Gilman "Gil" Whitney (1940-1982) was an American television personality in Dayton, Ohio, who worked primarily at WHIO television and radio until his death in 1982. He was posthumously inducted into the Dayton Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005.
Gil Whitney | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Whitney, c. 1980 | |
| Born | Gilman Whitney August 18, 1940[1] Augusta, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | November 4, 1982 (aged 42) Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Television personality Weather reporter (also fill-in news/sports anchor) Talk show emcee |
| Known for | Timely weather warning during 1974 Super Outbreak co-founder of Dayton Air Show |
| Spouse | Mary |
| Children | Gil Jr., John, Jennifer |
Career
editWhitney's career at WHIO was multi-faceted, having worked as an occasional fill-in news anchor, but also as a sportscaster and field journalist, usually covering stories of human interest. By the early 1970s he was permanently assigned as a weather specialist. His sense of humor and folksy everyman approach to weather reporting made him a favorite with viewers.
As a weatherman, Whitney is best remembered for his timely warning on April 3, 1974, of an F5 tornado that went through Xenia, Ohio, during the 1974 Super Outbreak. He specifically identified the Xenia neighborhood of Arrowhead as being directly in the tornado's path; his report proved to be correct as Arrowhead was leveled by the twister.[2]
During the fall seasons, Whitney often referred to the wooly worm's supposed ability to predict the severity of an upcoming winter. His frequent reference to wooly worms led to the creation of a kids' fan club with the wooly worm as its mascot.[3]
Other work
editDuring the summer months Whitney also hosted Summertime '7x (the number in the title changed each year), a weekly late-night talk show which featured local talent and other TV, movie and radio personalities making guest appearances. By 1980, the show was renamed The Gil Whitney Show. After his death the show was again renamed Summer Nights and ran five more years.
He was a regular on the community parade circuit, acted as emcee for numerous public events, volunteered as a firefighter, and most notably was one of the founders of the Dayton Air Show.[4]
Personal life and death
editWhitney and his wife Mary had three children together:
- Gil Whitney Jr. (born 1963), a filmmaker now living in Cape Porpoise, Maine[5]
- John, a filmmaker (born 1964), Columbus, Ohio
- Jennifer (born 1967)
Whitney died November 4, 1982, at the age of 42.
Awards
edit- 2005: Dayton, Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee[6]
References
edit- ^ Birth date from SSDI. Gilman Whitney.
- ^ Simpson, Jamie (2004-03-31). "Radar provides life-saving warnings of tornadoes. It should be stated that Whitney's early warning to Xenia was responsible for saving hundreds of lives". Dayton Daily News.
- ^ Thompson, Kimberly (2009-09-02). "Wooly Worms And Winter Weather Prediction". WHIOTV.com.
- ^ Huffman, Dale (1993-08-15). "Whitney brothers' forecast sunny". Dayton Daily News. p. 1B.
- ^ Gil Whitney, Jr. Video Production Company
- ^ "Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall Of Fame 2005 Inductees". Dayton, Ohio Broadcasters Hall Of Fame. 2005. Retrieved June 28, 2017.