WABC Eyewitness News - 1985 - Hurricane Gloria

This seemed appropriate, so here's the 11pm Eyewitness News from September 26, 1985, the eve of Hurricane Gloria. Ernie Anastos and Kaity Tong anchor, Dr. Bill Gutsch handles the forecast, and much of the great early/mid 80s Eyewitness News team - including Josh Howell, Lou Young, Gloria Rojas, and Will Spens, and a pre-Fox Carol Iovanna - are in the field. Corey MacPherrin runs down some sports highlights for variety. It's a great reminder of how much has changed regarding weather coverage - and how much hasn't. You'd just need to swap out the radars for the more current model and it'd be quite similar.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• WABC
• Hurricane
• Gloria
• Ernie
• Anastos
• Kaity
• Tong
• News

[bflatism]

Question: Did they STILL run the trains and buses during that Hurricane?

[tyrese3745]

Myself (and about a hundred people) found shelter at Park West High School in Hell's Kitchen.

[tyrese3745]

When Irene was in our dangerous path, I was in New York City at the time. I didn't want to be cooped-up in my Grandmother's house. At 12:00 noon, Mass transit, which included the MTA (NYC Bus & Subway Transit, the Long Island Railroad & Long Island Bus, and Metro-North Railroad's New Haven, Harlem, Hudson, and Port Jervis Lines, and the Staten Island Railway), Amtrak, PATH, and NJ Transit (Light Rail, & Rail Service) was completely shut down for the duration of the super-storm.

[tyrese3745]

I was only 3 years old when Gloria hit our area.

[PREGO1966]

@wmbrown6 I have all of Shadows on DVD, I would not be surprised if some of the closings are Allan as well.

[wmbrown6]

@PREGO1966 - Unfortunately, Jefferys' voice did bear some similarities to that of the actual "Dark Shadows" (and "One Life to Live") announcer, Bob Lloyd. However, Jefferys' voice had more of a nasal quality to it (reminiscent of a permanent head cold) than Lloyd's. The irony on the latter soap was that in the '80's, Jefferys would actually do a promo V/O over the end credits one day.

[PREGO1966]

@wmbrown6 I was too young to watch it that often in 68, but I am sure you are right. I used to think Jeffreys was the Dark Shadows announcer. I was just shown where in the 30th anniversary book I was wrong.

[wmbrown6]

@PREGO1966 - Jefferys was also with "EWN" at the very beginning in 1968 - on camera, as drama critic, before John Schubeck was downgraded to that capacity from 6:30 P.M. anchor by spring 1969. I remember pre-1978 when weekend "EWN's" (with Gil Noble) were announced on a rotational basis by Ed Jordan and Tedd Lawrence.

[PREGO1966]

@wmbrown6 Allan had actually been there since the 70s. Normally he did Sundays only. Wally Parker did Saturdays. When Gil retired, Wally and Gil alternated on weekdays until they got someone new. Also the Gutsch also only worked weekends as well (worked at the Hayden Planetarium during the week). Storm Field (son of Frank) must have been on vacation.

[wmbrown6]

The opening "EWN" announcer was Allan Jefferys, who replaced Gilbert Hodges that year.