Jim O'Brien (reporter)

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Jim O'Brien (February 4, 1940 – September 25, 1983) was born James Oldham in Waco, Texas, and came to Philadelphia in 1970 to become a disc jockey at radio station WFIL-AM, after short stints at KHJ in Los Angeles and WOR-FM in New York City. In 1976 he joined the WPVI Channel 6 Action News team as a sports anchor. He soon became the weatherman and became a local legend with his presentation of the weather, being the only Philadelphia area weatherman to use a pointer while on the air. O'Brien eventually anchored the Noon newscast, the local edition of Dialing for Dollars and the weekend magazine show Primetime. He had two favorite hobbies, motorcycle riding and skydiving. It was the latter hobby which would lead to his early death in a skydiving accident on September 25, 1983. O'Brien died trying to rescue another skydiver whose parachute failed to open. He was the father of actors Peri Gilpin, Marc Gilpin and April Gilpin.

[edit] External links

• Jim O'Brien Tribute Page
• http://aicommand.com/Obrien121704.htm