Garraway began his career in broadcasting in 1938, when he landed a $16-a-week page position at NBC New York. Enrolling in the network's announcer school, he placed an unimpressive 23rd out of a class of 24 but did manage to find work as a special events announcer at Pittsburgh's KDKA. In September 1939 he joined the announcing staff at NBC Chicago's WMAQ radio outlet.

     From the opening strains of "Sentimental Journey" to his trademark expression of "peace," Garroway's "hip," esoteric broadcasting persona developed and crystallized on Chicago radio. His local / / :60 Club, jazz music and conversation at midnight, led him into network radio with his Sunday evening Dave Garroway Show and his daytime Reserved for Garraway. From there he moved quickly into network television. Garraway at Large premiered on April 16, 1949, within four months of NBC television beginning operations in Chicago.

     Taking advantage of Garroway's intellect, unique personality, and relaxed, intimate broadcasting style, Garroway at Large scripts were more conceptual than specific and placed minimal emphasis on elaborate production. Under the watchful eye of producer Ted Mills, writer Charles Andrews, and directors Bob Banner and Bill Hobin, the show worked to create illusions and gently shatter them with the reality of the television studio. In the best tradition of Chinese Opera, commedia dell'arte, or the Pirandellian manipulation of reality, Garroway would wander in and out of scenes or from behind sets, stopping to hold quiet conversations with occasional guest celebrities, the home viewing audience, technicians, and cast members (vocalists Connie Russell, Bette Chapel, and Jack Haskell; comic actor Cliff Norton; and orchestra leader Joseph Gallicchio). Using raised eyebrows, slight gestures, and knowing shrugs, he communicated eloquently and brought a cool, glib, offbeat humor to prime-time television.

     Garroway at Large broadcast its last show from Chicago on June 24, 1951. On January 14, 1952, NBC's Today show premiered in New York with Gar­roway as host. Garroway at Large was revived, but working under the production pressures of New York, the show lost much of the charm of the Chicago version and left the air after one season.

     Through the 1950s, Garroway's workload increased to between 75 and 100 hours per week. In addition to his efforts on Today, he hosted NBC's Wide, Wide World (1955-58) and NBC radio's Monitor series. An exhausted Garroway left the Today show in 1961, and, while he continued to appear on television in various shows and formats, he never again achieved comparable success or popularity. Dave Garroway died on July 21, 1982, at the age of 69.