Anchorman Bill Bolen, a fixture in Birmingham television and radio for 56 years, signed off today after 41 years with Fox 6. The 81-year-old Selma native ended his long career on the morning show “Good Day Alabama.”
Gov. Riley declared today as “Bill Bolen Day.” Mayor William Bell presented him with a key to the city.
Bolen graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor of arts degree in radio arts. He served in the Air Force and worked different positions in Birmingham radio, including at WSGN (610 AM). He started on television with CBS affiliate WBMG (now WIAT) in 1965, joining WBRC-6 in 1969.
General manager Lou Kirchen said [video]:
In a time, when we may believe that chivalry is dead, we only have to look at the life of Mr. Bolen to know that’s not so. He will be long remembered for his generous smile, his deep, warm voice, his sense of humor, his faith and its manifestation in his commitment to our community. We are really going to miss you Mr. B.
Bolen received the American Cancer Society’s Life Inspiration Award in 1997 after surviving his own bout with the disease.
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I spent several years doing morning segments for Our House, Birmingham Family Times and OTMJ Family Journal with Mr. Bolen. He was always prepared and went out of his way to make me comfortable — he and the Fox 6 crew were a pleasure to work with — even if it was at the crack of dawn!
Thanks, Patricia. We hate to see him go, but wish him well in retirement.
I met Bill Bolen twice at the television station. Both times, he was the friendliest man you could imagine.
The first time was especially memorable. I was just out of college and I was at the station to visit a fraternity brother who worked there.
Bill Bolen chatted with me for seveal minutes, asking about what I wanted to with my career. Here was a man who was already a pro in local media taking time to encourage a kid.
The second time was when I was working for the Secretary of State’s office. Bill had just left the stage and the other on-air personalities were speaking, so he had to be quiet. Yet, he took time to walk by where I was sitting offstage, smile and whisper “Good morning, how are you?”
He is a true professional and a very friendly man.