Bill Kurtis
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Bill Kurtis is a television journalist and producer best known as the host of numerous A&E crime and news documentary shows, including Investigative Reports, American Justice, and Cold Case Files.
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Biography
Kurtis, of Croatian descent, was born September 21, 1940 in Pensacola, Florida. Kurtis's Father was a marine corps general, so the family traveled extensively. When they settled down, he was raised in Independence, Kansas.
In college, he was an announcer for KIND-AM, the radio station at Independence Community Junior College. He graduated from The University of Kansas with a B.S. in Journalism in 1962. He then attended Washburn University School of Law where he was awarded a Juris Doctor in 1966.
Television Career
Kurtis began his television career as a part time anchor at WIBW-TV (http://www.wibw.com/) in Topeka, Kansas. On the evening of June 8, 1966, a severe thunderstorm 20 miles southwest of town was heading straight towards Topeka. Bill warned: For God's sake, take cover. He remained on the air for 24 straight hours to cover the destruction. This warning became synonymous with the Topeka tornado that left 16 dead and injured hundreds more. It was also Kurtis' big break.
Despite passing the Kansas bar examination and winning a job with a Wichita law firm, Kurtis decided on a career in journalism, which had been his undergraduate major.
He moved to Chicago in 1966 to work at WBBM-TV (http://cbs2chicago.com/), first as a reporter and then as an anchorman. In 1982, he moved to New York to anchor the CBS Morning News, but returned to Chicago three years later to produce documentaries for the television show The New Explorers. He started his own production company, Kurtis Productions (http://www.google.com/search?pb=f&q=Kurtis+Productions+Chicago+IL) in 1990, and joined the A&E network the following year.
Kurtis has received numerous awards for his television work, including over twenty Emmys and the Illinois Broadcasters Association 1998 Hall of Fame Award.
Writing Career
- Bill Kurtis on Assignment published October 1, 1983 (out of print) by Rand McNally ISBN 0528810057
- American Justice published August 1, 1999 by TV Books Inc ISBN 1575001098.
- The Death Penalty On Trial: Crisis in American Justice about the death penalty was published November 30, 2004 by Public Affairs ISBN 158648169X.
External links
- A Bill Kurtis Tribute (http://pepperbay.com/billkurtis/)
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- A&E American Justice (http://www.aetv.com/tv/shows/amerjustice/meet_bill.jsp)
- A&E Cold Case Files (http://www.aetv.com/tv/shows/coldcasefiles/about.jsp)
- Illinois Broadcasters Association (http://www.ilba.org/) Hall of Fame (http://www.ilba.org/pages/iba_hall_of_fame.php)
- Community College Alumni Profile (http://www2.aacc.nche.edu/alumni_details.asp?IDD=196)
- Biography (http://ome.ksu.edu/lectures/boyd/bio/bill_bio.html) for his September 26, 2002 lecture at Kansas State University.
- Biography (http://washburnlaw.edu/current/commencement/kurtis.php) for his May 14, 2005 Commencement address at Washburn University.