Harold Taft
Encyclopedia
Harold Ernest Taft Jr. affectionately known as "The World's Greatest Weatherman" and "The Dean of TV Meteorologists", was the first television
meteorologist west of the Mississippi River
and held the post for a record 41 years.
A native of Enid, Oklahoma
, he joined the Army Air Corps
during World War II
, and went to the University of Chicago
to study meteorology. Taft was a second lieutenant
stationed in Maine on D-Day. Erroneously, he has been listed as assisting Dwight D. Eisenhower in settling the date of the D-Day invasion, but unfortunately, this is mere legend. His input from Maine may have been of some minor help, but he was still too young and inexperienced to have been involved in such important matters. However, by Korea, he was involved in major decisisons where weather was an important factor. He graduated from Phillips University
in 1946 and joined American Airlines
as a staff meteorologist.
). “We told them we would present a three-dimensional look at the weather, and we would call it Weather Telefacts, because we wanted to explain the weather to people,” he later said. The three meteorologists were hired, Taft as chief meteorologist at the rate of $7 per show, and at 10:15 p.m. on October 31, 1949, Weather Telefacts premiered.
Harold's weather forecasts also aired on WBAP radio, where overnight personality Bill Mack
nicknamed him "The World's Greatest Weatherman". Much in the style of Chicago weathercaster Tom Skilling
, Taft resisted dumbing down
of his presentations, explaining complicated meteorological concepts in layman's terms where needed and enhancing charts with isobars and upper-level diagrams. This was occasionally a source of conflict with KXAS producers.
When new management at KXAS planned to replace Taft in the early 1980s, a grassroots campaign bombarded the station with complaints. Bumper stickers proclaiming "I Believe Harold" began appearing and advertisers threatened to pull their business. Management relented, and Taft remained a permanent part of KXAS' news programs.
. During his chemotherapy
treatments, which left him frail and bald, he presented a series of reports on his health problems. In spite of the hardships, Taft continued to forecast the weather. Even during his last year of life, he continued to present weather reports on the 5pm and 6pm newscasts. One of his colleagues noted that he was so ill that he had to lay down and rest between the two newscasts. His last weather broadcast was August 30, 1991, 41 years and 10 months after his first broadcast, and he died a month later.
A devout Lutheran, Taft had been a regular cornet player at St. John Lutheran Church in Grand Prairie
and King of Glory Lutheran Church in Fort Worth
. His funeral service had to be moved to St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, one of Fort Worth
's largest churches, to accommodate the crowd of mourners and a live KXAS broadcast. Taft's rival of 15 years, chief weather anchor Troy Dungan
of WFAA-TV
, attended the service. He is survived by his 2 children from a first marriage, Janice Taft Spooner and Earnest Taft, and several stepchildren from a second marriage.
Taft was posthumously presented the Award for Outstanding Service by a Broadcasting Meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society
. He received the award "in recognition of his warmth as a broadcaster and his professionalism as a forecaster."
His widow, Pat, died in 1994, and his first wife Eleanor died in 2004.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
meteorologist west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and held the post for a record 41 years.
A native of Enid, Oklahoma
Enid, Oklahoma
Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...
, he joined the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and went to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
to study meteorology. Taft was a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
stationed in Maine on D-Day. Erroneously, he has been listed as assisting Dwight D. Eisenhower in settling the date of the D-Day invasion, but unfortunately, this is mere legend. His input from Maine may have been of some minor help, but he was still too young and inexperienced to have been involved in such important matters. However, by Korea, he was involved in major decisisons where weather was an important factor. He graduated from Phillips University
Phillips University
Phillips University was a private, coeducational institution of higher education located in Enid, Oklahoma, United States, from 1906 to 1998. It was affiliated with the Christian Church . It included an undergraduate college and a graduate seminary...
in 1946 and joined American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
as a staff meteorologist.
Television meteorology
In 1949, Taft and two fellow American Airlines meteorologists, Bob Denney and Walter Porter, proposed a nightly weather program to WBAP-TV (now KXASKXAS-TV
KXAS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is the NBC television station for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The station was Texas' first television station when the station made its debut on September 28, 1948. Its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill...
). “We told them we would present a three-dimensional look at the weather, and we would call it Weather Telefacts, because we wanted to explain the weather to people,” he later said. The three meteorologists were hired, Taft as chief meteorologist at the rate of $7 per show, and at 10:15 p.m. on October 31, 1949, Weather Telefacts premiered.
Harold's weather forecasts also aired on WBAP radio, where overnight personality Bill Mack
Bill Mack
Bill Mack is one of the most recognizable voices in country music radio. For many years, Mack was best known as the host of The Country Roads Show, the overnight country music show on WBAP, a clear channel station in Fort Worth...
nicknamed him "The World's Greatest Weatherman". Much in the style of Chicago weathercaster Tom Skilling
Tom Skilling
Thomas Ethelbert Skilling, III , known on-air as Tom Skilling, is a popular meteorologist in Chicago, Illinois. He is the chief meteorologist for the weekday midday, 5 and 9 p.m. newscasts at CW affiliate and national cable superstation WGN-TV .-Early beginnings:Skilling began his career in...
, Taft resisted dumbing down
Dumbing down
Dumbing down is a pejorative term for a perceived trend to lower the intellectual content of literature, education, news, and other aspects of culture...
of his presentations, explaining complicated meteorological concepts in layman's terms where needed and enhancing charts with isobars and upper-level diagrams. This was occasionally a source of conflict with KXAS producers.
When new management at KXAS planned to replace Taft in the early 1980s, a grassroots campaign bombarded the station with complaints. Bumper stickers proclaiming "I Believe Harold" began appearing and advertisers threatened to pull their business. Management relented, and Taft remained a permanent part of KXAS' news programs.
Decline
In the late 1980s, Taft was diagnosed with stomach cancerStomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
. During his chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
treatments, which left him frail and bald, he presented a series of reports on his health problems. In spite of the hardships, Taft continued to forecast the weather. Even during his last year of life, he continued to present weather reports on the 5pm and 6pm newscasts. One of his colleagues noted that he was so ill that he had to lay down and rest between the two newscasts. His last weather broadcast was August 30, 1991, 41 years and 10 months after his first broadcast, and he died a month later.
A devout Lutheran, Taft had been a regular cornet player at St. John Lutheran Church in Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
and King of Glory Lutheran Church in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. His funeral service had to be moved to St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, one of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
's largest churches, to accommodate the crowd of mourners and a live KXAS broadcast. Taft's rival of 15 years, chief weather anchor Troy Dungan
Troy Dungan
William Troy Dungan Jr. William Troy Dungan Jr. William Troy Dungan Jr. (born November 17, 1936, better known as Troy Dungan, is an American weatherman, formerly the chief weather anchor for Belo owned and ABC's Dallas affiliate WFAA-TV. He was also formerly the chief weather anchor for WBAP...
of WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
, attended the service. He is survived by his 2 children from a first marriage, Janice Taft Spooner and Earnest Taft, and several stepchildren from a second marriage.
Taft was posthumously presented the Award for Outstanding Service by a Broadcasting Meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society
American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
. He received the award "in recognition of his warmth as a broadcaster and his professionalism as a forecaster."
His widow, Pat, died in 1994, and his first wife Eleanor died in 2004.
Accomplishments and legacy
- In 1955, Taft served on an American Meteorological SocietyAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
committee that recommended that the society establish what eventually became their Seal of Approval for broadcast meteorologists.
- Taft served as a colonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Texas Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, and he was often referred to as "Colonel Taft" on the air, especially through the 1970s.
- In 1975, Taft was co-author of the book "Texas Weather" with fellow KXAS meteorologist Ron Godbey. In 1985, Taft testified as an expert witness on wind shearWind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, which he identified as the cause of the crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 191Delta Air Lines Flight 191Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was an airline service from Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, bound for Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, by way of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport...
on August 2, 1985 at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
- In September 2008, KXAS began awarding a Harold Taft Scholarship for undergraduate meteorology students in association with the Lone Star Emmy Educational Foundation. The awards were presented by his daughter Janice Taft Spooner and his oldest granddaughter Denise Spooner Buckner.
- In 2002 Harold Taft's 41-year record of "world's longest-serving TV meteorologist" was superseded by Canadian Dave DevallDave DevallDavid "Dave" Devall is a retired Canadian weather reporter for the television station CFTO-TV in Toronto. He served in this capacity for more than 48 years beginning in 1961, and was recognized as having had the "longest career as a weather forecaster" by Guinness World Records and the World...
, who retired with 49 years of experience.