
Later, in 1994, George hosted Phyllis George Special, a prime-time chat show on which she spoke with President Bill Clinton.
She made an appearance on the cable network PAX’s Women’s Day chat show in 1998. In 1979, George also made an appearance on The Muppet Show.
She also served as a commentator for the Jimmy Synder-inspired television series “The Legend of Jimmy the Greek.”
Controversy
George received criticism for being given simple routes into the sportscasting industry. She lacked the conventional credentials needed to work as a sportscaster.
Phyllis George | Professional Affiliations
Our Texas Trailblazer used pageantry and her position as a sportscaster to pave her way into the business world.
She was the driving force behind Chicken by George, a phenomenon that upended the retail chicken market. Later, in 1988, George sold the business to Hormel Foods.
In 2003, George founded Phyllis George Beauty, which distributes a range of skincare and cosmetics items via the television shopping platform HSN.
George has written or co-authored five books, including Never Say Never: 10 Lessons to Turn ‘You Can’t into Yes, I Can!’ into a way of life (1982), The I Love America Diet (1982), three books about crafts, and The I Love America Diet (2002).
George was also a fervent collector of traditional and folk art. She was a founding member of both the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft and the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship.
Phyllis appeared in the films My Wife is Retarded and Meet the Parents both in 2000. (2007).
Phyllis George | Death
On May 14, 2020, at the Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Phyllis George, a pioneering sportscaster and former Miss America who paved the way for female sportscasters, passed away.
Polycythemia vera, a form of blood cancer, claimed Phyllis’ life.
She also gave young men and women the motivation to strive for achievement. Many people expressed their condolences on social media when she passed away.
Hannah Storm, an ESPN sportscaster, described George as “the ultimate trailblazer” who was the first to demonstrate to the world how fantastic the world of sportscasters is for women.
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Recruiting George for “The NFL Today,” according to former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson, was a “groundbreaking choice” that “transformed the face of sports television.”
Phyllis George, whose grin cheered on millions of NFL fans, was remembered as special by Brent Musburger in a tweet.
He underlined that Phyllis didn’t get nearly enough credit for providing scores of excellent women with access to sports broadcasting.
Phyllis George was a remarkable personality in the business and sportscasting worlds.
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Relationship Status
George had two marriages. On December 12th, 1977, she got married for the first time to Hollywood producer Robert Evans.
However, on July 22, 1978, the couple filed for divorce after an 8-month marriage.
John was the subject of George’s second union. A multimillion-dollar restaurant franchise called “Kentucky Fried Chicken” is owned by politician Y. Brown Jr.
While Brown was governor of Kentucky, George served as the state’s first lady.
She gave birth to two children during her second marriage to Brown: Pamela Brown, a CNN news reporter, and technology entrepreneur Lincoln Brown.
The marriage between George and Brown did, however, end in divorce in 1998.
Phyllis George, Kentucky’s first lady
Following her marriage to self-made millionaire John Y. Brown Jr., who was running for governor in his native state, Phyllis George entered politics.
Throughout Brown’s campaign, they were referred to as “Phyllis of the multimillion-dollar grin, and John Y. with the multimillion-dollar checkbook.”
George came under fire for playing an outsized part in the campaign and for taking center stage while the wives of the majority of candidates stayed in the background.
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You can’t expect an achiever like myself to remain in the background, she told the New York Times in response to this criticism.
“Behind every powerful man, there is a woman,” they used to say. Well, I like to say, “There’s a strong lady for every strong man.”
She assisted in raising funds to rebuild the Governor’s Mansion on the Capitol grounds during George’s four years as the first lady.
Award-winning Phyllis George
An unordinary woman that she was, Phyllis George. Her achievements included the following.
- 1995’s Rosen Group Humanitarian of the Year
- 1991’s National Association of Women Business Owners celebrity businesswoman of the year
- Leading Women Entrepreneurs in the World 2001 and One of the 50 Greatest Women in Radio and Television in 2001, both lists published by
- In radio and television, American women.
Net Worth and Salary | Phyllis George
George’s career spanned more than three decades while she reinvented herself and made seamless transitions to become a businesswoman, sportscaster, actor, and beauty queen.
Fame and wealth were valuable commodities throughout her career.
The amount of Phyllis George’s net worth is roughly $10 million. The specifics of her assets and net worth, however, are kept hidden.
Phyllis George’s Net Worth in Different Currencies
The net worth of Phyllis George in various currencies, such as the Euro and the Pound, is shown below.
| Currency | Net Worth |
| Euro | €8824550 |
| Pound Sterling | £7,407,250 |
| Australian Dollar | A$13,765,950 |
| Canadian Dollar | C$12,788,500 |
| Indian Rupee | ₹743,620,000 |
| BitCoin | ฿211 |
Body Measurement | Hair, Height, Weight
In terms of her physical attributes, Phyllis George is a stunning woman with a curvy figure.
Phyllis typically weighs about 55 kg and stands at a height of 5’8″ (1.73 m). Aside from that, Phyllis George has stunning Blue eyes and Blonde hair.
Social Media
Instagram- #phyllisgeorge
Twitter- #phyllisgeorge
Frequently Asked Question:
At the time of her passing, was Phyllis George married?
No, Phyllis George was not wed when she passed away. But in 1998, she separated from John Y. Brown Jr., her second husband.
Between her divorce and passing away, Phyllis spent approximately 22 years as a single woman.
Who came in second place to Phyllis George?
As the first runner-up to Phyllis George when she has crowned Miss America in 1971, Claudia Turner stood up.
Miss Texas was Phyllis, while Miss South Carolina was Claudie. Claudie performed a ballad from “All American,” a Broadway musical.
Phyllis George, did she have grandkids?
Benny and Vivienne are the grandchildren of the late Phyllis George.
Are Katie George and Phyllis George related?
No, there is no relationship between Katie George and Phyllis George.
Quick Facts | Phyllis George
| Full Name | Phyllis Ann George |
| Birth Date | June 25, 1949 |
| Death Date | May 14, 2020 (age 70) |
| Cause of Death | Polycythemia vera |
| Birth Place | Denton, Texas, U.S.A |
| Resting Place | Lexington Cemetery, Kentucky |
| Nick Name | Hurricane Phyl |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | University of North TexasTexas Christian University |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Father’s Name | James George |
| Mother’s Name | Diantha Cogdell |
| Siblings | No |
| Height | 5’8” (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 55 kg |
| Shoe Size | 8 |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Body Measurement | Unknown |
| Figure | Curvy |
| Married | Divorced |
| Spouse(s) | Robert Evans (M. 1977- Div. 1978)John Y. Brown Jr. (M. 1979- Div. 1998) |
| Boyfriend | None |
| Children | Lincoln Tyler George BrownPamela Ashley Brown |
| Profession | Sportscaster, Actress, Entrepreneur |
| Awards | Humanitarian of the Year (1995)Celebrity Businesswoman of the Year (1991)
Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World (2001) |
| Known For | Miss America 1971Miss Texas 1970 |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Broadcasting Affiliations | CBS Sports (The NFL Today)CBS Morning News |
| Former Movies | My Wife is Retarded (2007)Meet the Parents (2000) |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Books |
| Last Update | 2022 |
