From the News Desk to Hollywood
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When WTAE (Pittsburgh) reporter Sheldon Ingram guest-starred as the deputy mayor on NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” back in 2022, we probably should have seen this coming. Now, the 64-year-old Hearst veteran is hanging up his reporter’s notebook and stepping away from the anchor desk after his May 29 broadcast to pursue acting full-time.
For many of us in the news business, making a complete career pivot at this stage of the game is practically unheard of. While journalists frequently cross over into public relations, communications, or teaching upon retirement, very few 60-something news anchors leave the industry to dive headfirst into the acting world.
Ingram’s departure marks the end of an impressive 34-year tenure at the Pittsburgh station, where he has been a familiar face on the 4, 5, and 6 p.m. newscasts. Looking ahead, he is trading in the daily news deadlines for commercial, film, and theatrical roles.
“I wanted to stay until 35 years and I’m doing it just short, right at 34 years,” Ingram said. “There are a number of opportunities for me that are coming up. Acting auditions are constantly coming in and I need to free myself up to pursue my new passion.”
That passion has already started to bear fruit outside the newsroom. In addition to his network television debut, Ingram played a gynecologist in director Lee Daniels’ Pittsburgh-shot film “The Deliverance” and provided the voice for the film’s demon. He also appeared on Lifetime in “Gaslit by My Husband: The Morgan Metzer Story,” which later reached No. 1 on Netflix. He has also been active in the local theater scene, and on the night of his final broadcast, he will open in the play “Coconut Cake” at the New Horizon Theater.
For journalists and news managers reading this, the situation highlights a familiar tension between editorial independence and outside creative pursuits. Ingram noted that the standard operating procedure for many newsrooms involves keeping a tight rein on talent to prevent audience confusion through fictional moonlighting. Because his day job placed limits on certain types of acting work, Ingram decided to build up his acting equity before making the leap.
“I needed a runway to build some acting equity, if you will, to build my training, plus I wasn’t really ready to leave TV news at the time,” Ingram said. “As I got stronger with my acting skills and got my feet cemented and as my tenure at WTAE grew into 34 years, it was time to make that move.”
With managers lined up in Pittsburgh and beyond, Ingram is preparing to pursue work in television, film, and voiceovers while remaining based in Pittsburgh. Looking back on his three decades in the industry, he emphasizes that he is simply shifting his methods of communication.
“Storytellers come in many forms, so I’m just transitioning to another form of storytelling that I consider a deeper realm of storytelling,” Ingram said, “because there are layers and layers of preparation to prepare for a role.”
