RIP Sonny Elliot

**Maof** · November-16-12, 06:41 AM

One of the best has passed away at the age of 91

**DetroitPlanner** · November-16-12, 06:46 AM

See ya on the other side war hero.
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/11/...ny-eliot-dies/

**Kathleen** · November-16-12, 08:14 AM

RIP, Sonny!!

He once made this little girl's day [[and week and year) when he responded to a letter I wrote him about those misspelled words in his forecast!! It's FOG, not PHOG!! And what is CLOOL?? Couldn't find that word in the dictionary!!

**kenp** · November-16-12, 08:18 AM

That man was a fixture on TV and radio my whole life. Even listened to him on WWJ up until a year or so ago. He will be missed.

**gazhekwe** · November-16-12, 08:19 AM

Tears falling this morning for the loss of this irrepressibly cheerful man. Walk safely into the Spirit World, Sonny.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-16-12, 08:19 AM

Anyone else old enough to remember him at the Parade or his show called 'At the Zoo'?

**Honky Tonk** · November-16-12, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Maof

One of the best has passed away at the age of 91

"and he's going to be buried, in a tiny little cemetery, "pffft" right about here"

R.I.P., funnyman. You were one of a kind.

**Hermod** · November-16-12, 08:28 AM

Now all we have left are the 'weather babes". Weather forecasting on TV now is all T&A.

**douglasm** · November-16-12, 08:29 AM

Very sorry to hear the news.

**Lowell** · November-16-12, 08:52 AM

...and nevermore will the Keeweenau Peninsula be pulled off the Michigan map and squeaked with his chalk [remember when weathermen used chalk?]. I have never seen a TV personality who could be so likeable while being mildly annoying. Only Sonny could pull that off.

I only saw him once off screen. I was in the old Lindell AC around midnight and he rolled in, after work I guessed, and sat alone at a corner table. He was brought what must have been a regular drink with no words exchanged. He appeared rather melancholy as he had his drink, distant and with sad eyes, so quiet and opposite from his voluble and outgoing on screen sunniness.

And while it is non-Detroit and off topic, Helen Milliken, a class Michigan first lady, also passed yesterday. Condolences to her husband and great former Governor William Milliken and their family.

Shollin · November-16-12, 09:09 AM

Never seen him on TV. Always listened on radio. Until now I never knew what he looked like.

**Downriviera** · November-16-12, 09:20 AM

Such a fun guy. He was like a cartoon character come to life. Used to see him at the Wings games at the Olympia all the time. He was a huge hockey fan, even played goalie for the Wings at practice sometimes.

**rjlj** · November-16-12, 09:37 AM

"It's 52 degrees in Three Rivers; that's the highest temperature in the state. Three Rivers--that's where they started a new business, making the front ends of horses. Then they ship them to the Detroit council chambers for final assembly."

Sonny Elliot

**Honky Tonk** · November-16-12, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

"It's 52 degrees in Three Rivers; that's the highest temperature in the state. Three Rivers--that's where they started a new business, making the front ends of horses. Then they ship them to the Detroit council chambers for final assembly."

Sonny Elliot

YES! Classic Sonny! LOL!

**Danny** · November-16-12, 12:15 PM

Resciat In Pace, Sonny Elliot, A great World War II hero. You were the architect of local television media. The greatest TV weatherman ever. You will be missed.

The Street Prophets Salute you.

**Ray1936** · November-16-12, 12:17 PM

Damn. But it was a good, long life that brought much joy into our part of the world.

RIP

**Gistok** · November-16-12, 12:22 PM

Very very sad news indeed.... I was "At The Zoo" with my gradeschool class when we were on TV with dear dear Sonny... he was always so cheerful and funny...

I'll always remember his TV weather forecasts.... especially as was already mentioned his pulling the Keeweenau Peninsula of the map and made that funny sound.... and of course he'd often mention the temperature in "Enga-denga-denga-dine".

I still remember driving down McNichols one day and he gave his famous radio weather report telling about the weather in some foreign location. On that day he said "... the temperature in Athens Greece was [[foreign words)... that's 83 to us here in Michigan... you know Athens... that's where they separate the men from the boys... with a crow bar!"

**Ray1936** · November-16-12, 12:43 PM

Found him and his family in the 1940 census. Living at 3242 Calvert. Occupation [[not shown here) has him clerking in the family hardware store.

**jefferson78** · November-16-12, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Very very sad news indeed.... I was "At The Zoo" with my gradeschool class when we were on TV with dear dear Sonny... he was always so cheerful and funny...

I'll always remember his TV weather forecasts.... especially as was already mentioned his pulling the Keeweenau Peninsula of the map and made that funny sound.... and of course he'd often mention the temperature in "Enga-denga-denga-dine".

I still remember driving down McNichols one day and he gave his famous radio weather report telling about the weather in some foreign location. On that day he said "... the temperature in Athens Greece was [[foreign words)... that's 83 to us here in Michigan... you know Athens... that's where they separate the men from the boys... with a crow bar!"

He was a true icon of Detroit. I also found that when he was done with the weather forecast you could ask me what the forecast was and I would be like "Ummmm". Sometimes it was difficult to separate the report from the many inside jokes he inserted.
All in all, he was a great man who loved his job and loved Michigan. He will be missed, but never forgotten.
Prayers go out to his family and may God Bless his soul.

**Gistok** · November-16-12, 01:19 PM

It would be nice to honor Sonny Elliot with a statue in Campus Martius.... and they could put it "exac-ictacly" in a shady spot "cooler than an Eskimo at a Nudist Colony".... and dedicate it on a "Freezing and Hazy or Frazy sort of day..."

**Wheels** · November-16-12, 01:23 PM

Ing..ading... ading...agding...adine!

**Wesley Mouch** · November-16-12, 01:57 PM

from the article, let me put a spotlight on his war record...

Eliot’s college education at Wayne State University was interrupted by World War II, where he served as a B-24 pilot. A plane Eliot was flying was shot down during a bombing mission over Germany and he was captured. He spent 18 months in the Stalagluft I prison camp before being freed by the Russians when the war ended. While in captivity, he lifted the morale of the other prisoners by staging original skits and revues.

**Jimaz** · November-16-12, 02:36 PM

Sonny Eliot on 50 Years in Broadcasting

There are other videos available of course.

**Mikeg** · November-16-12, 02:50 PM

I had the pleasure of meeting Sonny at a book-signing a few years back and during our brief chat I took advantage of the opportunity to thank him for his service in WW II. In exchange I not only received his autograph but also his "trademark". R.I.P. Sonny.