He was known to generations of Americans for being a grumpy old man, refusing to hold back on his opinions right to the very end.
Long-time television commentator Andy Rooney died late Friday in a New York City hospital following complications from surgery. He was 92.
The award-winning television essayist was best known for his commentaries on the CBS news magazine show "60 Minutes." At the end of each show, he would have the last word, sharing his thoughts and opinions on everything from the Iraq war to the contents of his desk drawer.
He would often complain about what he called life's unspoken truths, an approach that helped him connect with the television audience but that could also stir controversy.
CBS suspended Andy Rooney for three months in 1990 after a gay magazine, The Advocate, published racist remarks attributed to him. The magazine's interview was a follow-up to comments Rooney had made on a special CBS news television show associating gay sex with death. Rooney denied making the comments.
Rooney was first hired by CBS in 1949, working for one of the network's big radio shows. In 1957, Rooney began writing for CBS television news and joined "60 Minutes" in 1968 and his commentaries soon became a regular feature of the show.
He delivered 1,097 commentaries before signing off as a show regular in October.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
