Texas Speedzone - Rather a fast learner, TV veteran says

San Antonio, TX (Mar 13, 2005) - Neil Upchurch is the Race & Administrative Director of the Texas Pro Sedans. While TPS celebrates it's 30th anniversary during the 2005 racing season, TexasSpeedZone readers may not be aware that Neil has had an interesting professional past in addition to his auto racing career. He was a Television Producer in Houston. Following is the re-print of a story that appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on Thursday, March 10.

Jeanne Jakle: Rather a fast learner, TV veteran says
Web Posted: 03/10/2005 12:00 AM CST

San Antonio Express-News

One San Antonio man who has been watching Dan Rather wind down his final days as anchor of "CBS Evening News" comes at it from a different perspective: He said he gave Rather his first lesson on how to appear on TV.

Neil Upchurch, who had a long career in broadcasting — at Houston's KTRK and later at Fort Sam Houston's television operation, until he retired here in '87 — recalled the night in 1958 when he met the young Rather, who stood out in his crewcut.

It was 1 and a 1/2 hours before the 10 p.m. news and Rather was assigned to sub for the regular weathercaster — Liz Brandt —at KTRK.

Upchurch said Rather, who was working at the radio arm of the same broadcasting company as KTRK, not only had never done the weather on television before, he had never been in a TV studio.

So it was up to Upchurch, the director of the broadcast, to give him a crash course. "TV 101, you might call it." He mainly instructed Rather on where to stand and how to handle the maps and mark temperatures on each city.

"We were a bit worried," Upchurch said. "It was live TV and the weather is an important part of the newscast."

Rather, however, handled it like "a polished pro."

"I remember thinking this guy is going to really make it in broadcasting," Upchurch said. "I even told him, you know, Dan, you ought to get on TV full time."

Clearly, he went beyond even Upchurch's expectations. Upchurch was in Georgia when he saw what turned into a kind of five-day on-air audition for Rather with his eventual employer, CBS: Rather's unforgettable coverage of Hurricane Carla for KHOU in Houston was spotlighted by the network.

Recalling the emotional farewell of a colorful TV guy on the local level — San Antonio weather veteran Jim Dawson —Upchurch wondered if, at the last minute Wednesday, Rather would also get teary-eyed, something he's been known to do now and again.

"It would certainly be understandable," he said, "given his incredible TV career covering the news."

By the time you read this, of course, you'll have seen for yourself how Rather handled his goodbye. What about sharing those thoughts?