21 memorable TV personalities from Portland's past (2024)

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By Kristi Turnquist | The Oregonian/OregonLive

There are hundreds of TV channels, streaming services and web seriesclamoring for our attention these days. But when it comes to making a personal connection with what you're watching, there's nothing like local TV.

That’s especially true for native or longtime Portlanders, reeling from dramatic changes remaking the Rose City. We’ve seen local landmarks torn down, glassy towers rising to replace them, and commuting trips that used to take 15 minutes transformed into hour-long slogs.

Maybe that's why Facebook and other social media sites are packed with posts from deep-rooted Portlanders who love to share faded snapshots of the city they remember, with a particular emphasis on long-gone local TV news people, kids' show hosts and a cuddly weather cat.

The Oregonian/file

Over the years, Portland has seen its share of rotating TV personalities. But for those with long memories, certain names have stood the test of time. Whether they were part of the formative years of Portland TV, came into living rooms for so many years they felt like family, or bounced from Portland to the national spotlight, there’s a group of TV people who call up particularly strong memories.

Some news reporters and anchors with long careers in Portland are still on the job at local stations. But this list is devoted to those who aren’t currently still working in Portland TV.

If you grew up in Portland, and are a member of the demographic that took school field trips toOMSI when it was located near the zoo, bought snacks atMorrow's Nut House in Lloyd Center or rode the carousel atJantzen Beach Amusem*nt Park, you may remember some of these names, particularly the ones who first came into TV households in the late 1950s or early 1960s.

And if you’re too young to know why they made an impact, here’s our guide to 21 of Portland’s most memorable TV personalities.

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The original KGW-TV (8) evening news team

There was no team more identified with Portland in the years when local TV news was first becoming established than the originalKGW-TV (8) lineup. The first KGW news staff began in 1956, and featured anchorsRichard RossandIvan Smith,sportscasterDoug LaMear,weathermanJack CapellandTom McCall,who delivered commentaries and made an impact with a 1962 documentary, "Pollution in Paradise," before going on to serve as Oregon's governor from 1967 to 1975.

(Capell isn't pictured in this 1956 photo, which includes, from left, Rollie Dobson, Dick Althoff, Richard Ross, Ivan Smith, Tom McCall and Doug LaMear.)

The Oregonian/file

Rusty Nails (James Allen)

Portland kids watched Rusty Nails – whose real name was James Allen -- when he first started hosting shows in Portland in 1957. Rusty the clown was at the helm of kids' shows for 16 years on Portland stations, including KOIN-TV (6) and KPTV-TV (12.) Allen also made appearances around the area as Rusty Nails, and when he took off the clown makeup, he was an ordained minister. Rusty Nails definitely made an impression on "The Simpsons" creator,Matt Groening. The Portland native has said Rusty helped inspire the Krusty the Clown character on "The Simpsons." Allen died in 2015, at age 87.

Of course, Krusty the Clown was a lot rougher around the edges than the good-natured Rusty Nails.

See Also

TV news notes: KGW adds new staffers, and a longtime Portland anchor is returning -- though not to TVRecent and upcoming departures from Portland local TV news include KATU’s Lincoln Graves

The Oregonian/file

Heck Harper (Hector Flateau)

For Baby Boomers who grew up in Portland, there may be no more beloved figure from their childhoods thanHeck Harper, Portland's own singing cowboy. For nearly 17 years, Harper was the smiling, gentle host of such shows as "Heck Harper's Cartoon Corral." In addition to welcoming local kids to his shows, Harper and his horse Jody were familiar figures in Portland, and the two appeared in every Grand Floral Parade from 1954 to 1970.

Some Portlanders of a certain age still serenade loved ones with the Heck Harper happy birthday song. After his show was canceled, Harper continued to perform in the region. He died in 1998, at age 79.

The Oregonian/file

Mr. Duffy (Frank Kinkaid)

Another Portland TV pioneer, Frank Kinkaid was a newscaster atKOIN, who joined the station in 1958. Before retiring in 1983, Kinkaid covered several topics, and was especially well-known for his reporting on the arts scene, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. But Baby Boomer-era Portland children knew him as the top hat-sporting ringmaster of "Mr. Duffy's Cartoon Circus," which debuted in the late 1950s and ran until the early 1970s. Kinkaid died in 1994, at age 71.

Addie Bobkins (Bob Adkins)

Flipping his name, Bob Adkins became “Addie Bobkins,” host of many popular children’s shows on Portland TV in the 1960s. An actor, businessman and radio host as well, Adkins entertained young viewers with cartoons and puppets, including a beatnik type known as “Weird Beard.” Like Heck Harper, Adkins made many personal appearances around Portland as “Addie Bobkins,” often accompanied by his dog, Feather. Adkins died in 2005, at age 72.

Ramblin' Rod (Rod Anders)

Beginning in 1964 when he became the host of “Popeye’s Pier 12,” and continuing as the star of his own “Ramblin’ Rod” show for more than 30 years, Rod Anders showed cartoons, held smile contests, wore his trademark button-bedecked sweater, talked to kids and earned an honored place in the Portland children’s show host hall of fame. Anders died in 2002, at age 69.

KOIN-TV (6)

Mike Donahue

For more than 40 years, Mike Donahue was a reassuring presence on KOIN, even when he was delivering distressing news. As a reporter and an anchor, Donahue enjoyed high ratings and widespread popularity among regional viewers. In 2012, Donahue decided to retire from KOIN, and wrote a public letter to fans and coworkers, which was posted on the KOIN website. Noting that he was "no longer the young reporter who joined KOIN-TV in 1968 at the age of 22," Donahue expressed gratitude for his "thrilling ride" of a career."

Kathy Smith

Her on-air authority and down-to-earth relatability made Kathy Smith one of the biggest stars in Portland TV news history. Beginning in the mid-1970s, Smith spent 11 years as a reporter and anchor, working first for KATU, then KGW. After a brief retirement in the mid-1980s, it was big news when Smith returned to Portland’s airwaves, rejoining KGW in 1990 as co-anchor of an afternoon show, “First at Four.” Smith made another move in 1996, joining KPTV. Smith’s 30-year Portland TV career came to an end after a 2001 on-air accident, when a blast of feedback into her headphones damaged Smith’s hearing.

For most of her TV career, Smith made it look easy. But in fact, she was part of a pioneering generation of female broadcasters. As Smith told The Oregonian in 1990, ``It was hard because audiences weren't accustomed to seeing a woman in a position of authority,'' adding, ``We had to work longer hours for less pay to prove there was a place for us in television.”

The Oregonian/file

Dick Bogle

Dick Bogle blazed trails at nearly every step of his long career in television, politics and law enforcement. Bogle had deep roots in the Northwest. His mother, Kathryn Hall Bogle, was an activist in Portland and advocate for civil rights dating back to the 1930s. Dick Bogle started his career as an officer with the Portland Police Bureau, and worked there from 1959 to 1968. He moved to television, and joined KATU, where he was a reporter and an anchor – one of the first African American anchors on the West Coast – for 15 years. Bogle then turned to politics, and was elected to the Portland City Council in 1984. Bogle served on the council for eight years. In later life, Bogle focused on his longtime love of jazz, volunteering for KMHD and compiling his jazz reviews on a website. Bogle (pictured with former mayor of Portland Bud Clark) died in 2010, at age 79.

The Oregonian/file

Pete Schulberg

Like Kathy Smith, with whom he worked at KGW, Pete Schulberg was a Portland media icon. Schulberg spent nearly 20 years at KGW as a reporter and anchor, before being let go in late 1992. Schulberg remained a media player as a TV columnist for The Oregonian, and during a radio stint at KPAM-AM (860), before moving into communications and public relations.

Jim Bosley

The genial weatherman is a local news standby, but Jim Bosley was more than the person who told you whether to expect rain or shine. In his more than 30 years as the face of the KATU weather department, Bosley’s sense of humor, playful personality and delight at being on camera made him a Portland TV institution. Bosley, who started working for KATU in 1962, was also host of “AM Northwest” for 25 years, starting in 1975. “The Boz,” as fans called him, deftly handled whatever each day’s show brought, whether it was famous guests, or unexpected disasters.

Recalling her old friend in her column for the Oregonian, Margie Boule -- who co-hosted “AM Northwest” with Bosley for 10 years – wrote, “Wickedly funny, amusingly wicked, LOUD, witty, bumbling, kind, driven, loving, Jim was a kid at heart with the manners of a true gentleman.” Bosley retired in 2001, and died in 2008, at age 73.

The Oregonian/file

Margie Boule

Like her “AM Northwest” co-host Jim Bosley, Margie Boule was a natural on camera, and like her fellow TV journalist-turned-Oregonian columnist Pete Schulberg, Boule has been a high-profile part of Portland’s media landscape for decades. Beginning in 1977, Boule co-hosted “AM Northwest” on KATU. After helping start the day for Portland TV viewers for a decade, Boule joined the Oregonian as a columnist, in 1987. Since leaving the Oregonian in 2010, Boule has remained part of Portland culture, acting and singing in theatrical productions, writing plays, and working in radio.

Bob the Weather Cat

Among the many personalities of distinction who have graced Portland TV over the years, only one sported a smooth coat of fur and whiskers. Bob the Weather Cat became an unlikely fan favorite during the seven years the feline appeared weekly on KATU in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Whether dressed up as Elvis or wearing oversized sunglasses, Bob looked so adorable it didn’t matter if the forecast was dreary drizzle. In addition to getting fan mail at KATU, Bob’s fame spread, leading to an article in People magazine and landing him a cover appearance on National Geographic World. Bob died in 1993, at age 13.

Steve Fenn/ABC/2002

John Stossel

Before his high-profile jobs co-anchoring "20/20" on ABC and hosting his own show on the Fox Business Network,John Stosselworked at Portland's KGW.In an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive in 2009,Stossel recalled joining KGW in 1969. During his time at the NBC affiliate, Stossel worked his way up from researcher to on-air reporter. Stossel left Portland in 1973.

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Ann Curry

Ann Curryalso moved on from Portland to a national platform. Curry attended high school in Ashland, and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1978, before beginning her broadcast journalism career. Following a stint at KTVL in Medford, Curry joined KGW in Portland in 1980, and worked there until 1984.

Curry joined NBC's "Today" show in 1997 as news anchor. When Meredith Vieira left,Curry was promoted to "Today" cohost with Matt Lauer, in 2011.But her tenure proved rocky, and after a ratings decline and reports that the powers that be weren't happy with Curry, she madea tearful on-air goodbye in 2012,and was replaced on "Today" by Savannah Guthrie.

Curry joined NBC's "Today" show in 1997 as news anchor. When Meredith Vieira left,Curry was promoted to "Today" cohost with Matt Lauer, in 2011.But her tenure proved rocky, and after a ratings decline and reports that the powers that be weren't happy with Curry, she madea tearful on-air goodbye in 2012,and was replaced on "Today" by Savannah Guthrie.

KATU-TV (2)

Bill O'Reilly

Bill O'Reilly wasn't in Portland for very long, but his subsequent broadcast career certainly makes him stand out..O'Reilly spent nine months as an anchor at KATU in 1984-1985.In 2015, a former Portland colleague recalled O'Reilly as "rather pompous" but "intelligent."

A notorious story from O'Reilly's days at KATU involves the newsman supposedly leaving a copy of his hefty paycheck in the office copier. When a fellow staffer found it, word spread quickly about the amount O'Reilly was making. Unconfirmed rumors put the sum at $100,000 per year, an amount one local TV veteran called "an unheard-of figure at the time."

After his brief stay in Portland, O'Reilly went on to make an impact in the national TV market, first as a host of "Inside Edition" from 1989 to 1995, and then his long run as host of "The O'Reilly Factor," a top-rated show on the Fox News Channel.

In April, O'Reilly and the Fox News Channel parted ways, inthe wake of controversy over allegations that O'Reilly had sexually harassedFox News female staffers. After a New York Times story about a reported $13 million in settlements that had been paid to women who alleged that O'Reilly had sexually harassed or behaved inappropriately toward them, O'Reilly's 21-year career at Fox News was over.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Rob Marciano

Another high-profile Portland refugee,Rob Marciano,was KATU's chief meteorologist from 1997 to 2003 before making the jump to CNN as news and weather anchor. Marciano left CNN to join "Entertainment Tonight" as co-host. In 2014, Marciano returned to weather when ABC News hired him as senior meteorologist.

Oregonian/file

Who did we forget?

Are there other Portland TV personalities you think should be mentioned? Should we just run more photos of Bob the Weather Cat? By all means, let us know, in the comments.