Mike Randall (entertainer)
Encyclopedia
Michael E. "Mike" Randall (born c. 1953) is an American actor, meteorologist and reporter from Buffalo, New York
. He is best known for his long run on WKBW-TV
, where he has been since 1983 and has been the chief meteorologist since 1999.
(seal #9708542, which he has held since at least the early 1990s) and the American Meteorological Society
(seal #1558, which he earned some time in the 2000s). His meteorology education comes from Mississippi State University
's Broadcast Meteorology Program, while his broadcasting education was obtained from Onondaga Community College
.
Prior to 1983, Randall worked at WFSB
in Hartford and WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, as well as a brief stint as a commercial spokesman for the New York Lottery
in 1978.
Randall joined WKBW-TV in 1983 as a feature reporter. In 1989, Randall was paired with Ann Edwards to host Good Morning Western New York, the first morning newscast in the Buffalo market, with Randall assigned weather presenting duties as well as co-hosting duties. Randall became a bona fide meteorologist shortly thereafter; he became the third true meteorologist in the Buffalo market (after WIVB-TV
's Don Paul and Mike Cejka
). From 1992 through 1993, Randall was named "commander" of the children's television program Rocketship 7
. Upon the retirement of Tom Jolls
in 1999, Randall was named chief meteorologist and moved to the station's evening newscasts. He was moved back to mornings in 2009 in an effort to revive the ratings of Good Morning Western New York.
performing primarily in one-man shows. His best known impersonations are those of 19th century authors Mark Twain
and Charles Dickens
. The Twain performances are known as Mark Twain Live! As Dickens, Randall traditionally recites the book A Christmas Carol
as Dickens used to do on stage during his lifetime. He holds a degree in theater from the State University of New York at Geneseo
.
In 1975, Hal Holbrook
, the creator of Mark Twain Tonight
, filed a lawsuit against the then-22 year old Randall alleging that Randall had plagiarized
Holbrook's work. The two reached a settlement stating that Randall could not use any of Holbrook's work in future productions, but that Randall could continue impersonating Twain.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He is best known for his long run on WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliate for the Buffalo, New York television market, and is one of many local Buffalo TV stations seen over-the-air and on cable in Canada. Its transmitter is located at 8909 Center Street in Colden. The station is owned by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation, who...
, where he has been since 1983 and has been the chief meteorologist since 1999.
Television career
Randall holds seals of approval from the National Weather AssociationNational Weather Association
The National Weather Association is an American professional association with a mission to support and promote excellence in operational meteorology and related activities...
(seal #9708542, which he has held since at least the early 1990s) and the American Meteorological Society
American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
(seal #1558, which he earned some time in the 2000s). His meteorology education comes from Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
's Broadcast Meteorology Program, while his broadcasting education was obtained from Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
.
Prior to 1983, Randall worked at WFSB
WFSB
'WFSB, channel 3, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, owned by the Meredith Corporation. WFSB's studios and offices are located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, and its broadcast transmitter is based on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut. Syndicated...
in Hartford and WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, as well as a brief stint as a commercial spokesman for the New York Lottery
New York Lottery
The New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
in 1978.
Randall joined WKBW-TV in 1983 as a feature reporter. In 1989, Randall was paired with Ann Edwards to host Good Morning Western New York, the first morning newscast in the Buffalo market, with Randall assigned weather presenting duties as well as co-hosting duties. Randall became a bona fide meteorologist shortly thereafter; he became the third true meteorologist in the Buffalo market (after WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
's Don Paul and Mike Cejka
Mike Cejka
Mike Cejka has been a broadcast meteorologist for WIVB since January 1983 making him the longest standing on-air meteorologist in the Buffalo television market.-Career:...
). From 1992 through 1993, Randall was named "commander" of the children's television program Rocketship 7
Rocketship 7
Rocketship 7 was a children's television series that aired weekday mornings on WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York from 1962 to 1978 and from 1992 to 1993....
. Upon the retirement of Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls
Tom Jolls is a retired television weatherman at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York, where he worked for 34 years. He was also the star of the Commander Tom Show which had a 26-year run on WKBW....
in 1999, Randall was named chief meteorologist and moved to the station's evening newscasts. He was moved back to mornings in 2009 in an effort to revive the ratings of Good Morning Western New York.
Acting career
Randall is known as a character actorCharacter actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
performing primarily in one-man shows. His best known impersonations are those of 19th century authors Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
and Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. The Twain performances are known as Mark Twain Live! As Dickens, Randall traditionally recites the book A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
as Dickens used to do on stage during his lifetime. He holds a degree in theater from the State University of New York at Geneseo
State University of New York at Geneseo
The State University of New York at Geneseo—also known as SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo State, or, colloquially, Geneseo—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York, United States. It is a University College of the State University of New York...
.
In 1975, Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
, the creator of Mark Twain Tonight
Mark Twain Tonight
Mark Twain Tonight! Is a one-man play devised by Hal Holbrook, in which he depicts Mark Twain giving a dramatic recitation selected from several of his writings, with an emphasis on the comic ones...
, filed a lawsuit against the then-22 year old Randall alleging that Randall had plagiarized
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
Holbrook's work. The two reached a settlement stating that Randall could not use any of Holbrook's work in future productions, but that Randall could continue impersonating Twain.