Nick Bolton
Louis-Nicolas Davout "Nick" Bolton II (born September 18, 1923 in Atlanta, Georgia; died September 11, 2023 in Birmingham) was general manager of WBRC 6.
Nick was the son of John Gray and Mary Legaré Reeves Bolton of Georgia and grew up in Newton County, spending summers at Camp Pasquaney in New Hampshire and taking extensive lessons in piano, clarinet, and vocal performance. He attended the Military College of South Carolina ("The Citadel") at the start of World War II and served in Germany with the 412th Armored Field Artillery Battalion in 1945 as part of the allied occupying force.
Bolton graduated from Emory University in Atlanta in 1949 and began his career as a vocalist in a company which staged Gilbert & Sullivan productions. He met his wife, Barbara, backstage. The couple were married in 1953 and moved to Chicago where he entered the field of advertising.
Bolton became involved in broadcasting as sales manager for WNAX-AM in Yankton, South Dakota. From there he worked at WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio; and then was offered the job of general manager for WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri. From there he was recruited to WBRC in Birmingham.
Bolton appeared on air as an editorial commentator, usually ending his appearances by saying "This is a Channel 6 editorial opinion. What's your opinion?"
Bolton and his wife both sang in the choir at St Luke's Episcopal Church. They vacationed at a second home in Silver Bay, New York. He died a week shy of his 100th birthday.
References
- "Louis Davout "Nick" Bolton II" obituary (September 13, 2023) AL.com