R.I.P.: Willard Scott, Radio-TV Personality

Willard Scott (March 7, 1934 – September 4, 2021)

Willard Scott, who forecast the weather for NBC's "Today" show for more than three decades and spent 65 years at NBC, has died, Al Roker said in an Instagram post on Saturday.  He was 87.

WRC's The Joy Boys

Scott, born March 7, 1934, in Alexandria, Virginia, joined "Today" in 1980 and became known for wishing fans turning 100 a happy birthday. He began his career at NBC in the company's Page Program, a learning and development program that provides exposure to the media industry. He worked at the affiliate station in Washington D.C. in 1950, according to Today.

From 1955 to 1972, Scott teamed with Walker as co-host of the nightly Joy Boys radio program on NBC-owned WRC radio. (This was interrupted from 1956 to 1958 when Scott served on active duty with the U.S. Navy.) Scott routinely sketched a list of characters and a few lead lines setting up a situation, which Walker would commit to memory or make notes on with his Braille typewriter (Walker was blind since birth). 

In a 1999 article recalling the Joy Boys at the height of their popularity in the mid-1960s, The Washington Post said they "dominated Washington, providing entertainment, companionship, and community to a city on the verge of powerful change". The Joy Boys show played on WRC until 1972 when they moved to cross-town station WWDC for another two years. Scott wrote in his book, The Joy of Living, of their close professional and personal bond which continued until Walker's death in October 2015, saying that they are "closer than most brothers".

Scott 1995

Scott spent the 1960s balancing his radio career with jobs as the host of children's television programs. He appeared on WRC radio's sister station, WRC-TV, playing characters such as Commander Retro and Bozo the Clown.  In 1970, Scott began appearing on WRC-TV as a weekday weatherman.

Another TV role he performed regularly from 1963–66 and occasionally as late as 1971 was Ronald McDonald for the McDonald's franchise in Washington, D.C. Scott wrote in his book The Joy of Living that he originally created the Ronald McDonald character at the fast-food restaurant chain's request.

Scott was tapped by NBC in 1980 to become its weatherman for The Today Show, replacing Bob Ryan, who replaced him at WRC-TV until 2010. After being inspired by a viewer request, Scott began his practice of wishing centenarians a happy birthday on-air in 1983.

During the 1980s, Scott routinely did weather reports on the road, interviewing locals at community festivals and landmarks. He also periodically performed on the program from Washington, D.C.