Jim Castillo

Early life

Jim was born to John and Judy in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents have a mix of American Indian, German, Irish and Spanish Blood. Jim's great-great grandmother on his mother’s side was full blooded Cherokee Indian and his father also has Cherokee & Lakota Indian blood. He has also been able to trace a connection to the Shawnee Indian tribe on his mother's side.

Jim's mother died on March 17, 2010 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. His father passed in 2017 in Kansas.

He has an older brother, John and many cousins all over the United States and a few up in Canada.

Some of his interests include jogging, yoga, working out at the gym, social media, music, acting, skiing, snowboarding, real estate, architecture design, making movies, genealogy and photography. He also enjoys being an active volunteer with local organizations.

Education and career

Jim attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri on a leadership and academic scholarship and received his bachelor's degree, with honors, in Atmospheric Science. While in college, he was secretary of the Meteorology Club, a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and a cheerleader.

Jim had an extremely sporty childhood, where he dabbled in soccer, gymnastics, diving, pole vaulting and scuba diving.

Jim's passion for weather sparked after a F-3 tornado struck his neighborhood and made national news on April 7, 1980. "I just wanted to know how and why it happened," he said in an article in Hispanic Times Magazine. "And how do I help people so this doesn't happen to them? I just really got into weather: seeing my neighbors, the rubble, people screaming and total panic. People were just freaked out. And I just had to get involved."

While in college, he began his career as an intern for the National Weather Service in Jefferson City, Missouri. He also interned in the weather department at KOMU-TV, an NBC Network affiliate in Columbia, Missouri, eventually leading to his first on-air position as a weather anchor and host of a popular weekly exercise show, where he earned his nickname, "Beefcake."

His career began as a storm chaser across the Midwest and Texas, even earning a storm chasing card from the National Weather Service.

Jim was the first meteorologist on "Good Day Philadelphia" at WTXF-TV, the Fox Network station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he also hosted segments and conducted man-on-the-street interviews.

After nearly two years, he was offered his first chief meteorologist position at KCPQ, the Tribune Company owned station in Seattle, Washington. While at the station, he won his first individual Emmy for Best Weather in the Pacific Northwest in 1999.

In 2001, Castillo moved up to the number 2 media market, joining the CBS Network affiliate KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, California as the chief meteorologist working on the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. In September 2002, Castillo accepted an offer at WNYW-TV Fox 5 in New York City as the chief evening meteorologist. He stayed at the station for over three years, where he was nominated for numerous Emmy awards, and, for the first time in a decade, the 10 p.m. newscast won an Emmy.

In June 2010, Castillo joined the weekend team as the first weekend meteorologist at KTLA-TV, the oldest television station in Los Angeles, California. He also anchored the weather on the 1 & 3 p.m. weekly newscast. Jim was happily married in July 2015 and moved back to the midwest where both he and his partner are born and raised.

Filmography

Jim's passion for performing has also led to many roles in film and television over the past two decades. His credits include:

2014: Million Dollar Arm (film) (Walt Disney Pictures)
2011: Criminal Minds (CBS Productions)
2011: Torchwood: Miracle Day (BBC America/Starz)
2010: Photo Booth(Short) (No Slack Productions)
2003: Duplex (Miramax Films)
1994: With Honors (Warner Bros.)
1994: Blink (New Line Cinemas)
1992: Leap of Faith (Paramount Pictures) KTLA’s Season of Sharing: Help for the Philippines

Awards

2015: KTLA-TV - Commemorative Emmy Award, Winner, KTLA’s Season of Sharing: Help for the Philippines)
2008: KOMO-TV - Emmy Award, Winner, Morning Newscast (11 a.m.)
2008: KOMO-TV - Emmy Award, Nominee, Morning Newscast (11 a.m.)
2008: KOMO-TV - Emmy Award, Nominee, Morning Newscast (11 a.m.)
2008: KOMO-TV - RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award, Winner, Overall Excellence (Television: Large Market)
2007: STAR 101.5 FM - 1st Place, Newscaster You Would Most Like To See Naked
2007: KOMO-TV - Emmy Award, Winner, Morning Newscast (11 a.m.)
2003: WNYW-TV - Emmy Award, Winner, Evening Newscast (10 p.m.)
2003: WNYW-TV - Emmy Award, Nominee, Weather Reporting
2001: KCBS-TV - RTNA Golden Mic Award, “Winner, News Broadcast (11 p.m.)
2001: KCBS-TV - Emmy Award, Winner, Evening Newscast (6 p.m.)
2000: STAR 101.5 FM - 1st Place, Newscaster You Would Most Like To See Naked
1998: KCPQ-TV - Emmy Award, Winner, Weather Reporting
1996: WTXF-TV - Emmy Award, Nominee, Weather Reporting