Bob McLain

Stations

Bob McLain was born and raised in Chicago where he watched his hero Harry Volkman on television. Volkman is known for being the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning. McLain majored in meteorology and minored in Radio/TV at the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he did a weekly weather program on the campus TV station. Graduating in 1967, he became a weather officer in the Navy. His first TV weather job was at WKZO-TV in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In May 1972, he became a TV meteorologist at WFBM-FM/TV (now WRTV-TV), staying until 2002. McLain is remembered for making swooping gestures while talking about weather fronts.

McLain was inducted to Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011.

Bob McLain's Hall of Fame Video Bio

-Indiana Broadcast Pioneers

Related Items

	Title	Station	Date Aired	Description
	WRTV News at 6 Karen Rariden Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1990-11-23	Report on "Celebration of Lights," shopping for holidays, and local news
Title WRTV News at 6 Collection Karen Rariden Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1990-11-23 Description Report on "Celebration of Lights," shopping for holidays, and local news
		Local news and Oprah Winfrey's 9/11 reports Indiana Journalism Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	2001	Indianapolis local news, with Oprah Winfrey's report on the attacks on 9/11
	Title Local news and Oprah Winfrey's 9/11 reports Collection Indiana Journalism Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 2001 Description Indianapolis local news, with Oprah Winfrey's report on the attacks on 9/11
			Bob McLain Receives Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Gov Orr Ken Owen Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1985-12
		Title Bob McLain Receives Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Gov Orr Collection Ken Owen Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1985-12
			The News Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1976
Title The News Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1976
			The News Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1976	Early 1976 Newscast and pieces of others, pre 1976
	Title The News Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1976 Description Early 1976 Newscast and pieces of others, pre 1976
			Career Highlights; Interview with Bobby Knight Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV NBC WFBM	197x	WRTV Opening of Channel 6 Final Report with Howard Caldwell and Ken Beckley; Scenes from another newscast. Channel 6 Early Report; Howard Caldwell introduces Ken Beckley for a field... (Read More)
		Title Career Highlights; Interview with Bobby Knight Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV NBC WFBM Date Aired 197x Description WRTV Opening of Channel 6 Final Report with Howard Caldwell and Ken Beckley; Scenes from another newscast. Channel 6 Early Report; Howard Caldwell introduces Ken Beckley for a field... (Read More)
			Bits and Pieces of Ken Beckley's Career Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV WFBM NBC	1960/1979	Cued to good starting point of Ken on WRTV newscast early 1976 (including Bob McLain); John Chancellor does promo of Channel 6 News (circa 1972), but mispronounces Dave Piontek's name so the... (Read More)
Title Bits and Pieces of Ken Beckley's Career Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV WFBM NBC Date Aired 1960/1979 Description Cued to good starting point of Ken on WRTV newscast early 1976 (including Bob McLain); John Chancellor does promo of Channel 6 News (circa 1972), but mispronounces Dave Piontek's name so the... (Read More)
			St. Patrick's Day Parade Kurt Swadener Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	2001-03-16	St. Patrick's Day Parade in Indianapolis, with contributions from Governor Frank O'Bannon, & Mayor Bart Peterson. Also includes evening news.
	Title St. Patrick's Day Parade Collection Kurt Swadener Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 2001-03-16 Description St. Patrick's Day Parade in Indianapolis, with contributions from Governor Frank O'Bannon, & Mayor Bart Peterson. Also includes evening news.
			50 Years Together Kurt Swadener Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV WFBM	1999	50 years of television history, hosted by Howard Caldwell. Includes contributions from: John Guion, former Director of Engineering; Earl Townsend, former TV Announcer; Eldon... (Read More)
		Title 50 Years Together Collection Kurt Swadener Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV WFBM Date Aired 1999 Description 50 years of television history, hosted by Howard Caldwell. Includes contributions from: John Guion, former Director of Engineering; Earl Townsend, former TV Announcer; Eldon... (Read More)
			Bob McLain's Indianapolis Weather Forecast Ken Owen Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1989-09-14
Title Bob McLain's Indianapolis Weather Forecast Collection Ken Owen Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1989-09-14
			TheNews broadcasts Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1976	TheNews segments from 1976 Synopsis: This video is a newscast from WRTV Channel 6 Indianapolis TheNews. Ken Beckley is the news anchor and covers stories locally and nationwide on the... (Read More)
	Title TheNews broadcasts Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1976 Description TheNews segments from 1976 Synopsis: This video is a newscast from WRTV Channel 6 Indianapolis TheNews. Ken Beckley is the news anchor and covers stories locally and nationwide on the... (Read More)
			Career Highlights Ken Beckley Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	197x	WRTV news segments with Ken Beckley from the 1970s. Ends with an interview with Bobby Knight
		Title Career Highlights Collection Ken Beckley Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 197x Description WRTV news segments with Ken Beckley from the 1970s. Ends with an interview with Bobby Knight
			Late News Headlines Ken Owen Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1986-07-15	Howard Caldwell, Tracey Horth, Bob McLain, Brian Hammons and Clyde Lee are seen. This was recorded at the end of baseball's All-Star Game. (Ken Owen)
Title Late News Headlines Collection Ken Owen Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1986-07-15 Description Howard Caldwell, Tracey Horth, Bob McLain, Brian Hammons and Clyde Lee are seen. This was recorded at the end of baseball's All-Star Game. (Ken Owen)
			5PM Indianapolis Newscast Ken Owen Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1985-07-23	Howard Caldwell, Tracey Horth and Clyde Lee deliver the news, with Bob McLain on weather and Ed Sorensen sports. The day's top story is the crash of a church bus in a construction zone on I-65... (Read More)
	Title 5PM Indianapolis Newscast Collection Ken Owen Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1985-07-23 Description Howard Caldwell, Tracey Horth and Clyde Lee deliver the news, with Bob McLain on weather and Ed Sorensen sports. The day's top story is the crash of a church bus in a construction zone on I-65... (Read More)
			Bob Dotson Reports and WRTV Evening News Ken Owen Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV NBC	1987	Bob Dotson, NBC reports: Segment 1: NBC, Bob Dotson report on tornado damage in North & South Carolina; Segment 2: NBC ,Bob Dotson report on children born addicted to drugs; (Read More)
		Title Bob Dotson Reports and WRTV Evening News Collection Ken Owen Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV NBC Date Aired 1987 Description Bob Dotson, NBC reports: Segment 1: NBC, Bob Dotson report on tornado damage in North & South Carolina; Segment 2: NBC ,Bob Dotson report on children born addicted to drugs; (Read More)
			Bob McLain's Hall of Fame Video Bio Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Collection	Indiana Broadcast Pioneers WKZO WFBM WFBM/WRTV-TV	2011	Video bio of Bob "Swoop" McLain, inducted to Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011. Producer/Voice-over: Reid Duffy; Post-production: DreamVision Media Partners; Bob... (Read More)
Title Bob McLain's Hall of Fame Video Bio Collection Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Collection Stations Indiana Broadcast Pioneers WKZO WFBM WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 2011 Description Video bio of Bob "Swoop" McLain, inducted to Indiana Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2011. Producer/Voice-over: Reid Duffy; Post-production: DreamVision Media Partners; Bob... (Read More)
			WRTV 6 News at 5:30 Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1995	Evening news cast, including Richard Lugar's decision to run for president in the 1996 election; Includes Howard Caldwell's Perspective about the way people misuse the English language WRTV... (Read More)
	Title WRTV 6 News at 5:30 Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1995 Description Evening news cast, including Richard Lugar's decision to run for president in the 1996 election; Includes Howard Caldwell's Perspective about the way people misuse the English language WRTV... (Read More)
			WRTV 6 News at 5:00pm Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1988-11-24	Thanksgiving Newscast WRTV 6 News at 5:00pm 5pm 11/24/1988 Thanksgiving newscast. Features stories on Feeding the Hungry volunteers, house explosion, Cholesterol, etc. Caldwell has... (Read More)
		Title WRTV 6 News at 5:00pm Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1988-11-24 Description Thanksgiving Newscast WRTV 6 News at 5:00pm 5pm 11/24/1988 Thanksgiving newscast. Features stories on Feeding the Hungry volunteers, house explosion, Cholesterol, etc. Caldwell has... (Read More)
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1983	Partial news clip covering a controversial plan for a new expansion on a corrections program, local Chess Championship Rally, and the weather report with Bob McLain. Includes a segment called,... (Read More)
Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1983 Description Partial news clip covering a controversial plan for a new expansion on a corrections program, local Chess Championship Rally, and the weather report with Bob McLain. Includes a segment called,... (Read More)
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	TheNews WFBM/WRTV-TV	1983	Partial news clip covering a controversial site of new landfill, Richard Lugar's input on local forrest management, a banned film about Muncie, Indiana, and the weather report with Bob McLain
	Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations TheNews WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1983 Description Partial news clip covering a controversial site of new landfill, Richard Lugar's input on local forrest management, a banned film about Muncie, Indiana, and the weather report with Bob McLain
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1983-11	Early newscast with Howard Caldwell, Clyde Lee and weatherman, Bob McLain; 1983-11-14 Jack Edwards in Marion; 1983-11-07 "Howard's Indiana" about Gus Grissom
		Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1983-11 Description Early newscast with Howard Caldwell, Clyde Lee and weatherman, Bob McLain; 1983-11-14 Jack Edwards in Marion; 1983-11-07 "Howard's Indiana" about Gus Grissom
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1994-01-25	Nightly news cast
Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1994-01-25 Description Nightly news cast
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1996-07-03	Nightly newscast
	Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1996-07-03 Description Nightly newscast
			WRTV 6 News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1999-05	WRTV News celebrating 50 years. Howard Caldwell sits in for Diane Willis to report local news and current events.
		Title WRTV 6 News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1999-05 Description WRTV News celebrating 50 years. Howard Caldwell sits in for Diane Willis to report local news and current events.
			Newscast and celebration of Howard's 25th year at The News Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1984-05-01	News Director: Bob Gamble; Executive Producer: Bill Skroko; Producers: Lyn Letsinger-Miller, Roger Manning, Jim Bowdon, Bill Gladish & Teresa Metal; Directors: Don Baker, Kurt... (Read More)
Title Newscast and celebration of Howard's 25th year at The News Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1984-05-01 Description News Director: Bob Gamble; Executive Producer: Bill Skroko; Producers: Lyn Letsinger-Miller, Roger Manning, Jim Bowdon, Bill Gladish & Teresa Metal; Directors: Don Baker, Kurt... (Read More)
			Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame Banquet and Last Broadcast Howard Caldwell Collection		1991	Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame Banquet; Howard Caldwell's last news broadcast before his retirement; Howard Caldwell's Retirement Special: 35 years of making a difference Indiana... (Read More)
	Title Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame Banquet and Last Broadcast Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Date Aired 1991 Description Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame Banquet; Howard Caldwell's last news broadcast before his retirement; Howard Caldwell's Retirement Special: 35 years of making a difference Indiana... (Read More)
			Howard's Perspective Retirement Series Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1994	Notes by Amani Gates. J470 Broadcast Media Analysis Howard’s Perspective Retirement Series Video: S1 (2:01) & S2(1:15:00) Other:... (Read More)
		Title Howard's Perspective Retirement Series Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1994 Description Notes by Amani Gates. J470 Broadcast Media Analysis Howard’s Perspective Retirement Series Video: S1 (2:01) & S2(1:15:00) Other:... (Read More)
			Howard Caldwell Retirement Special: 35 Years of Making a Difference Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1994	Howard Caldwell's 1994 Retirement Special, celebrating 35 years with Channel 6. Producers: Augusta Brennan, Judy Carbone, Shiree Woody Executive Producer: Jim Bowden Director:... (Read More)
Title Howard Caldwell Retirement Special: 35 Years of Making a Difference Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1994 Description Howard Caldwell's 1994 Retirement Special, celebrating 35 years with Channel 6. Producers: Augusta Brennan, Judy Carbone, Shiree Woody Executive Producer: Jim Bowden Director:... (Read More)
			Channel 6 History Howard Caldwell Collection		1966/1990	Broadcast History; Channel 6 History Channel 6 History Video (3:24:34) Notes by Marisol Sanchez, J450 History of Journalism, Fall 2021 -First Section of... (Read More)
	Title Channel 6 History Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Date Aired 1966/1990 Description Broadcast History; Channel 6 History Channel 6 History Video (3:24:34) Notes by Marisol Sanchez, J450 History of Journalism, Fall 2021 -First Section of... (Read More)
			50 Years Together Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV ABC	1999	Howard Caldwell hosts a news special celebrating 50 years of news on Channel 6 Executive Producer: Kurt Swadener; Writer: Kurt Swadener; Photographers: Mike Jensen & Steve... (Read More)
		Title 50 Years Together Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV ABC Date Aired 1999 Description Howard Caldwell hosts a news special celebrating 50 years of news on Channel 6 Executive Producer: Kurt Swadener; Writer: Kurt Swadener; Photographers: Mike Jensen & Steve... (Read More)
			50 years on the air with Channel 6 Howard Caldwell Collection	WFBM/WRTV-TV	1995	Howard Caldwell narrates this documentary of Channel 6 celebrating 50 years on TV. It includes a newscast with Clyde Lee and Howard Caldwell and ends with an episode of "Howard's... (Read More)
Title 50 years on the air with Channel 6 Collection Howard Caldwell Collection Stations WFBM/WRTV-TV Date Aired 1995 Description Howard Caldwell narrates this documentary of Channel 6 celebrating 50 years on TV. It includes a newscast with Clyde Lee and Howard Caldwell and ends with an episode of "Howard's... (Read More)