Longtime News On 6 Personality Lee Woodward Dies

Lee Woodward, former News On 6 weatherman and personality, died Monday, June 19, 2017.  A family friend tells News On 6 Woodward died after some time in hospice care.

He was 85.

"Woody" and his sidekick puppet King Lionel were a long-running duo that appeared on the news and during other programming on KOTV.

Lionel was a puppet Woodward found in a trunk full of props stored at the station's old Frankfort studio. They began their career together hosting afternoon movies then became a part of the news each night with news anchor Clayton Vaughan and sportscaster Mack Creager.

1/17/2013 Related Story: 6 On The Move: How Lionel The Lion Became King Of Tulsa Weather

Lionel debuted on the station's afternoon movie in the early '60s. At its heyday, the pair had a 30-minute show that ran before Walter Cronkite's evening news. Their reign ended in the late '70s, Woodward said in "The History of Lee and Lionel."

Although the puppet appealed to kids, Woodward's quick wit was largely aimed at adults. Lionel often voiced satirical comments on the news of the day to the delight of many mature viewers. 

Woodward was also the host of "Dance Party," the KOTV version of American Band Stand, and Sun-Up, a morning program. 

A singer, Woodward can be heard performing on the Tulsa TV Memories website.