Daytime TV Throwback: Pics Of Jane Pauley From Her Early Career Days On The Today Show

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Yes, daytime TV might feel like a relic in our era of streaming and social media. Nonetheless, one cannot ignore the impact that now-retired TV anchors have had on both pop culture and news in general. Jane Pauley, in particular, is one of those iconic faces of morning TV news. Although she disappeared from the "Today" show, she held the coveted morning anchor spot for 13 years.

Pauley first joined the "Today" show in 1976 and officially departed in 1989. After the "Today" show, Pauley co-anchored "Dateline" from 1992 to 2003, and also hosted her own show from 2004 to 2005. In 2004, the journalist published her memoir, "Skywriting: A Life Out of Blue," which revealed and detailed her experiences with bipolar affective disorder.

Though much time has passed since, Pauley has seemed to look back on the "Today" show fondly, making guest appearances on the show for a weekly segment entitled "Your Life Calling" in 2009 and then joining a reunion edition of "Today" in 2013. As of this writing, Pauley is still working as a TV anchor, now hosting CBS News' "Sunday Morning."

Jane Pauley first joined the "Today" show in October 1976, and the above portrait of her was taken around that time. Pauley is wearing a tasteful gold earring and necklace set for the picture. Her hairstyle seems to be something close to the butterfly haircut that has made somewhat of a comeback in recent years, but unlike other style icons of the 1970s, Pauley's layered curls are simple and soft, falling just past her shoulders. Her makeup is also very simple, with just a pop of pale blue for her eyeshadow.

Everyone in the 1970s had some kind of paisley moment, and Jane Pauley was no exception, as evidenced by this May 1978 photo of her in a red-orange shirt with a paisley print. Pauley's hair once again softly fell in wavy curls that framed her face beautifully. Notably, the lighting in the photo gives a better indication of Pauley's dark blonde hair that may appear to be brown at first glance. Pauley would have been 27 when this photo was taken, and her simple makeup in the pic emphasizes her youthful glow.

In this 1977 photo, we see Jane Pauley sitting between Gene Shalit and Tom Brokaw in front of the "Today" show news desk. Shalit served as a film and television critic on "Today" for 37 years. Meanwhile, Brokaw was Pauley's main co-anchor from 1976 to 1981, and the two would become lifelong friends, with Pauley referring to Brokaw as an "older brother." Brokaw was also notably responsible for matchmaking Pauley with her husband, cartoonist Garry Trudeau. In an interview for the Television Academy Foundation, Pauley joked that she would have never named her son Tom if she'd had a bad relationship with Brokaw all those years.

Jane Pauley interviewed John Travolta for the "Today" show in 1977 on the heels of his success in the film "Saturday Night Fever." Pauley and Travolta almost appear to be matching, but closer inspection reveals that Pauley is wearing a navy blue blouse and vest, while Travolta wore a slate gray jacket over a black turtleneck. Coincidentally, Travolta reacted to the archival footage of this interview with his daughter in 2026 on the "Today" show in 2026 during a press run for their movie "Propellor One-Way Night Coach."

This October 1981 photo of Jane Pauley in a black and gold dress features her smiling sweetly and somehow oozes Scorpio energy (Pauley was born on October 31, 1950). Through the years, Pauley has attended many glam events and has usually worn black or white with a pattern, so this pop of gold in her dress feels fresh. It would appear this is also around the last time Pauley would have long hair, as she'd become known for a sharper short blonde haircut in the '90s and 2000s.

Jane Pauley's signature short hair appears to have started with this curled bob from the 1980s. An early example can be seen in this NBC portrait taken in 1985, with Pauley wearing thick gold hoop earrings, complementing the change in hairstyle. That would also be a big year for Pauley, as it would be the first time in years that the "Today" show would beat "Good Morning America" in ratings. Perhaps the haircut and new style contributed!