Ben McCain

Ben McCain
Years active	1973–present

Ben McCain is a Los Angeles-based actor, television host, news anchor, reporter, producer, director, writer and one half of The McCain Brothers, a singing songwriting duo. In addition to network television appearances, McCain has appeared in feature films, including MGM's cult classic Bio-Dome, Roger Corman's remake of Humanoids from the Deep, Dragonlance: Dragon's of Autumn Twilight and Bruce Campbell's My Name Is Bruce. The McCain Brothers also wrote and performed the theme song for My Name is Bruce, "Guan Di Is His Name."

McCain has had recurring roles on ABC's Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Sci-Fi Channel's Black Scorpion.

In 2010 and 2012, McCain was nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy. ^[1]

Early life

Born in Muleshoe, Texas and raised on a farm near Bovina in Parmer County, Texas, Ben and his younger brother, Butch McCain, were encouraged by their parents, Rose and Leslie McCain, to pursue their interests in performing and athletics while also helping on the family farm. He continues to return to Bovina to see his mother, Rose. Ben and his brother, Butch, have always enjoyed promoting their hometown even saluting Bovina when making their first appearance on "Hee Haw".

McCain won his first talent show at the age of 10 at a Fourth of July celebration in Muleshoe, Texas, performing the country song "Cottonfields" and the Bill Haley classic "R-O-C-K Rock, Rock, Rock!" He won first place along with $75 in prize money and figured he made the right decision not to play in an all-star baseball game that evening.

While in high school, Ben started working at a small radio station KZOL now KIJN in nearby Farwell, Texas. By the time he graduated, he was working full-time as a disc jockey, news reader and doing voice overs for local businesses.

Mixing radio and television

McCain worked at KLVT radio while attending and graduating from South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. In 1976, he took a job sweeping and mopping the floors at ABC affiliate KVII-TV in Amarillo, Texas while attending and graduating from West Texas State University now West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. McCain started filling in on the morning TV show at KVII, and then took a full-time job reporting, anchoring, and doing weather. He was on call with a 16 millimeter camera and news car and given the title of “Pro News Man in Motion."

McCain moved to Port Arthur, Texas where he worked as a news anchor and reporter at NBC affiliate KJAC (now Fox affiliate KBTV) and as a weatherman and reporter in Beaumont, Texas ABC affiliate KBMT. McCain also started writing songs while in southeast Texas. He recorded his first single ("Memphis Lady from Texas") and was encouraged after hearing it get airplay on several Texas radio stations.

In 1980, McCain was offered a reporting position at NBC affiliate KTVY (now KFOR-TV) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and also at WKY radio. Ben focused his reporting on agriculture and entertainment. He interviewed Ronald Reagan on a farm in Iowa, evangelist Billy Graham and almost every entertainer that would come through Oklahoma including Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Garth Brooks (who made his first TV appearance on the McCain Brothers Show), Toby Keith, Barry Manilow, Shania Twain, Vince Gill and Reba McEntire.

McCain’s younger brother, Butch, followed in his footsteps. Ben encouraged him to focus on weather. The McCain Brothers teamed up to do the morning show "AM Oklahoma" from 1981 to 1987 at KTVY (NBC affiliate) and from 1987 to 1994 the brothers hosted "Good Morning Oklahoma" and anchored the noon newscast at KOCO-TV (ABC affiliate). Ben anchored the news and Butch served as the weather anchor. The brothers also hosted a Sunday night country music video show called Hot Country Hits produced by Denise Snodell, now a columnist with the Kansas City Star, and a Saturday morning musical countdown segment called "Chartbusters". In 1993, The McCain Brothers were on Oklahoma City television 7 days a week. The Saturday and Sunday shows were taped during a weekday. The McCain Brothers hosted an educational game show called "The Challenge Bowl". The McCain Brothers moved to Los Angeles, California in 1994 to combine their interest in film, television and music.

Music

The McCain Brothers have recorded four CDs on Rise and Shine Records. The country single, “If Love Was a Crime I Couldn't Get Arrested” went number one on 50,000-watt KOMA radio in 1985.

The boys and their band of Oklahoma musicians opened concerts for major acts touring through the state and for eight years played the Oklahoma State Fair. For several years, the brothers hosted a favorite Sunday night music video show, Hot Country Hits. They also hosted a syndicated TV music show called "The McCain Brothers Show."

The music of the singing songwriting brothers has been featured in films My Name is Bruce, Humanoids from the Deep and Killer Tumbleweeds.

The video of the McCain Brothers song Gaun Di His Is Name played throughout the movie My Name Is Bruce as well as the ending credits. Ben also played the role of the mayor and Butch played dual roles as the sheriff and unibrowed farmer.

The McCain Brothers performed on the syndicated TV show Hee Haw, Nashville Now and their TV shows in Oklahoma City.

Film and television career

While hosting their daily morning television program in Oklahoma City, the brothers appeared on the syndicated TV show Hee Haw as well as ABC soap operas General Hospital, All My Children and Loving. They both earned their Screen Actors Guild cards while appearing in Dark Before Dawn in 1989, a film shot in Oklahoma City. Rex Linn (now a regular on CSI: Miami) was the associate producer and put in a good word for the brothers with executive producer Ed Gaylord. As a result, both landed roles as reporters (Rex, along with singer Garth Brooks and actor James Marsden made their TV debuts on the McCain Brothers show). Classical guitarist Edgar Cruz made his TV debut on the McCain Brothers show.

The brothers moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to combine their interest in TV, film and music. Ben had recurring roles on ABC's Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Sci-Fi Channel's Black Scorpion. Not long after their move, Ben appeared in national commercials. He shaved his head for the “funny haircut” commercial with Chris Rock promoting HBO comedy. He also played a game show host in a commercial for Kraft Easy Mac. The McCain Brothers appeared in regular live shots on the morning show for Los Angeles’ CBS-owned station KCBS-TV.

Ben and his brother Butch, have appeared in numerous films together including MGM's cult classic Bio-Dome, Roger Corman's Humanoids from the Deep and Bruce Campbell's My Name is Bruce, where they wrote and performed the film's theme song, "Guan Di Is His Name" also known as "The Legend of Guan Di". In the movie, Ben plays the mayor and Butch has dual roles as the sheriff and a uni-browed simpleton. In a 1997, Daily Variety columnist^[2] Andrew Hindes described the McCain Brothers as "multi-hyphenated".

In June of 2013, McCain completed narration of the audio book Nicholas: The Fantastic Origin of Santa Claus.

In 2012, McCain was nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy for the program Leimert Park Today.

In 2010, McCain was nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy[1] for the program So-Cal's Best Iconic Movie Locations.

McCain is the co-anchor of "This Week in Torrance". McCain joined the award winning show in 2000.

McCain is part of a family farming and cattle operation in Texas.

References