Fritz Wetherbee

Fred "Fritz" Wetherbee (born 1936) is a New Hampshire writer and television host. Fritz has been honored with five Emmy Awards. He was born July 3, 1936, and named for his grandfather Fred Minot Wetherbee II. For 10 years (1975–84) he was news director and general manager of radio stations WSCV/WSLE-FM in Peterborough. From 1985 to 1995 he was the host of New Hampshire Crossroads on Public Television.^[1] He currently has his own segment on New Hampshire Chronicle.

Author of nine books, winner of five Emmys, recipient of two honorary Doctorates, and the Governor’s Arts Award.

Whetherbee is a photographer, windsurfer, lifeguard, house-painter, tree-climber, stonemason, soldier, artist-painter, poet, copywriter, cinematographer, film editor, television commentator/producer/videographer, Avid editor, newspaper/radio/television-news reporter, college instructor, advertising-agency creative director, author, historian, disc-jockey, bus driver.

Born July 3, 1936, Memorial Hospital, Nashua, NH. First child of Frederick Minot and Mary Catherine (née Butler) Wetherbee of Milford, NH.

One of five siblings (four boys, one girl).

Ninth generation Yankee (John Wetherbee arrive in Boston 1765).

Resides Acworth, NH (population 900).

One son Caleb Addison, born 1962, St. Josephs Hospital, Nashua, NH. Two granddaughters, Sophia and Anna,

Marital status “committed”.

Vitae US Army Special Services 1958-1960 All-Army Entertainment Contest 1959-1960 placed third of 44,000 acts Ed Sullivan Show 1959-1960 Appeared with other soldiers Monadnock Ledger Reporter/Photographer 1962-1968 Nathaniel Hawthorn College Theater Production Instructor, 1963 Filmmaker/Cinematographer NHPTV 1969-1975 WSLE-WSCV radio General Manager, news director 1976-1984 Keene State College Media Instructor, 1980, 1984 All Things Considered, Public Radio Contributing reporter 1976-1984 Ten O'clock News, WGBH-TV, Reporter, 1986-1994 Chronicle Contributing Talent WCVB-TV, Boston 1990 Pitteway and Partners Advertising Creative Director, 1984-1986 NH-Crossroads NHPTV Host/producer/writer/editor. 1986-2000 NH Chronicle Storyteller/historian WMUR TV, 2000–Present

Audio Speak N'Hampsha Like a Native An comic audio recording. Hundreds of copies sold since 1986

Voice-over (and/or hosting) for: Ken Burns' Baseball, "The Making of Baseball". Program #1 of the set The Works of Robert Frost (won New England Emmy in 1995) Sony audio/video tapes Voice of national radio campaign 1984 White Mountain Enterprises (Region Association) Franconia Notch Visitor’s Center Mt Washington Observatory Center

         Monadnock Region Association

Winnipesaukee Lake Association NH Film Board Hoosac Tunnel Visitor Center, North Adams, MA

Producer and Writer Just Up The Road Nine specials, NHPTV* NH Remembered, parts I, II, III, NHPTV Secrets of the Mt Washington Hotel NHPTB Covered Bridges of New England PBS (shown nationally) Josie Langmaid, The Murdered Maiden Student NHPTV University of New Hampshire Centennial History NHP A Light on the Mountain Funded by “Olin Foundation” Grace Metalious and Peyton Place NHPTV (shown nationally) Styron, Plimpton, Updike at MacDowell WGBH Francis Ouimet Story WGBH Grover Cleveland NHPTV MacDowell, an American Artists' Colony NHPTV (shown nationally) Soul of a Woman, the story of Mary Baker Eddy NHPTV Furniture Makers of NH companion to Currier Art Museum Show (*Wrote, produced and edited most of his NHPTV segments and specials) Honors New England Emmy Producer, Public Affairs 1995 New England Emmy Hosting 1996 New England Emmy On-camera talent 2004 New England Emmy Producer, Outstanding historical program 2006 New England Emmy Commentary/editorial 2008 Nominations Ten New England Emmy nominations Golden Mike Five awards NH Association of Broadcasters Bobble-head Doll “Fritz Wetherbee Day” NH Fisher Cats Baseball 2006 Valley Forge Freedom Medal 1970 National Endowment for the Arts grant 1971 Citizen of the Year, Monadnock Jaycees 1985 NH Historic Preservation Award 1993 The Museum of Modern Art presented his film:

                  “James B. Conant: NH, Harvard, and the A-Bomb” 1996.

Media Award, Molly Stark Chapter DAR 2004 History Recognition Award, Souhegan Valley C of Commerce 2007 Community Builder Award, Masonic Lodge #7,Milford, NH 2007 Granite State Award, Plymouth State University 2009 Doctor of Humane Letters “honoris causa” Rivier College 2009 Doctor of Humane Letters “honoris cause” New England College 2013

References