William Parker (January 18, 1928 – August 19, 2019) was an American broadcaster for WNBF, and a member of the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Shows hosted by Parker include the TV Ranch Club, Captain Galaxy and the Officer Bill Show. Parker started working at WNBF in 1948, and retired in 1999. In 2015, Parker was added to the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Bill Parker | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Parker January 18, 1928 |
| Died | August 19, 2019 (aged 91) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Officer Bill, The Atlantic Weatherman, The Dean of Broadcasting[1] |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Years active | 1948-2010 |
| Known for | Broadcaster for WNBF, member of the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame |
Early life and education
editParker was born in Canastota, New York in 1928,[2][3] which is in the town of Lenox, New York. After graduating from Canastota High School[4] in 1945,[5] Parker joined the United States Army.[2] Between 1947 and 1948, Parker attended Columbia College in Chicago.[2]
Career
editIn 1948, Parker started to work for WNBF.[2] In 1949, Parker helped create WNBF-TV,[2] where he hosted a show on its first day.[6] On television, Parker hosted children's shows such as the Officer Bill Show,[7] TV Ranch Club, and Captain Galaxy.[8]
Later life and death
editIn 1999, Parker retired from WNBF[9] after working there for 51 years. In 2015, Parker was added to the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.[8] Parker died on August 19, 2019, and was buried with military honors.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Honorees on the Wall of Stars". Broome County Friends Of The Forum. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ a b c d e "Bill Parker". NYS Broadcasters Association - Hall of Fame. 2015-05-06. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ "New York State Birth Index - 1928". Internet Archive. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
- ^ "William Parker Obituary (1928 - 2019) - Port Dickinson, NY - Press & Sun-Bulletin". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ The Class of 1945, Canastota High School (1945). The Toot. Canastota High School. p. 15.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Joseph, Bob (2014-11-07). "Bill Parker Talks Binghamton Radio And TV History". WNBF News Radio 1290. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ a b Pitcher, Glenn (2019-08-19). "My Early Memories of 'Officer' Bill Parker". 98.1 The Hawk. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ a b "Longtime Southern Tier entertainer and radio/TV personality passes". 870 AM 97.7FM News Talk WHCU. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ Neel, Roger (2019-08-15). "Broadcast Legend Bill Parker Has Died". WNBF News Radio 1290. Retrieved 2023-07-15.