YCQM - Remembering Stuart Hall - October 2, 2011 - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

YCQM - Remembering Stuart Hall - October 2, 2011

October 2, 2011 -- Marselis Parsons and Sharon Meyer of WCAX join Darren Perron to remember the life and career of WCAX-TV Weather Forecaster Stuart Hall.

>> Announcer: FROM VERMONT'S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE, WCAX BRINGS YOU YOUR NEWSMAKERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS. THIS IS "YOU CAN QUOTE ME."

>>> MORNINGS EVERYONE. I'M DARREN PERRON. THIS SUNDAY, A LOOK BACK OPT LIFE OF STUART HALL, A LONG-TIME MEMBER OF THE CHANNEL 3 NEWS FAMILY. STUART STARTED WORKING AT THIS STATION IN 1954, JUST AFTER WE WENT ON THE AIR. HE DIED PEACEFULLY LAST WEEKEND AT THE AGE OF 90. MARCELIS PARSONS HAS MORE.

>> HELLO?

>> STUART CAME HERE TO CHANNEL 3 IN 1954, TWO MONTHS AFTER WE WENT ON THE AIR.

>> CASTING ON CHANNEL 3 FROM VERMONT.

>> HE CAME HERE FROM ILLINOIS, LOOKING FOR A CHANGE OF SCENE.

>> THE FLAT COUNTRY WAS TOO FLAT FOR ME AND I WANTED TO GET BACK TO THE MOUNTAINS.

>> HE GOT THE CHANGE OF SCENE AND A CHANGE IN JOBS.

>> AFTER A FEW WEEKS AT THE STATION, MR. MARTIN SAID HE COULD USE ME TO PRODUCTION BECAUSE I WAS FAIRLY WELL EXPERIENCED. I'D RUN A VARIETY SHOW OUT THERE, AND HE SAID HE COULD USE THAT BUT I COULD I DO THE WEATHER AND I SAID SURE, NO, PROBLEM, SO I BONED UP QUICKLY AND MADE SURE I WAS UP ON MY WEATHER AND CAME AND SURE ENOUGH, I WORKED OUT NICELY.

>> HE MADE HIS NAME IN THE WEATHER, BUT HE HELD OTHER JOBLS AS WELL -- JOBS AS WELL, FROM QUIZ MASTER TO PRODUCTION MANAGER, EVENTUALLY VICE PRESIDENT. THOSE EARLY DAYS OF TELEVISION, THOUGH, WERE FULL OF IMAGINATION, FULL OF INNOVATION.

>> I'D ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF CROSSWORD PUZZLES AND I JUST GOT AN IDEA THAT WE COULD MAKE A QUIZ PROGRAM OUT OF USING A CROSSWORD PUZZLE, SO I MADE ONE UP THAT HAD A -- HAD THE SPONSOR'S NAME RIGHT DOWN FRONT AND DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE PUZZLE, AND THEN YOU WILL MAKE WORDS LEFT AND RIGHT OFF THAT.

>> IN 1964, RICHARD GALLAGHER JOINED STUART HALL AND TONY ADAMS ON THE NEWS SET AND THOSE THREE MEN WORKED TOGETHER FOR 20 YEARS. ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING TEAMS IN BROADCAST HISTORY.

>> AND WE WENT THROUGH AN AWFUL LOT TOGETHER. THAT'S TRUE, WE REALLY DID, AND I ENJOYED WORKING WITH BOTH OF THEM. THEY WERE BOTH SUCH PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE.

>> DURING THOSE TWO DECADES, STUART'S PROFESSION CHANGED AS WELL. HE WENT FROM PASTING LITTLE PLASTIC LINES ON A COLORED MAP TO TODAY'S HIGH TECHNOLOGY.

>> CLOUDS RIGHT AWAY DURING THE DAY TOMORROW --

>> IN THE BEGIG, ALL I HAD -- BEGINNING, ALL I HAD WAS A PIECE OF METAL PAINTED GRAY AND DREW THE OUTLINE ON IN PAINT AND THEN YIDE USE THESE MARKERS AND JUST DRAW THEM ON THERE, AND THEN ERASE IT OFF AFTER THIS, SO IT WAS VERY ROADMENT TARE.

>> A BING AROUND THE MOON LAST NIGHT.

>> I FEEL A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP TO OUR VIEWERS BECAUSE THEY DO INVITE US INTO THEIR LIVING ROOMS EACH NIGHT AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN OR CALLED ME AND SAY YOU'RE A PART OF THE FAMILY AND THAT'S A VERY PROUD FEELING TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT YOU.

>> FOR THOSE WHO WORKED WITH HIM, THOSE WHO WATCHED HIM, WE'LL REMEMBER HIM FONDLY. LIKE A WARM DAY THAT LINGERS IN LATE SUMMER. BUT STUART HALL CERTAINLY DOES NOT WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A WARM FRONT IN AUGUST.

>> I KNOW WHAT I'D BE. A NICE NORTHEASTERN WITH A LOT OF SNOW AND DROPPING SNOW FOR THE SKIERS AND SLIDE DERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. A GOOD SNOWSTORM IS WHAT WE LIKE BEST.

>> MARSELIS AND SHARON MEYER ARE HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS BROADCASTING LEG AGAIN. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> OUR PLEASURE.

>> SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT STUART. WHAT MADE HIM A LEGEND? ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT HE WAS HERE FOR SO LONG.

>> THAT'S ENOUGH. THAT'S FRANKLY ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES, INVITED INTO THEIR HOMES AT DINNER TIME, JUST BEFORE DINNER, AND HE WAS ALWAYS BRINGING THEM NEWS THAT WASN'T TOO TERRIBLE. YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER IS NOT ALWAYS FUN, BUT HE WASN'T BRINGING THEM NEWS USUALLY OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. HE WAS BRINGING THEM NEWS OF THE WEATHER, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY IN VERMONT TALKS ABOUT ALL THE TIME.

>> AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS GREAT WEATHER, BUT LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S NOT LIKE THE CRIME BEAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR WATCHES AND WARNINGS AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT PEOPLE IN VERMONT WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THE NEXT DAY AND PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FARMERS AROUND THAT ARE REALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE LIKE, SO THEY NEED TO TUNE IN. ANYBODY ASKED INTD IN SKIING, IN YOUR IN THE SKI INDUSTRY, THAT'S IMPORTANT AND WEATHER IS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND ALSO BECAUSE I THINK HE CAME OFF SO PLEASANTLY ON THE AIR. HE WAS JUST A PLEASANT GUY AND HE CAME OFF THAT WAY BECAUSE HE WAS A VERY PLEASANT GUY. VERY EASY-GOING, ALWAYS CHEERFUL. PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT AND HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE THAT?

>> EVEN OFF THE AIR.

>> OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH.

>> PETER MARTIN, WHO NOW OWNS AND RUNS CHANNEL 3, PROBABLY SAID IT BEST. AVENUES MAN WITH A VERY SUN ME -- HE WAS A MAN WITH A VERY SUNNY DISPOSITION, WHICH IS A GREAT DESCRIPTION FOR A WEATHER PERSON, AND PETER SORT OF ADDED PARENTHETICALLY, EVEN IF YOU WERE REALLY MAD AT HIM, AND THERE WERE TIMES WHEN WE WERE BECAUSE HE HAD ANOTHER FUNCTION AS WELL. HE WASN'T JUST DOING THE WEATHER, AND WHEN I CAME HERE IN '67, THE WAERT WAS AT 1:00 AND THEN AGAIN AT 6:00.

>> I WASN'T AT NOON?

>> NO, IT DIDN'T START AT NOON. IT WAS AT 1:00, AND HE -- LIFE STOPPED IN RURAL VERMONT AT 1:00 AND LATER AT NOON.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THERE WAS NO MORNING NEWS IN THOSE DAYS, EXCEPT FOR CBS, AND FARMERS CAME IN, PEOPLE CAME IN AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE REST OF THE DAY WAS GOING TO BE AND TOMORROW WAS GOING TO BE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT STILL BE OUT HAYING OR DOING FARM CHORES AT 6:15, AND SO LIFE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO WATCH STUART HALL.

>> HOW DID BOTH OF YOU WORKED WITH HIM?

>> DIFFERENTLY, BECAUSE HE HIRED ME. HE WORKED WITH MARSELIS, BUT HE HIRED ME AND MENTORED ME, SO MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM WAS DIFFERENT. I CAME IN KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING AND HE BASICALLY GOT ME STARTED. I GUESS MARSELIS CAN TAKE SOME CREDIT FOR BRINGING ME ALONG AFTER THAT, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE BEGINNING, HE'S THE ONE THAT TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING ABOUT TELEVISION AND HOW TO -- ONE OF THE THINGS HE TAUGHT ME WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE VIEWERS AS FAR AS WHAT THE WEATHER IS DOING OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT LITTLE MICROCLIMATES IN THIS AREA THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FORECAST FOR, AND CERTAINLY NOT JUST THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY, IT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM, THOSE POCKETS IN THE MOUNTAINS THAT ARE WAY SHOULDER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, OR OVER IN NEW YORK AND DOWN IN THE SOUTH AND HE HAD DEVELOPED A GOOD NETWORK OF PEOPLE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE WEATHER FOR HIM AND CALLED N AND I INHERITED THEM, SO I WOULD GET CALLS FROM BOB UP IN HOLLAND AFTERWARDS TELLING ME HOW COLD I WANT WAS UP THERE, AND CAP IN SOUTH LINCOLN AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AND NOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE WAY WE USE FACEBOOK NOW WHERE PEOPLE WILL SEND US -- THERE'S A STORM START, PEOPLE WILL WRITE ON FACEBOOK AND SAY WE HAVE THREE INCHES DOWN HERE ALREADY, AND IT REALLY HELPS TO BE ABLE TO TELL HOW A STORM IS DEVELOPING TO HAVE EVERYBODY OUT THERE WORKING WITH YOU. WE CAN FORECAST WHAT WE THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.

>> PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.

>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT WAS ONE THING HE TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF GROUND TROOPS AND HOW THAT CAN REALLY HELP YOU.

>> YOU THINK THAT WAS THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF THEM. I THINK HIS TEMPERAMENT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON AS FAR AS HIS ABILITY TO BE THE CALM IN THE STORM, YOU KNOW.

>> AN EVEN KEEL.

>> VERY EVEN KEEL.

>> VERY EVEN.

>> IT'S KIND OF A HIGH-PRESSURE SITUATION AROUND HERE SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS AREN'T GOING RIGHT AND PEOPLE GET ON EACH OTHER'S NERVES AND STUFF, AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME A COUPLE OF GUYS IN THE PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT WERE JUST SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER, AND STUART WALKED IN AND HE WAS JUST LIKE, OKAY, WELL, SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO CLEAR THE AIR, AND NOW LET'S -- YOU KNOW, LET'S ALL JUST CALM DOWN.

>> VERY ZIP MONTH MAT TICK.

>> AND GET BACK TO WORK AND KEEP IT GOING. SO HE WAS THE EVEN KEELED ONE FOR SURE.

>> ANYTHING ROUGHLY -- RUFFLE HIS FEATHERS?

>> EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

>> AND EVEN THEN HE DIDN'T BLOW UP, BUT YOU HAD TO LOOK CAREFULLY TO SEE IF YOU WERE GETTING TO HIM.

>> HE WAS VERY PATIENT, BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN EVEN HIS PATIENCE WAS TRIED. YOU KNOW, YOU ASKED EARLIER, DID I DEAL WITH HIM. FRANKLY, I REALLY DIDN'T DEAL WITH HIM MUCH UNTIL RICHARD GALLAGHER DIED IN 1984, AND BY THAT TIME, STUART HAD BEEN HERE 30 YEARS. I MEAN, HE WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND DEALING WITH SHARON, BUT I WAS DOING COUNTY 11:00 AND -- DOING THE 11:00 AND I DIDN'T DEAL WITH HIM AT 6:00 UNTIL HIS LAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE HE RETIRED -- WELL, LAST SIX YEARS, BECAUSE I CAME IN IN '84 AND WORKED WITH HIM, AND -- BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN HE WOULD TRY ALL OF OUR PATIENCE. I MEAN, TONY GOT MAD AT HIM ON OCCASION. PEOPLE GET MAD --

>> SURE.

>> HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET MAD AT ME. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT HE WAS VERY -- SHARON SAID IT BEST A WHILE AGO. HE HAD A VERY EVEN KEEL. HE HAD A GOOD TEMPERAMENT.

>> AND CHEERFUL.

>> YEAH, HE WAS CHEERFUL. HE WAS PRIVATE. I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE AT CHANNEL 3 WENT TO HIS HOUSE FOR DINNER. I THINK HE WAS PRETTY -- YOU KNOW, HE LIKED HIS FAMILY. HE LOVED THE OUTDOORS.

>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT -- I MEAN, THE TIMES THAT I RAN INTO HIM OUTSIDE, IT WOULD BE ON TOP OF MOUNT ONCE AND STUART WAS UP THERE ON HIS BIKE, SO HE WAS OUT A LOT ENJOYING WEATHER, JUST BEING OUTSIDE, AND I ALSO THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT AS FAR AS BEING A FORECASTER IS CONCERNED, IS TO GET OUT EVERY DAY AND SEE WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON, BECAUSE IF YOU STAY INSIDE TOO MUCH, SPEND TOO MUCH TIME WITH THE COMPUTERS, STAY INSIDE TOO MUCH, YOU'RE NOT AS AWARE OF THE SEASONS CHANGING AS THEY CHANGE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SUCH A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO, AND HE WAS OUT THERE ALL THE TIME. HE LOVED WINTER, HE WAS ALWAYS SKIING, ICE SKATING. HE WAS A BIG ITE SKATER, WHETHER IT WAS INDOORS AT GUTTERSON AND PEOPLE COMMENTED THEY HAD SEEN HIM ICE SKATING AROUND THERE. HE WOULD SKATE ON THE RIVERS IF THE ICE WAS THICK ENOUGH AND ENJOYED SAILING IN THE SUMMER AND HE WAS OUT. OUTSIDE A LOT.

>> INSIDE THE STUDIO, WAS OH HARD WORKER? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HIS ETHIC?

>> OH, YEAH.

>> HERE AT WORK?

>> IT WAS DIFFERENT. I REMEMBER, AND SHARON I'M SURE HAD TO DO THE SAME THING, BUT I MEAN, HE WOULD GO OUT TO THE WEATHER BUREAU AT THE AIRPORT AT LEAST ONCE AND SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY TO GET THE WEATHER. I MEAN, NOW, I THINK, YOU TALKED EARLIER --

>> HE HAD TO GO OUT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEFORE EVERY SHOW TO FIND OUT WHERE THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS AND THE COLD FRONTS AND EVERYTHING WERE BECAUSE NECESSITY HAD THE COMPUTERS THAT GAVE YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION P SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE A STOP OUT THERE, DRAW THE MAP, COME BACK, DRAW IT BACK HERE, AND EVEN IN THE EARLY DAYS WHEN HE FIRST GOT THE VERY FIRST COMPUTER, WHICH WAS THE VERY BEGINNING OF MY CAREER WAS WHEN THE FIRST COMPUTERS, YOU STILL HAD TO GO OUT AND GET THE MAPS, THE MOST CURRENT MAP AND COME BACK AND DRAW ON IT YOUR COMPUTER. THE SATELLITES ALL CAME IN AUTOMATICALLY AND SO FORTH, BUT YOU STILL -- WE STILL DRAW OUR MAPS NOW, BUT WE GET EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED THROUGH THE COMPUTERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

>> MAYBE YOU CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT. HOW HAS FORECASTING CHANGED FROM STUART HALL'S TIME UNTIL TODAY?

>> SAVE A LOT OF GAS MILEAGE. [ LAUGHTER ]

>> NOT DRIVING OUT TO THE AIRPORT ALL THE TIME. WE HAVE NOT ONLY ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHATROOM WHERE EVERYBODY IN THE MEDIA CAN GO ON AND SO WE CAN TALK TO THEM DIRECTLY, NOT ONLY DO WE SORT OF SEE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT WE CAN TALK TO THEM DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING TO GET IN THE CAR AND GO OVER THERE AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. SO, YEAH, IT'S MADE IT A LOT EASIER. NOT TO MENTION THAT JUST ACTUALLY PUTTING THE BROADCAST ON, I MEAN, HE HAD SEVEN MINUTES TO FILL?

>> WOW.

>> WHEN HE WAS DOING IT, AND HE JUST --

>> THAT'S A LOT OF TIME.

>> IT'S A LOT OF TIME TO FILL WITH ONE MAP THAT ED DRAWN ON. BASICALLY, AND --

>> AND THE PANNELLS WOULD SLIDE. THERE WERE LIKE TWO OR THREE.

>> THEY HAD THE NUMBERS, THE PLASTIC NUMBERS WITH THE STICKY, THE DOUBLE-STICK STUFF ON IT THAT HE WOULD TAKE THE 5:00 TEMPERATURES FROM AROUND THE NORTHEAST AND THEN STICK THE 55 IN PORTLAND AND THE 60 IN BOSTON AND OCCASIONALLY THEY WOULD DROP OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BROADCAST, AND THEN GO TO COMMERCIAL, AND THEN YOU MOVE THAT MAP BACK AND MOVE THE NATIONAL MAP BACK ON, AND HE WOULD SPEND THREE MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THAT AND GET INTO THE FORECAST FOR THE LAST MINUTE THAT WAS THERE, AND THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT EASY.

>> NO.

>> NOT EASY.

>> I MEAN, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I MEAN SEVEN MINUTES IN TV TIME, THAT'S A LOT OF TALKING. STRAIGHT TALKING.

>> IT IS. WHEN I SAW -- TONY CAME ON FIRST WITH SPORTS AT 6:00, AND STUART CAME ON ABOUT, OH, 11 OR 12 MINUTES AFTER 6:00, AND THEN NIKKI CAME ON WITH NEWS AT 6:15 AND WE PICKED UP CRONKITE AT 6:30 AND MR. MARTIN CAME DOWN ONE DAY IN 968 AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO AN HOUR AND WE ALL SAID WHOOP PI. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, NEWS STORIES RAN THREE AND FOUR MINUTES AND THAT WASN'T UNUSUAL. WE HAD HALF THE STAFF THAT THERE IS NOW, BUT STUART FILLED HIS SEVEN MINUTES, TONY HAD 14 OR 15 FOR SPORTS. THE REASON THAT TONY USED TO GO FIRST WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF CHANNEL 3 ALSO OWNED THE RADIO STATION, AND THEY THOUGHT RADIO WAS MORE IMPORTANT, AND SO NEWS WENT AT 6:00 ON RADIO AND SPORTS WENT ON AT 6:00 ON TELEVISION.

>> OH, WOW.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

>> AND THEN STUART WAS SORT OF IN THE MIDDLE, IN THE BRIDGE PERIOD, AND THEN GALLAGHER WOULD HAVE FINISHED READING THE NEWS ON THE RADIO STATION AT ABOUT 10 AFTER 6:00 AND HE WOULD RUN DOWN INTO THE TELEVISION STUDIO AND DO THE TELEVISION NEWS AT 6:14 OR 6:15.

>> VERY INTERESTING.

>> BUT THEN, WHEN WE MOVED TO THE -- WHEN WE WERE AT THE HOUR WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS CHUNKS. IT WAS LIKE THERE WAS NEWS, THERE WAS THE NEWS SHOW, THERE WAS THE WEATHER SHOW, AND THE SPORTS SHOW, AND TONY I THINK HAD 14 MINUTES OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, OF SPORTS THAT HE WAS DOING AND AT THE VERY END, THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF NEWS BEFORE WE LEFT, BUT NOW IT'S ALL SPRINKLED UP, A LITTLE WEATHER HERE, A LITTLE WEATHER THERE AND A LITTLE WEATHER THERE, BUT THE WEATHER SHOW WAS SEVEN MINUTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUR.

>> AND HE COULD NOT DO THE THINGS THAT YOU DO NOW, LIKE LAST NIGHT. WE'RE TAPING THIS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND SHARON LAST NIGHT WAS IN PEACHAM DOING A GREAT STORY TO FOLIAGE AND STUART NEVER COULD HAVE DONE THAT.

>> WE DIDN'T HAVE THE TRUCK AND THE --

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> HE WAS DOING THE NOON AND THE 6:00 AND HE WAS ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION, SO HE HAD THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION CREW THAT HE WAS THE BOFS AND SCHEDULING FOR AND EVERYTHING, BUT HE DID A LOT. BUT EVEN, SO HE HAD A LOT OF DOUBLE RAINBOWS AND SUN DOG EXPLANATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, HE SPENT --

>> STUFF HE WOULD DO OUT OF THE STUDIO.

>> THINGS YOU COULD DO IN THE STUDIO, HE DID A LOT OF EXPLAINING OF A LOT OF WEATHER PHENOMENA AND INTERESTING THINGS, THE HEATING DEGREE DAY UNITS. AND OF COURSE IN THE '70s, THAT WAS A BIG THING TO DO.

>> IT WAS SORT OF LIKE LEARNING THE --

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, BOTH OF YOU KNOW THIS. VERY RECOGNIZABLE IN THE STATE, WELL-RESPECTED, AND THAT COMES WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY. HOW WAS STUART HALL OUTSIDE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE AND WHAT WAS THE TAKE ON STUART HALL OUT IN THE PUBLIC?

>> HE WAS ALWAYS GRACIOUS.

>> HE WAS. I MEAN, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WOULD COME UP TO HIM AND I KNOW THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE IN THE SKI BUSINESS WHO WERE NOT HAPPY, WHO WANTED HIM TO, YOU KNOW, DON'T FORECAST THAT IT'S GOING TO BE 60 DEGREES IN THE MIGD OF WINTER.

>> OR RAINING.

>> YEAH, OR RAINING. AND HE WILL SAY, LOOK, I'VE GOT TO TELL THE TRUTH. AND YOU AND THE GUYS NEED TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH 60-DEGREE TEMPERATURES, BUT DON'T EXPECT ME TO SAY IT'S GOING TO SNOW WHEN IT DOESN'T AND I KNOW DARN WELL IT'S NOT GOING TO. AND U YOU KNOW, HE -- SOME OF THE SKI AREAS WERE REALLY QUITE UPSET WHEN HE WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE 60-DEGREE TEMPERATURES FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS RUNNING, AND THEY WOULD SAY, OH, THANKS A LOT. THAT'S GOING TO BE REPEATED ALL UP AND DOWN THE COAST AND WE'LL LOSE BUSINESS. WELL, HE SAID I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S MY JOB TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

>> YOU'RE TRUSTED IN THE PUBLIC.

>> RIGHT.

>> YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, THERE'S AN INTERESTING THING. AS I SAID EARLIER, WE'RE TAPING THIS ON FRIDAY AND SHARON AND I CAME FROM STUART'S FUNERAL AND HE WROTE A LETTER TO HIS FAMILY BEFORE HE DIED. IN FACT, IT WAS QUITE SOME TIME AGO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I TOOK OUT OF THAT WAS THE WEATHERMAN'S LAMENT. AS I GAZE INTO DYING EMBERS, THESE ARE MY MAIN REGRETS. WHEN I'M RIGHT, NO ONE REMEMBERS. WHEN I'M WRONG, NO ONE FORGETS. AND PEOPLE WOULD RIB HIM ABOUT THAT.

>> I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT.

>> I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT ONE. BUT HE TRIED -- HE WASN'T AN ATTENTION SEEKER. HE WOULD TRY TO BE SORT OF INCOGNITO OUT THERE. HE SORT OF WOULD WEAR SORT OF PLAIN CLOTHES AND HE HAD THIS HAT THAT HE KIND OF PULLED DOWN AND HAD SOME SUN GRASSES ON WHEN HE WAS -- SUNGLASSES ON WHEN HE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE AROUND, THINKING MAYBE PEOPLE WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE HIM QUITE SO MUCH. I DON'T THINK IT WORKED FOR HIM. I'M SURE YOU HAD THE EXPERIENCE TOO, SOMETIMES PEOPLE AREN'T LOOKING AT YOU AND THEN YOU SPEAK AND THEY HEAR YOUR VOICE AND THEY TURN AROUND AND "I KNOW THAT ADVISORY VOICE," AND I'M SURE THAT HAPPENED TO HIM. BUT I EVENT HEARD ANYBODY SAY -- HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY SAY HE WAS ANYTHING BUT GRACIOUS WHEN PEOPLE TALKED TO HIM.

>> PEOPLE LOVED HIM AND SPEAKING OF FACEBOOK EARLIER, SOME FOLKS LEFT MESSAGES ABOUT HIM.

>> THAT WAS SOMETHING REALLY NICE TO SEE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE BECAUSE IT GAVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE IN WHAT THEIR MEMORIES WERE AND SO FORTH, AND SUSAN McKENNY WAS ONE WHO WROTE IN, SAID STUART HALL, RICHARD GALLAGHER, TONY ADAMS, THAT'S THE NEWS TEAM I GREW UP, HE WILL BE MISSED. AND ROBERT EVANS SAID HE WAS THE BEST. YEAH, HE WAS, I KNOW. LOVED WATCHING THE WEATHER DAILY WITH STUART. I LOVE WHAT HE SAID EVERY NIGHT. THAT'S THE WEATHER, THIS IS THE TIME, STAY TUNED FOR MORE NEWS. NAES SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME A LOT OVER THE YEARS. I CAN'T TELL YOU, MORE THAN ONE PERSON HAS COME UP TO ME AND SAID WE STILL MISS STUART HALL, AND THEN THEY WILL SORT OF REALIZE HOO THEY'RE TALKING -- WHO THEY'RE TALKING TO AND SAY, OH, YOU'RE OKAY, BUT WE STILL MISS STUART HALL.

>> AND THAT'S ALL I ASK.

>> I CAN RECEIPTLATE, I CAN RELATE TO THAT.

>> AS LONG AS THEY SAY YOU'RE OKAY, WE CAN GO WITH THAT. KIMBERLY WROTE, MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE HALL FAMILY. STUART WILL ALWAYS BE FONDLY REMEMBERED AND WILL FOREVER BE A PART OF MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES, AND THAT'S TRUE OF SO MANY PEOPLE THAT GREW UP HERE, BECAUSE HE WAS -- HOW MANY YEARS? IT WAS ALWAYS STUART.

>> '54 TO '90, AND THE NIGHT HE RETIRED, REMEMBER MADELINE KUNIN WAS GOVERNOR AND SHE CAME IN HERE AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENED NOWADAYS, BUT EVEN IN THOSE DAYS, IT WAS RARE TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WHEREVER YOU ARE COME IN AND SAY GOODBYE TO -- HE REALLY WAS A FIXTURE. THEY ALL WERE. TONY IS STILL HERE EVERY DAY, BUT MICKEY DIED IN 1984, BUT I'M SURE THE THREE OF THEM, RICKY CAME IN 1963 OR '64 AND WE THOUGHT AT THE TIME, WE STARTED CHECKING WITH OTHER TELEVISION STATIONS, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS THE LONGEST RUNNING ANCHOR TEAM --

>> WOW.

>> -- CERTAINLY IN THE NORTHEAST. BUT SOME PEOPLE SAID I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING TEAMS, MAY NOT BE THE LONGEST RUNNING ANCHOR MAN OR --

>> HE COMMENTED ONES THAT THIS WAS THE LONGEST RUNNING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE ANYMORE. IT'S PROBABLY TRUE NOW MORE THAN EVER.

>> THERE WAS A NEWS DIRECTOR OUT IN INDIANA OR IOWA WHO HAD BEEN ON THE AIR FOR 32 YEARS, EVEN BACK IN '89 OR '90 WHEN STUART RETIRE, BUT THAT WAS JUST ONE PERSON, AND THE THREE OF THEM WERE TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME, WORKED WELL TOGETHER. THEY USED TO KID EACH OTHER AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THERE WOULD BE SORT OF A -- I REMEMBER WE HAD A REPORTER WHO DID A STORY ON A GROUP THAT WAS MIMICKING THE BEATLES, AND RICK SI SAID NOW STUART HALL WILL DO HIS IMITATION OF A WEATHER MAN. JUST BRAET OF A DIG, BUT STUART TOOK IT AND SAID, YOU BET, YOU KNOW, AND JUST WENT RIGHT ON.

>> YEAH, YEAH. DO YOU REMEMBER STEVE HERE? HE WROTE IN ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE, A REPORTER YEARS AGO, AND HE SAID I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH STUART DURING MY TENURE AT WCAX DURING THE MID TO IT A '70s PIT STOPS THERE ARE LOTS OF MEMORIES THAT COME TO MINE, BUT ONE OF THE BEST WAS THE BULL IN THE FIELD ANALOGY TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN A WEATHER WATCH AS A WEATHER WARNING. IT WAS A GREAT WAY OF EXPLAINING BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS ALWAYS ASKING, AND HE USED TO SAY A WATCH IS LIKE WHEN YOU'RE GHAUG A FIELD AND SEE A BULL. A WARNING IS WHEN THE BULL SEES YOU.

>> THAT'S A GOOD LINE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

>> THAT NRANES IT.

>> WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT TO STALK MORE Announcer: THE PAIN WILL NOT CONTROL US. IT WILL NEVER BREAK US, DEFINE US, OR KEEP US STILL BECAUSE ARTHRITIS CAN'T BEAT US IF WE BEAT IT FIRST. IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ARTHRITIS, YOU NEED A WEAPON. WHAT'S YOURS? VISIT THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION AT FIGHTARTHRITISPAIN.ORG.

>>> WE'RE BACK TALKING ABOUT STUART HALL THIS MORNING. SO YOU GUYS KNEW HIM PRETTY WELL. I HAD THE FOREGNAT TIME TO MEET HIM -- FORTUNATE TIME TO MEET HIM JUST A COUPLE OF TIMES. HE WAS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE MY TIME. I STARTED IN '94.

>> YOU'RE JUST A KID.

>> JUST A KID. HE DID PRESENT ME A SCHOLARSHIP WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, SO I DID GET TO MEET HIM AND I WAS SO EXCITED BACK IN THE DAY. HE AND TONY ADAMS, IT WAS LIKE I GREW UP WATCHING THOSE GUYS, SO I WAS LIKE, A COUPLE OF STARS RIGHT HERE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FONDEST MEMORIES THAT YOU HAVE OF STUART HALL.

>> WHAT I WILL REMEMBER MOST IS JUST HIS ENTHUSIASM FOR ALL KINDS OF WEATHER. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT NICE WEATHER, BUT HE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ALL KINDS OF WEATHER AND SPECIAL SNOW STORMS AND THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT HAS THE BIGGEST IMPACTS OF PEOPLE AT HOME, WHETHER YOU LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, PEOPLE TUNE IN WHEN THERE'S A STORM ON THE HORIZON, AND SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE IN ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND OUR WEB PAGE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD SIT BY THE TV AND WATCH STUART HALL WONDERING WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, AND HE SAID I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS MORE EXCITED ABOUT IT, STUART HALL, OR ME. AND HE WAS LIKE THAT. HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WEATHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED AROUND HERE.

>> AND STARTED THE SANTA CLAUS FORECAST. HE MUST HAVE AN EAR WITH --

>> YES, DID THAT. WE KEEP THE PRACTICE DIGS GOING ON -- TRADITION GOING ON CHRISTMAS EVE, THAT KIDS NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE SAN DA CLAUSE FORECAST IS GOING TO BE, BUT HE STARTED THAT AND DID IT EVERY YEAR, SO WE COULDN'T LET THAT DROP. WE KNEW PEOPLE WERE COUNTING ON US FOR THAT. WE HAD TO KEEP THAT GOING TO.

>> THERE'S A LOT ABOUT HIM TODAY. -- LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HIM TODAY. HIS FUNERAL WAS TODAY AND HE HAD NO IDEA HE WAS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY DURING WORLD WAR II, A PROFESSIONAL SINGER.

>> THAT, WE KNEW.

>> WE DID KNOW HE HAD SUNG AND THERE WAS A RUMOR THAT HE HAD SUNG AT THE COCONUT GROVE BEFORE THE FIRE, BUT HE SANG IN CHINA. HE WAS ON A SHIP, A TROOP SHIP, AND HE -- THEY WERE DIVERTED TO CHINA AFTER THE END OF WORLD WAR II, AND HE WENT AND SANG AND IN HIS NOTE TO HIS FAMILY, HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, IT WAS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE THERE WERE A WHOLE BUNCH OF BRITISH INTERNEES, AND HE SAID THE OFFICERS ON THE SHIP SAID -- THE ORCHESTRA SHOULD GO AND PLAY FOR THESE PEOPLE AND DANCE FOR SOME OF THE BRITISH GIRLS AND HE SAID --

>> MAKE SURE THAT IF A GIRL HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DANCE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO DANCE, AND HE SAID I DIDN'T MIND THAT AT ALL.

>> AND MUSIC WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM. WE HEARD ALSO THAT HE WAS IN THE CHOIR AT THE CATHOLIC CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT.

>> HE WAS IN THE ARTHUR GODFREY SHOW, WASN'T 1990 HE?

>> HE WAS ON THE ARTHUR GODFREY TALENT SCOUTS AND SANG PROFESSIONALLY, AND WHEN HE HAD HIS RETIREMENT DINNER, WE ALL SAT AROUND THE TABLES AND STUART HAD PUT LITTLE PIECES OF PAPER ON THE TABLE.

>> LYRICS.

>> LYRICS SO GLOONTION AND WE ALL WENT U A. AND EVEN THE MOST CYNICAL PERSON ENJOYED IT BECAUSE WE SANG --

>> I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER AND I WAS LIKE, YOU'RE KIDDING. AND THEN IT WAS SO MUCH FUN WHEN EVERYBODY STARTED SINGING AND WE HAD A BLAST.

>> AND HE AND HIS WIFE DIXIE USED TO DRIVE ALL AROUND VERMONT, AND I SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT I MEAN I FOUND THE LYRICS TO A SONG THAT REALLY SAY WHAT STUART WAS LIKE. THROUGH ALL KINDS OF WEATHER, WHAT IF THE SKY SHOULD FALL, JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE TOGETHER, IT WON'T MATTER AT ALL. WHEN THEY HAVE ALL HAD THEIR CHOIRS AND PARTED, WE'LL BE THE SAME AS WE STARTED. JUST A TRAVELING ALONG, SINGING A SONG, SIDE BY SIDE. AND HE AND HIS WIFE USED TO DO THAT SIDE BY SIDE.

>> PERFECT WAY TO END THIS SHOW. THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.

>> OUR PLEASURE.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TOO. WE'LL SEE YOU SOON. CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION ASSOCIATES, LLC www.captionassociates.com