Bill Kurtis facts for kids

Bill Kurtis (born William Horton Kuretich on September 21, 1940) is a well-known American television journalist. He is also a producer, narrator, and news anchor. He is now retired from his main news anchoring roles.

In the 1960s, Bill Kurtis was studying to become a lawyer. He got a temporary job at a TV station called WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas. He reported on a very strong tornado. This reporting led him to become a full-time news reporter. Later, he became a successful news anchor in Chicago. People often noticed his deep, clear voice.

In the early 1980s, he anchored The CBS Morning News in New York City. He became very interested in in-depth investigative reports and documentaries. When he returned to Chicago, he started his own company, Kurtis Productions.

Kurtis hosted and produced many crime and news documentary shows. These include Investigative Reports, American Justice, and Cold Case Files. Today, Kurtis is the scorekeeper and announcer for NPR's comedy quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. He also hosted Through the Decades, a news magazine show on Decades (now Catchy Comedy).

Bill Kurtis's Early Life and Education

William Horton Kuretich was born on September 21, 1940. His birthplace was Pensacola, Florida. His mother was Wilma Mary Horton and his father was William A. Kuretich. His father was a United States Marine Corps brigadier general. He was a decorated veteran of World War II.

His father's military career meant the family moved around a lot. After his father retired, the family settled in Independence, Kansas. Bill Kurtis's sister is Jean Schodorf. She was a state Senate Majority Whip in Kansas.

At 16, Kurtis started working at a radio station called KIND in Independence. He finished Independence High School in 1958. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the University of Kansas in 1962. He then earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) from Washburn University School of Law in 1966. While in law school, he worked part-time at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas. After passing his law exam, he decided to pursue a career in broadcast news instead of law.

Kurtis also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and the United States Navy Reserve.

Bill Kurtis's Career in Television

How a Tornado Changed His Career

On June 8, 1966, Bill Kurtis was filling in as a news anchor at WIBW-TV. A severe tornado was heading towards Topeka. While on air, a cameraman spotted the tornado. Kurtis warned viewers to "take cover." This warning became famous during the Tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966. The tornado killed 18 people and injured many more.

Kurtis and his team stayed on air for 24 hours. They covered the tornado and its aftermath. Their TV station was one of the few still working. It became a communication center for emergency services. This experience made Kurtis change his career path. He decided to become a broadcast journalist instead of a lawyer.

Within three months, WBBM-TV in Chicago hired Kurtis. This started his 30-year career with CBS.

Reporting on Major Events

The late 1960s were a busy time in Chicago. As a reporter, Kurtis covered many historic events. He reported on the fires after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. He also covered the shooting of Robert F. Kennedy. He reported on the protests against the Vietnam War during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1969, Kurtis produced a documentary about Iva Toguri D'Aquino, known as "Tokyo Rose". This was the first interview with her since her conviction in 1949. His reporting helped convince President Gerald Ford to pardon her in 1977. His legal background helped him cover the Chicago Seven trial in 1969. This led to a job with CBS News in Los Angeles. He covered major trials like the Charles Manson murder trial.

In 1973, Kurtis returned to Chicago. He co-anchored the 10 p.m. newscast at WBBM-TV. In 1978, his team reported on Agent Orange. This was a chemical sprayed on U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. After his documentary was shown, the Veterans Administration created guidelines. These helped diagnose and compensate veterans affected by Agent Orange.

Kurtis went back to Vietnam in 1980. He reported on Vietnamese children left behind by Americans. His story in The New York Times Magazine helped these children come to the United States.

National News and Documentaries

In 1982, Kurtis joined Diane Sawyer on The CBS Morning News. This was a national broadcast from New York City. He also anchored three CBS Reports documentaries.

He returned to WBBM-TV in 1985. In 1986, Kurtis hosted a science series on PBS called The Miracle Planet. He also hosted a series on the Central Intelligence Agency in 1987.

In 1988, he started his own company, Kurtis Productions. He produced "Back to Chernobyl" for the PBS series Nova. Kurtis has narrated almost 1,000 documentaries. His company has produced nearly 500 documentaries. These include series like The New Explorers on PBS, Investigative Reports and Cold Case Files for A&E, and Investigating History for the History Channel. He also hosted American Justice. For CNBC, his company has produced over 200 episodes of American Greed.

In 1994, Kurtis reported on conditions in a maximum security prison. His report led to important changes in the Illinois prison system.

Kurtis and Walter Jacobson co-hosted the 6 p.m. newscast at WBBM-TV again in 2010. They had worked together before from 1973 to 1982. They retired as news anchors in 2013.

Awards and Recognition

Bill Kurtis has received many awards for his work. He has won two Peabody Awards and many Emmy Awards. He also received awards from the Overseas Press Club and a DuPont Award. He is in the Illinois and Kansas Halls of Fame. In 1998, he received the William Allen White citation from the University of Kansas.

He narrated a multimedia book called We Interrupt This Broadcast. Kurtis has also written three books. These are On Assignment (1984), The Death Penalty on Trial (2004), and Prairie Table Cookbook (2008).

In June 2015, Kurtis began hosting Through the Decades. This was a daily news magazine. It covered historical events from that day since television began. The program ended in February 2023.

Bill Kurtis's Film Work

Kurtis narrated the 2010 documentary film Carbon Nation. He was also the narrator in the 2004 film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He returned for its sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).

In July 2013, Kurtis was named the Voice of Illinois Tourism.

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Since 2009, Kurtis has appeared on NPR's news quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. He filled in for the regular announcer. On May 24, 2014, he became the permanent announcer. In one part of the show, Kurtis reads three news-related limericks. Contestants then fill in the missing last word or phrase.

Bill Kurtis's Personal Life

Bill Kurtis and his first wife, Helen, had two children. Their daughter, Mary Kristen, was born in 1966. Their son, Scott, was born in 1970. Helen Kurtis passed away at age 36 in 1977.

On December 13, 2017, he married Donna La Pietra. They had been partners for 40 years. Donna La Pietra was also a partner in Kurtis Productions. Kurtis has homes in Chicago and Mettawa, Illinois.

Kurtis and his sister, Jean Schodorf, inherited the historic site of the Little House on the Prairie. It is now a museum in Kansas. It includes their grandmother's one-room schoolhouse and other historic buildings.

Kurtis's father was a cousin of Frank Kurtis. Frank Kurtis is in the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame.

Kurtis's son, Scott, passed away on July 20, 2009, at age 38.

In 2005, Kurtis started Tallgrass Beef Company. This company raised and sold grass-fed, hormone-free organic beef. Some of the beef came from his ranch in Sedan, Kansas. The company stopped its business registration in Kansas on July 15, 2013.

Bill Kurtis's Books

• Bill Kurtis on Assignment published October 1, 1983, by Rand McNally; ISBN: 0-528-81005-7
• The Death Penalty on Trial: Crisis in American Justice about the death penalty was published November 30, 2004, by PublicAffairs; ISBN: 1-58648-169-X
• Prairie Table Cookbook, with Michelle M. Martin, published 2007-12-11 by Sourcebooks, Inc., ISBN: 978-1-4022-1049-5