[Music]
January marks 70 years since this
television station first went on the air
all this week we have welcomed beloved
KPRC anchors from the past back on our
set and today another treasured member
of the team was scheduled to return to
the air for one special appearance on
January 1st Doug Johnson wrote to us
that he was flattered to have been asked
to participate and he said it would be
an honor to be a part of the 70th
anniversary celebration
he signed the note with gratitude Doug
Johnson sadly just a couple of days
later Doug passed away anyone who had
the privilege of working with Doug or
watching him on TV knows he was one of a
kind
simply irreplaceable so today on the day
that we were looking forward to hearing
Doug's hearty laugh echo through our
studios once more we honor our friend
and weatherman with these memories I
want Houston to remember that Doug loved
this this city he gave his all to
everything that he ever did including
the weather at KPRC channel 2 he was
just he was one of a kind in all the
people I work with and all the people
I've known in my life
never knew anybody like like Doug even
though I have to hold back the tears
but he was family this guy was
absolutely divine
Doug was the most delightful kind
thoughtful intelligent man Doug was one
of those rare people who never had
anything bad to say about anyone rarer
still nobody had anything bad to say
about Doug Johnson modest oh my lord he
was modest he had no idea the stardom I
think everybody everybody loved him I
think the thing that first comes to mind
is that big laugh of his that you get
here in the next County you could not
hear Doug laughs and not just burst out
into laughter yourself
Doug was Doug all the time been a good
show we didn't have to do this tomorrow
night a good week every joke I ever told
him he laughed that's that's tough to do
sometimes with me I don't know if you
can really describe that Doug Johnson
laughs Doug Johnson had to laughter like
no others and he had stunts like no
other
I'm on the scent one day delivering the
news and I feel something pulling at my
feet he was tying my shoelaces together
dad had this way of finishing up desk
you know getting ready for the newscast
going over my copy and I've looked up
and there's done right no one had more
fun doing this business than Doug
Johnson Doug was so good at it and made
it look so easy he was just a natural
big to news on the scene at 6:00 with
Larry Roscoe an exclusive weather radar
coverage with Doug Johnson considered
himself a scientist which good
meteorologists do and he had a way of
making the weather makes sense to the
layman that that was his real value and
even though we may occasionally complain
about too much heat and too much
humidity that humidity is actually very
good for your skin gave you the weather
that you needed in order to live your
life the tornado watch for this area
expired a couple of hours ago the
thunderstorms now are combined to a very
narrow band he really knew his craft if
we were having a storm or a tornado or a
hurricane or whatever dog knew how to
forecast that hurricane Alicia the only
radar in the Greater Houston area that
worked was ours here at channel 2 but at
this present movement and Doug had
everything nailed I mean everyone in the
country is calling here because Doug's
on non-stop by himself he's one of the
best weather men in the business then or
now and when you combine bug that
personality with Ron stone it was just
magic on the air for 12 years I sat
between Ron stone and Doug Johnson on
the anchor desk and have to tell you
that was the challenge because when
you're on the air everything was serious
as soon as you went to commercial break
Ron and Doug we're like you know I come
act everyday we're going to at about
this time a review with you a little
snippet of history called appropriately
enough because you couldn't think of a
better name for it this day in history I
like they were like vaudeville is the
best way I can describe it you just
don't see that anymore they were a
hilarious team they were a mess together
would track up and did you remember the
episode with the chicken it's hilarious
one night only Ron and Doug back at the
desk you know it really feels good here
Harold and Seeley wants to know if you
missed doing television
Harold I'm doing no I don't miss a
Harold because you have to work nights
Ron and AG had an incredible chemistry
that you don't often see I think it's
because they genuinely liked each other
as friends and they respected each other
I don't what they've done this is by the
way these days don't move your head real
fast
they were two of the most talented
people I've ever known in the business
you just got again by saying thanks for
the memory but everything comes down to
this
I want desperately for you to know the
gratitude that I have to you for 33
wonderful years this has become my home
you become my family as a small boy I
had lots of dreams about the wondrous
things that life might hold and I want
you to know that what you've given me
what really happened was much better
than all those dreams could have
possibly have been thank you for all the
great joy that I've been able to enjoy
because of you and I can only give you
back one thing and that's a wish that
every day for the rest of your life you
have the perfect combination of sunshine
and widely scattered showers
[Music]
[Laughter]