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His unconventional screen presence aside, Tom Snyder was an icon of talk television during the 1970s and his laid-back approach to NBC’s “Tomorrow” show catapulted him into television history.

He left his pre-med studies in college to take a radio news job in Savannah, Georgia. He bounced around the radio and TV business for years until 1970 when he was hired in L.A. to anchor KNBC-TV’s evening news. It was there that he caught the attention of NBC executives who tapped him to host the late night talk show that would follow “The Tonight Show.”

Hence, “Tomorrow” was born and while Snyder would do other work for NBC during that time, it was on “Tomorrow” that he developed his idiosyncratic style. He interviewed bizarre guests, tackled controversial topics, did offbeat monologues and joked with the off-screen crew while on the air. During this period many late night talk shows relied on colorful sets, live bands and chuckling sidekicks. Snyder’s show focused on what was being said, eschewing the trappings of the traditional.