Jan Glenn And Bob Allen - Houston's Broadcast Icons
For many folks who called Houston home, there are certain voices and faces that just stick with you, like old friends you saw every day. It's almost as if they were part of the furniture, so to speak, of your daily routine. That definitely includes two people who made a real impression on the local airwaves: Jan Glenn and Bob Allen. Their presence on the television channels right here in our own community, their speaking, the way they looked when they were on screen – you know, they truly helped shape what people thought about the day's happenings, especially when it came to sports and those early morning shows.
There was a time, not so long ago, when seeing certain individuals on your TV screen felt like catching up with family. Jan Glenn and Bob Allen were, in a way, just that for a lot of Houstonians. Before the phrase "power couple" was something people tossed around very much, they were seen as a pair who held a lot of influence in the city's media landscape. People who grew up here, like me, watching Channel 13, might remember having a bit of a strong admiration for them, kind of like childhood heroes who brought the news and sports right into your living room, basically.
Their careers spanned years, and their personal lives, for a time, were linked in the public eye. So, when one of them, Bob Allen, passed away at the age of 70 after dealing with a serious illness, it really hit home for a lot of people who had followed his work for decades. It's pretty much a testament to the lasting connection these figures had with the community that their stories, both on and off screen, continue to be remembered and shared, even now.
Table of Contents
- The Lives of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
- How Did Jan Glenn and Bob Allen Shape Houston Media?
- What Was the Personal Connection for Jan Glenn and Bob Allen?
- Bob Allen's Sports Broadcasting Legacy
- The Community's Memories of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
The Lives of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
Jan Glenn, a name many Houstonians will recall from their television sets, started her path at Texas Tech University. She was someone who helped get the crowd excited at games there, serving as a cheerleader. After finishing her studies and receiving her degree from the university, she began what would become a well-known career in local broadcasting. She was, you know, quite a familiar face on Channel 13, and some might remember her involvement with "Dialing for Dollars," a show that also featured Dave Ward. Her work on "Good Morning Houston" alongside Don Nelson, from 1977 all the way to 1991, really made her a household name, creating a long-standing on-screen partnership that many viewers enjoyed every day.
Bob Allen, on the other hand, made his mark primarily in the world of sports reporting. He was a person who spent a very long time covering athletic events and news in Houston, becoming a true fixture in that area of local television. His role as the sports director for ABC13 meant he was the one guiding the station's sports reporting, overseeing what stories got told and how they were presented to folks watching at home. He was also a sports anchor for Channel 13, so you saw him quite a bit. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 70 after a period of dealing with a serious illness, which was a sad day for many who had watched him for years. It's interesting, but some people felt he always seemed to look the same, even as years went by, from the mid-1980s right up to the time he left us.
Personal Details of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
| Detail | Jan Glenn | Bob Allen |
|---|---|---|
| Education/Background | Cheerleader at Texas Tech University, graduated | Longtime Houston sports broadcaster |
| Key Roles | "Dialing for Dollars" (Channel 13), "Good Morning Houston" (Channel 13, 1977-1991) | ABC13 Sports Director, Channel 13 Sports Anchor |
| Marital Status (Past) | Married to Bob Allen (later divorced) | Married to Jan Glenn (later divorced) |
| Family (Survived By) | N/A (Information not provided in text) | Daughter Genna Fincher and her husband Brent; Brother Ken Egalnick and his wife |
| Age at Passing | N/A (Information not provided in text) | 70 years old |
| Cause of Passing | N/A (Information not provided in text) | Battle with cancer |
How Did Jan Glenn and Bob Allen Shape Houston Media?
When you think about how local news and television in Houston took shape, it's pretty hard to overlook the impact that both Jan Glenn and Bob Allen had. They weren't just people who read the news or talked about sports; they were, in some respects, part of the fabric of daily life for a lot of people. Their faces, their distinct speaking styles, and just the feeling of them being there on local news channels — Channel 13 especially, and Bob also spent some time on Channel 39 — really influenced what folks believed about the day's happenings. This was particularly true when it came to morning shows, where Jan Glenn was a key part, and, of course, the sports segments that Bob Allen guided. They helped define what a local broadcast personality could be, in a way, connecting with viewers on a very personal level.
For years, they were familiar sights, so much so that watching them became a bit of a ritual for many families. They had a way of presenting information that felt approachable, which made the news feel less like something distant and more like a conversation you were having with someone you knew. This kind of connection is something that, you know, isn't always easy to build in broadcasting. They managed to do it, and it meant that for a whole generation, their voices were the ones you heard giving you the day's sports scores or wishing you a good morning. It's fair to say they left a pretty big mark on how people in Houston experienced their local television, making it feel, frankly, more like a community gathering place.
What Was the Personal Connection for Jan Glenn and Bob Allen?
Beyond their roles as public figures, Jan Glenn and Bob Allen also shared a personal connection that was, for a time, quite well-known in Houston. As a matter of fact, they were married to each other, and this made them, in the eyes of many, a truly influential duo in the city. This was before the term "power couple" was something people said very often, but they certainly fit the description. Their partnership, both on screen and off, added another layer to their public personas, making them even more relatable and, in a way, more interesting to the people who watched them every day. It was something that made them stand out, you know, as a pair who were both talented in their fields and also connected in their private lives.
I remember watching Bob since I was a kid, and it was widely known, even then, that he was married to Jan Glenn, who was a big part of "Good Morning Houston." This connection created a narrative that viewers could follow, adding a touch of personal interest to their professional lives. While they later went their separate ways, with Bob Allen being divorced from Jan Glenn, their earlier time together as a married pair was a significant part of their story in the public eye. It just goes to show that sometimes, the personal lives of public figures become intertwined with their professional images, creating a more complete picture for those who follow them.
The Relationship Between Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
The relationship between Jan Glenn and Bob Allen was, for a period, a very public aspect of their lives in Houston. They were seen as a prominent couple, and their marriage was something many people knew about. This kind of shared visibility, especially with both of them being on local television, created a unique dynamic. It wasn't just about their individual contributions to news and sports; it was also about them as a unit, a duo who were both talented and connected. This added a certain charm to their presence on screen, making them even more memorable for the audience.
Their story, like many others, had its turns. While they were married for a time, they eventually separated. However, the memory of them as a couple, particularly in the earlier days of their careers, really stuck with people. It’s almost like they set a standard for what a local media partnership could look like, both professionally and personally. Even after their divorce, the fact that they were once married remained a part of their public story, something that people would recall when thinking about their time on Houston television. It highlights how, you know, personal connections can leave a lasting impression on the public's memory of figures like Jan Glenn and Bob Allen.
Bob Allen's Sports Broadcasting Legacy
Bob Allen left a truly significant mark on sports broadcasting in Houston. For many years, he was the voice and face that delivered the athletic news to countless homes. He was, frankly, a long-time figure in this area, and his work as the ABC13 sports director meant he had a major hand in how sports stories were presented. People who watched local sports news for years would certainly remember him. His style and his presence were, in a way, what many came to expect from their local sports coverage. He was there, night after night, sharing the scores, the highlights, and the stories from the world of sports, becoming a regular part of people's evenings.
When Bob Allen passed away at 70 after dealing with a serious illness, it was a moment of sadness for many. Funeral services were held, and those who were closest to him gathered to share their thoughts and memories. It was clear that he had made a real difference to a great many people through his work. His farewell on Channel 13 was a poignant moment, marking the end of an era for many who had grown up watching him. It's pretty much a testament to his impact that so many remembered him fondly and felt a sense of loss when he was gone, showing just how much he meant to the local sports community.
What Did Viewers Think of Bob Allen's Sports Coverage?
When it comes to how people felt about Bob Allen's sports coverage, there were, naturally, a range of opinions, as is often the case with public figures. Some local sports fans, for instance, might have had a particular view on his style. There were those who had been watching local sports news for years and, you know, might have felt that his approach to leading the sports coverage wasn't always the strongest. They might have pointed out that the bits he showed were quite brief, or that he didn't always bring up certain sports stories that other stations covered. And, arguably, some felt he rarely got stories no one else had, which is to say, exclusives.
However, for many others, Bob Allen was simply *the* sportscaster. I mean, for some, he was everything they thought of when it came to sports on TV. The fact that people had been watching him since they were kids, some even saying he never seemed to look older from the mid-80s until his passing, speaks volumes about his consistent presence. So, while there might have been differing views on the details of his reporting, his long tenure and the deep connection he formed with a large segment of the Houston viewing public are undeniable. He was a familiar, constant figure, and for a lot of people, that was what mattered most, basically.
The Community's Memories of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen
The memories people hold of Jan Glenn and Bob Allen are, in a way, a collective reflection of their time spent watching local television. For many, these two individuals weren't just broadcasters; they were part of the backdrop of growing up in Houston. I mean, it's really nice to come across these accounts and stories about the people you watched every night as a child. There’s a certain feeling of connection that comes from seeing familiar faces on screen for so many years. My mom, for instance, mentioned that she and my dad actually met Bob and Jan Glenn at Gilley's way back when, which is pretty cool to hear, honestly.
These kinds of personal anecdotes show just how much these figures became integrated into the
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