CAPTAIN NOAH AND HIS MAGICAL ARK
W. Carter Merbreier, better known to a generation of Philadelphians as "Captain Noah", died Tuesday at his home in Audubon after a brief illness, according to his former TV station. He was 90.
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CAPTAIN NOAH |
Bernie Prazenica, WPVI president and general manager, said in a statement Tuesday thatMerbreier "helped shape the foundation of what Channel 6 is today."
"What we remember about Carter was he loved to make children smile, and he maintained a deep faith in the human spirit," Prazenica said. "Our condolences go out to the Merbreier family, his Channel 6 family, and all fans of Captain Noah."
Merbreier’s wife, Patricia, known as “Mrs. Noah,” died in June 2011. She was 86.
The two co-hosted the long-running program Captain Noah and His Magical Ark.Captain and Mrs. Noah (as they referred to each other even in their personal lives) invited scores of newsmakers and celebrities onto their program, which ran from 1967 until 1994.
Among those guests were Elvis Presley, Charles Barkley, Jim Henson, Jon Stewart, the Phillie Phanatic, Frank Perdue, and Martina Navratilova.