Herbert Spencer Clarke (July 10, 1927 – January 8, 2012) was an American weatherman and

television journalist Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are broadcast by electronic methods instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. It works on radio (via air, cable, and Internet), television (via air, cable, ...

. Clarke spent thirty-nine years, from 1958 to 1997, as a reporter for

WCAU-TV WCAU (channel 10) is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, airing programming from the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Mount Laurel, New Jerse ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. Under Clarke, WCAU became the first local

television station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth ...

in the Philadelphia

media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...

to use

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

in its weather coverage, beginning in 1982. Clarke was born in 1927 in

Eden, North Carolina Eden is a city in Rockingham County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Eden is the largest city in Rockingham County and is part of the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area of the Piedmont Triad metro region. As of the 2020 ...

, and graduated from Draper (now Eden) High School in 1944. He was in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

from 1944 to 1946 and served on the

USS Hancock (CV-19) USS ''Hancock'' (CV/CVA-19) was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name and was named for Founding Father John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congre ...

in the South Pacific Ocean. In 1946, he attended

Pfeiffer University Pfeiffer University is a private university in Misenheimer, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History Pfeiffer originated from a home school operated by Miss Emily Prudden in the late 19th century. The school ...

in North Carolina. He received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

from

Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...

. He began working in broadcasting in 1948 in Eden, North Carolina. Clarke then worked as a radio and television reporter at WRVA-TV in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

(now WWBT) before joining WCAU-TV in 1958. Clarke joined the staff of WCAU on November 24, 1958, as an on-air weatherman and reporter, using the nickname "Atlantic Weatherman." Clarke was hired to replace

Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...

who relocated to New York to begin his association with

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...

. Though most known for weather reports, Clarke also co-hosted Philadelphia regional coverage of events, such as the

Mummers Parade The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia. Local clubs (usually called "New Years Associations" or "New Years Brigades") compete in one of five categories (Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades). ...

, and previously anchored WCAU's Sunday night news. He was also assigned the station's science and health stories as well. WCAU remained a

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

affiliate until 1995, when it switched affiliations to

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

. Clarke retired from WCAU in 1997. For the next few years, he did gardening reports for

KYW (AM) KYW (1060 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest continuously operating radio stations in the United States, originating in Chicago before moving to Philadelphia in 1934. KYW' ...

Newsradio 1060. He also served as the President of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia from 1988 and 1989. Clarke was named the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's Person of the Year in 1991 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2007, Clarke was a recipient of the

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) is an American professional service organization founded in 1955 for "the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, edu ...

(NATAS) Governor's Award. Herb Clarke died on January 8, 2012, at the Beaumont

assisted living An assisted living residence or assisted living facility (ALF) is a housing facility for people with disabilities or for adults who cannot or who choose not to live independently. The term is popular in the United States, but the setting is s ...

facility in

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Bryn Mawr, pronounced , from Welsh for big hill, is a census-designated place (CDP) located across three townships: Radnor Township and Haverford Township in Delaware County, and Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It i ...

, of complications from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

at the age of 84. Clarke was survived by his wife, Barbara Cawthorne Clarke, whom he had been married to for 56 years; daughter, Ann Million; two sons, John and Robert; and three grandchildren. Clarke and his wife had been long-term residents of

Haverford, Pennsylvania Haverford is an unincorporated community located in both Haverford Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, and Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, approximately west of Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) open ...

, before moving to the Beaumont

retirement community A retirement community is a residential community or housing complex designed for older adults who are generally able to care for themselves; however, assistance from home care agencies is allowed in some communities, and activities and socializ ...

in 2004. His funeral was held at the

Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church is a church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; founded in 1873, it is currently a 2,500 member church of the PC(USA). It is located on the Main Line, just west of Philadelphia. Being a large congregation, the church is activ ...

References

External links

Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia: Herb Clarke biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Herb 1927 births 2012 deaths Deaths from Alzheimer's disease Philadelphia television reporters American television meteorologists American television reporters and correspondents Bowling Green State University alumni People from Haverford Township, Pennsylvania Neurological disease deaths in Pennsylvania NBCUniversal people People from Eden, North Carolina United States Navy sailors American radio reporters and correspondents American male journalists People from Richmond, Virginia American nonprofit executives Scientists from Virginia Pfeiffer University alumni