I cannot tell you how much I hurt when I heard about Jim O'Brien's death I loved him on wfil radio and as a weatherman on channel 6 I have lived in Florida since 1978.
I'm from Philly and I remember the day Jim O'Brien passed away and how horrible it was when they interrupted something to tell us about what happened to him For a couple years there I lived in the Tampa Bay area ... Florida sure was beautiful but I don't miss the alligators😂 . I'm sure you must have seen a lot of changes in Florida if you've been there since 78 ... I saw some changes just in a few years I was there .
Wow. What an amazing thing to watch, after all these years. I never watched channel 10's coverage, only channel 6. Thanks for this post. It really reminded me what a pro Jim was.
Yes it really does hurt and it's hard to believe it was about 40 years ago it just doesn't seem it happened so long ago ...does it ?😢 he will be missed for a very long time
This was a very nice report and it was so good to see Larry Kane tell some extra things about their relationship and what an inspiration Jim O'Brien was .
I was in elementary school when all this happened & still remember all the other students & teachers sadly talking about him. He was such an iconic character that it took me awhile to adjust seeing the weather forecasted without him & with some new 'fill-in'. No doubt he was a heck of a person & more than just some weatherguy bc I've met many over the yrs even in more recent times who still bring him up & his tragic passing. Heck of a guy indeed.
He was loved because he made you laugh your butt off doing the weather. Once he did the entire report with no pants. No one knew as he was shown from the waist up.
I remember when people were asked what their favorite comedy shows were in those days, some would say some of their shows that were big at that time, like "Different Strokes, Three's Company, Silver Spoons, Gimme a Break, which some called, " Leave Me Alone"' and Action News. When they were asked, "Since when us the News a Comedy Show, they would say, " With Jim O'Brien on Action News, it's like A comedy show." It is probably safe to assume that if Jimbo were still with us, that he would probably be retired by now. Many of the current Action News personnel weren't even born yet when Jim O'Brien was on.
Very sad day, indeed. On a lighter note, when they mention the "packed house" on opening day at The Vet, it might have been smarter to cut to shots where the upper deck doesn't look totally empty :)
Now it rings a bell you saying that Jim O'Brien said Casa Grande ... I can't remember what he said about his van though ... do you mean his own personal van or do you mean the news van ?
@@magpieone9390 yeah there's a vague recollection of that . There's a video of him here on the show he used to host called Primetime . It shows him going for his first Pilots' license flying instructions and then being good enough to fly solo . His face looks so extremely serious while he's learning to fly . I enjoyed the whole vid but it was called another name : Herb Hortman featured on Primetime . It's about 25 minutes long and you might enjoy it
There are some things I miss about Philly but I haven't been back in about 17 years believe it or not and everybody says the traffic and the crime is so much worse
@redoctober90 That was actually the WBBM I Love Chicago News Theme by Dick Marx. The CBS Enforcer package (which was composed by Frank Gari) was more of a follow up to the original package.
One of the saddest days in Philadelphia news broadcasting history...a memorable personality taken in his prime...
definitely the saddest day 😢 in local Philadelphia broadcasting
I cannot tell you how much I hurt when I heard about Jim O'Brien's death I loved him on wfil radio and as a weatherman on channel 6 I have lived in Florida since 1978.
I'm from Philly and I remember the day Jim O'Brien passed away and how horrible it was when they interrupted something to tell us about what happened to him
For a couple years there I lived in the Tampa Bay area ... Florida sure was beautiful but I don't miss the alligators😂 .
I'm sure you must have seen a lot of changes in Florida if you've been there since 78 ... I saw some changes just in a few years I was there .
Wow. What an amazing thing to watch, after all these years. I never watched channel 10's coverage, only channel 6. Thanks for this post. It really reminded me what a pro Jim was.
Rip Jim O'Brien
Yep he was the best and certainly a real one of a kind and we will miss him always
I'm pretty sure it's the saddest day of local Philadelphia broadcasting history---still hurts today
Yes it really does hurt and it's hard to believe it was about 40 years ago it just doesn't seem it happened so long ago ...does it ?😢 he will be missed for a very long time
Larry King says it all about Jim. I fondly remember Jim from WOR-FM in NY. To this day one of my all time favorite DJs!
Classy reporting by WCAU. Well done.
God Bless Jim O'Brien.
This was a very nice report and it was so good to see Larry Kane tell some extra things about their relationship and what an inspiration Jim O'Brien was .
30 Years ago today, I remember it like it was yesterday!!
Now it's been 40 years since Jim O'Brien lost his life but it does only seem like more like 7 years ago not really that far away
I was in elementary school when all this happened & still remember all the other students & teachers sadly talking about him. He was such an iconic character that it took me awhile to adjust seeing the weather forecasted without him & with some new 'fill-in'. No doubt he was a heck of a person & more than just some weatherguy bc I've met many over the yrs even in more recent times who still bring him up & his tragic passing. Heck of a guy indeed.
He was loved because he made you laugh your butt off doing the weather. Once he did the entire report with no pants. No one knew as he was shown from the waist up.
Wow, brings back memories. Very sad! Lots of people loved him in the Delaware Valley! He was larger than life.
It was a hell of shock, and most of us remember him as a pop AM DJ even before the television work.
I was Los Angeles when this happened. My mother called me up at 7 o'clock (Los Angeles time) the next morning to tell me this.
1983[ he was so cool
I remember when people were asked what their favorite comedy shows were in those days, some would say some of their shows that were big at that time, like "Different Strokes, Three's Company, Silver Spoons, Gimme a Break, which some called, " Leave Me Alone"' and Action News. When they were asked, "Since when us the News a Comedy Show, they would say, " With Jim O'Brien on Action News, it's like A comedy show." It is probably safe to assume that if Jimbo were still with us, that he would probably be retired by now. Many of the current Action News personnel weren't even born yet when Jim O'Brien was on.
Yep even if you didn't feel like watching the news you would at least make sure that you got to catch the weather for Jim O'Brien .
Very sad day, indeed. On a lighter note, when they mention the "packed house" on opening day at The Vet, it might have been smarter to cut to shots where the upper deck doesn't look totally empty :)
Well, announced attendance was over 46,000 so not bad for April weather.
That was awesome coverage. PS anybody else remember how he said "Cassagrande"&how he talked about his van?
Now it rings a bell you saying that Jim O'Brien said Casa Grande ... I can't remember what he said about his van though ... do you mean his own personal van or do you mean the news van ?
@@gardensofthegods his personal van(can't remember the make, think it was a Chevy,) how he fixed it up
@@magpieone9390 yeah there's a vague recollection of that .
There's a video of him here on the show he used to host called Primetime .
It shows him going for his first Pilots' license flying instructions and then being good enough to fly solo .
His face looks so extremely serious while he's learning to fly .
I enjoyed the whole vid but it was called another name : Herb Hortman featured on Primetime . It's about 25 minutes long and you might enjoy it
@@gardensofthegods thank you,I will look it up 🙂
They should make a movie about him...maybe have a well known comedian like Jim Carey portray him.
No not Jim Carrey but yet it would be great to make a movie about him
In This Clip, From 0:00 To 0:24, It Was WCAU-TV's The Channel 10 News Live At 11's Weekend Edition Video Open From Sunday Night, September 25, 1983
I can't act like this didn't cancel my bucket list of sky diving 😑
His friends continued their dives the day he died, it's alright.
Herb Clarke of WCAU would share a drink with Jim after work & described him as a tough competitor.
I MISS PHILLY!!!!!!
Come back.
There are some things I miss about Philly but I haven't been back in about 17 years believe it or not and everybody says the traffic and the crime is so much worse
Roz from Fraser was her father.
Roz was Jim O’Brien’s daughter
I thought this happened in 1979, someone died when I was ten of a parachute, a reporter, cant remember well
@redoctober90 That was actually the WBBM I Love Chicago News Theme by Dick Marx. The CBS Enforcer package (which was composed by Frank Gari) was more of a follow up to the original package.
His son is Richard Marx
@9:23 JIM flyes behind larry unless they have birds in the news room
Was that the CBS Enforcer to open? Didn't think the package was THAT old. :(
Is that sheila allen-stephens at 0:46?
Was that Howard Eskin at 4:25?
yes that was the King!
Howard Eskin considered O'Brien as his mentor.
@@dchang11 Howard attributed Jim's encouragement to his own success in TV.