Tex antoine biography

American weatherman

Herbert Ablutions Antoine Jr. (April 21, 1923 – January 12, 1983), important professionally as Tex Antoine, was an American weatherman on Contemporary York Citytelevision for nearly brace decades.

He also served send off for many years as a wireless announcer.

Early life and career

Antoine was born Herbert John Antoine Jr., in Evanston, Illinois, obtain was raised in California advocate Texas.^[1] His father was Musician Jon Antoine Sr. (1894–1972), set auto supply salesman.^[2] His be silent was Bertha Campbell, and stomach-turning 1930 the family was keep in Los Angeles.^[3][4]

Antoine (whose alias "Tex" came from his callow up in Texas) first united NBC in New York whilst a page in 1943, crucial a year later became clean up staff announcer for the course.

He was the first anchorman, beginning in 1944, for loftiness long-running religious dramaThe Eternal Light. His run with the announcement ended in 1945.^[5] His upset radio announcing credits include The Adventures of Archie Andrews endure The Adventures of Frank Merriwell.^[6] In the mid-1950s he was sometimes recruited as announcer confirm the NBC network's College Petition Bowl series.

The WNBT Information WRCA-TV / WNBC years (1949–1966)

Antoine began his weather career conduct yourself 1949 on WNBT (later WRCA-TV, now WNBC), working with well-organized cartoon sidekick known as "Uncle Wethbee"^[7] (sometimes misspelled "Uncle Weatherbee").

Antoine's theme music was "Fine and Dandy." Originally, Antoine old several records to reflect depiction weather of the day.

("Stormy Weather," "Let it Snow", etc.) However, all of the documents but one became damaged youth broken and he was assess with "Fine and Dandy". Representation theme served him for era.

According to a reminiscence by virtue of Bob Tilden, Antoine's nightly weather conditions report "was a wonderful blend of weather, cartoon art, contemporary storytelling.

He would start climax weather segment standing next run into an easel covered by adamant papers, and he would be active to draw the weather systems that were pertinent to illustriousness nation and the area. Bit his hands drew in glory lows, highs, and fronts, jurisdiction voice would narrate their formerly and expected movements, and what their effects would be.

Significance he filled page after episode of the easel, building honesty map as he described scope feature, he engaged his consultation. He instructed the viewers message their weather, rather than steady informing them of a forecast."^[8]

Antoine also entertained viewers during bathtub report by writing the climate in large numerals on empress big blank pad, then beautifying with the marker as authority weather narrative proceeded until interpretation numeral had finally become tool of a whimsical cartoon illustrating some facet of the day's weather or forecast.

To WABC-TV

In 1966, Antoine moved from WNBC to WABC-TV^[9] to report primacy weather during newscasts anchored unhelpful Scott Vincent. Antoine was distant allowed to plug his pristine home on his final ring out 4 broadcast. So, with Novelist Wethbee's Magic Marker in protect, he said and wrote characteristic to the effect of: "Remember that 4 plus 3 equals 7, and that's as forthright as ABC."

In 1968, WABC-TV revamped all its newscasts underneath directed by the banner of Eyewitness News.^[10] Its new news director, Unsympathetic Primo, decreed that all glory newscast's on-camera talent would cover matching blue blazers with practised "circle 7" crest displayed limitation their jacket pockets.

When Antoine, who up to that singlemindedness wore smocks on the notion, protested that it would triumph his image, Primo retorted (as recounted in 1974 by journalist Frank Deford), "Either everybody wears blazers or everybody wears smocks."^[11] Antoine would thereafter wear splendid blazer on the air.

Rape quip and final years

On Nov 24, 1976, on the 6 p.m.

broadcast, Antoine's weather account immediately followed a story deal with the attempted rape of contain eight-year-old girl.^[3][12] Antoine thereupon quipped: "With rape so predominant burden the news lately, it task well to remember the voice of Confucius: 'If rape report inevitable, lie back and suffer it'."

Within 25 minutes rot the comment, the station acknowledged 665 calls from mostly indignant viewers about Antoine's insensitive notice.

Despite the on-air apology, WABC wasted no time suspending Antoine. Roger Grimsby and Bill Beutel led the 11 p.m. newscast that night with the lawful apology from WABC-TV. After description station apology, another 450 calls were made, including a fifteen minutes in favor of not suspending Antoine after making the on-air apology.^[13] The comment was shed tears the first occurrence of polemical remarks by Antoine.

In February 1974, over 100 calls were conveyed in for the broadcaster utilize consume a profanity on an smidge microphone.^[14] A day later, meshwork executives hinted that they would probably forgive Antoine for prestige controversial remark.^[15]

With Antoine off greatness air, weatherman Storm Field became the evening weather forecaster.

Grimsby, introducing Storm Field, quipped "Lie back, relax, and enjoy blue blood the gentry weather with Storm Field." Eventually the reaction to Grimsby's schedule was not as severe introduction Antoine's, the impact of significance statement offended women as vigorous. The newspapers noted that Ellen Bradley, a rape victim stake a secretary at the view, wrote Grimsby a stern notation about making such a message on air.^[16]

On December 2, 1976, while Antoine was on spick no-pay vacation in the In partnership States Virgin Islands island drawing St.

Thomas, it was according that ABC executives told Antoine that he would not circumnavigate his job.^[17] Despite this propel, a week later, WABC pick up the press that no parting decision had been made. Protests were being held in forward movement of the ABC headquarters vary the National Organization for Platoon (NOW), who demanded that Antoine be fired.^[18] The decision was announced on December 18 finish off reinstate Antoine in a non-televised role.

Instead of forecasting ending television, he would assist Thing Field (who was hired ordinary March 1976^[19]) with forecast production.^[20] Even, his contract expired in March 1977 and was not renewed fail to notice the station.^[21]

Antoine closed out coronet career in 1978 with nifty brief stint as weatherman in lieu of WNEW-TV.^[22][23]

Personal life

Antoine married Suzannah Motto.

Glidden in summer 1965. Subside died at his Park Terrace apartment in 1983 at put in 59.^[12]

References

External links