Accessibility links
In Memory of Rod MacLeish All of us at NPR were saddened to learn of the death of Roderick MacLeish, but especially those of us who worked with him on Morning Edition. Rod had quite a career... he was a journalist, a filmmaker, author and a commentator for Morning Edition in the early years of the program. What many of you won't learn from the obituaries is that Rod also was very good in the kitchen. That came to our attention when those of us on the Morning Edition staff were searching the barren cupboards for material to run on Thanksgiving Day, when most reporters were home with their families.

In Memory of Rod MacLeish

Listen to 'Thanksgiving Day with Rod Macleish'

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/5531144/5531156" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

All of us at NPR were saddened to learn of the death of Roderick MacLeish, but especially those of us who worked with him on Morning Edition. Rod had quite a career... he was a journalist, a filmmaker, author and a commentator for Morning Edition in the early years of the program.

What many of you won't learn from the obituaries is that Rod also was very good in the kitchen. That came to our attention when those of us on the Morning Edition staff were searching the barren cupboards for material to run on Thanksgiving Day, when most reporters were home with their families.

When we heard that Rod was quite the chef, we cooked up a holiday report on Thanksgiving Dinner at Rod's place. Morning Edition host Bob Edwards, a sound engineer and I (at that time, senior editor) went to Rod's lovely home in Northwest D.C. a few days before Thanksgiving, and he cooked for us. The food was great, Rod was courtly and entertaining (as always), and Bob's account of the meal filled 8-1/2 needy minutes! (audio)

Rod passed away late Saturday night, according to his family, but he lives on in the archives of National Public Radio!