But his avuncular presence on television screens and the public's embrace of a likable President largely insulated him from criticism.

Whatever terms you used, Robertson's avuncular presence was undeniably one of the elements that made the Bugle not only a place of business, but also a second home for so many of the people who worked there.

ABC's prime-time host was Chris Schenkel, an avuncular presence in a role that was not nearly as expansive as Bob Costas's.

Sacks' writing has many charms, among them an avuncular presence, an unaffected storyteller's voice not often found in popularized science writing these days.

While in the 1930's Walt had been a lean young renegade with a subversive streak, by the 1950's he had turned himself into the genial host of the "Disneyland" television show - a soft, avuncular presence who promoted good values and wholesomeness.

"Except for my unique, avuncular presence, I suspect that Washington and Pretoria are much the same."

Venturi remains an avuncular presence, better suited to reminiscing than to the task of lead analyst from the 18th hole.

Mr. Keane's death came on the eve of the annual Listowel Writers' Festival, a weeklong event at which he had long been a dominating and avuncular presence, holding court at the famous watering hole that bears his name.

An avuncular presence whose demeanor is generally courteous and unflappable, Mr. Scoppetta was blunt and clearly angered yesterday by what he described as "some adolescents in firehouses thinking they can live out their adolescent fantasies."

The film is unapologetically puffy, both in its portrait of the director as a twinkly avuncular presence on the set and in its portrait of the Dalai Lama as a kind of living saint.