BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted October 13, 2005)
OK, by popular demand, here's the scoop on some of my former Channel 4 colleagues.
Last week I listed some folks I've worked with in the past, and judging by your emails, lots of you are wondering "where are they now?"
Some of them still live in Nashville..... some have moved away..... some I simply don't know..... and some are deceased.
Here's what I know about some former Channel 4-mates.:
Jud Collins... (he was king-of-the-hill.... Mr. Television in Nashville for years)... Sad to report that Jud passed away on Dec. 26, 2008 at the age of 89.
Teddy Bart... (perhaps the most versatile broadcaster I've ever worked with)... Teddy is living on a farm in Coffee County, Tennessee. He ended his long running radio show Teddy Bart's Roundtable. Teddy has written a new novel.
Dave Overton... deceased.
Bob Olsen... (was weathercaster and announcer when I first came here)... Bob's a retired corporate attorney, still living in Nashville.
Lonnie Lardner... (my co-anchor here for 5 years)... Lonnie's living in Los Angeles... conducting corporate art workshops... shooting a documentary... opening a safe school for South Central L.A. kids.
Sir Cecil Creep (Russ McCown)... deceased
Ben Thomas... (former, brief host of Noon Show in 1980s, and one-time soap opera actor)... I'm told Ben died in NYC in summer of 2008
George Goldtrap... (weatherman who used to toss the chalk in his pocket)... he's now a public speaker and author, living in Florida.
Huell Howser... (long time feature reporter here)... Huell has his own production company in Los Angeles, where he produces several popular shows for KCET public television.
Pat Sajak... (was announcer and weathercaster here)... Pat lives in Maryland most of the time... still hosts Wheel of Fortune... also owns radio stations and part of a baseball league... and yes, we're still pals.
Paul Eells... (was sportscaster and voice of Commodores)... more recently the voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Paul sadly died in a car crash in the summer of 2006.
Mike Bohan... (the most naturally funny person I've ever known)... Mike is the announcer and sidekick on Gerry House's morning show on WSIX-FM.
John Tesh... (we co-anchored for a year in the 1970s)... now popular musician and radio show host.
Maria Beale Fletcher (former Miss America & Noon Show co-host)... I've lost track of Maria.
Bob Jordan... (was announcer here)... Bob anchors the news, and reports, on WGN-TV in Chicago.
Charlie McAlexander... After a stint as voice of the South Carolina Gamecocks, he moved with his family back to Nashville. He's now doing play-by-play on football games for MTSU, and remains one of the best.
Carol Marin... (my co-anchor for a year or so)... now a columnist for Chicago Sun Times.... investigative reporter for WMAQ-TV in Chicago... and independent documentary producer.
Aaron Mermelstein... (popular, long time reporter)... Aaron is now a freelance writer and TV producer and director, living in St. Louis.
Dave Daughtry... (former anchor and News Director at Channel 4)... now hosting a radio show in Pensacola, Florida.
Joe Fisher... (worked here at Channel 4 from the time he was a mere teenager)... now the play by play voice of the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Boyce Hawkins... deceased.
Elaine Gannick... (she co-hosted Noon Show with Teddy Bart)... now a media consultant here in Nashville, and shows up on various TV projects from time to time.
Jeff McAtee.... Jeff was recently a news anchor at WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but resigned in mid 2008 to become full time Commander in U.S. Navy.
Virg Jacques.... (was weekend anchor and reporter here)... Virg became an anchor in Detroit, Baltimore, and -- last I heard -- Washington DC.
Bill Williams (the rhyming weatherman)... deceased.
Al Tompkins... (world class journalist and former News Director at Channel 4)... now staff member and teacher at Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Noon Show Band... unfortunately, I've lost track of Dutch, Joe, and the guys, but I'm told almost all are now deceased.
Charlie Chase... (hosted midday show here)... Charlie's now hosting morning show on Channel 17.
Ralph Christian... deceased.
Carolyn Lawrence... (former consumer reporter)... recently worked in public relations at Cheekwood.
Tony Lyons... (former entertainment reporter and Opry announcer)... runs Mulligan's Pub downtown.
Floyd Kephart... (former political commentator and my sidekick on election nights)... Floyd was back in town for awhile, we had dinner a few times, but now I've lost contact with him.
Bill Markham... (weekend anchor here)... now anchoring the news at WRCB in Chattanooga.
Faith Fancher... (was Faith Baugh when she worked at Channel 4, and her life story is remarkable)... deceased.
John Siegenthaler... now working in family's PR firm in New York City.
Sharon Puckett.... hosting early morning newscast on Channel 17.
Lamar Alexander... (was political commentator)... Lamar is doing quite well... now a U.S. Senator.
Jeanne Downey... (former reporter and weekend anchor)... I lost track of Jeanne after she left WCBS-TV in New York.
John Bibb... (worked for the Tennessean, but did Sunday night sports with me for a while in early 70s, on Nashville's very first hour long newscast)... deceased.
Ralph Emery... semi-retired, but does some commercials, and I'm told is working on a new internet country program in Nashville.
Al Voecks... (former anchor and News Director) now newscaster and part of the House Foundation morning show gang on WSIX-FM, and also regular on Tennessee Crossroads on WNPT.
Andy Pearson... anchoring news in Little Rock.
James Lewis... is now working as photographer here in Nashville.
Ernie Freeman... morning show host for WHBQ in Memphis.
For now, that's all I know.
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