Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$15 million
Date Of BirthSeptember 21, 1940
SpouseHelen Kurtis
FactAppeared in several commercials for AT&T's 3-G Internet network. Also appearing are Andy Roddick and Floyd Mayweather Jr.. [2009]


William “Bill” Kurtis is an American television journalist, producer, narrator, and news anchor. He is currently the host of The Bill Kurtis Show on WGN Radio in Chicago. He is also the host and executive producer of Through the Decades on the cable television network Decades.

Kurtis was born in Pensacola, Florida, on September 21, 1940, to parents William E. Kurtis Sr. and Gladys Kurtis (née Johnson). He has two older sisters, Barbara and Beverly. He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School in 1958. He then attended the University of Kansas, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1962.

Kurtis began his broadcasting career as a reporter and anchor at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas. He then moved to Wichita, Kansas, where he worked as a reporter and weekend anchor at KAKE-TV. In 1965, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he joined WBBM-TV as a reporter and weekend anchor.

In 1981, Kurtis left WBBM-TV to join CBS News as a correspondent. He was also the anchor of The CBS Morning News from 1982 to 1985. In addition to his work at CBS News, Kurtis also served as the host of A&E’s Investigative Reports from 1991 to 2011.

Kurtis has won six Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his work in television journalism. He was inducted into the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006.

Kurtis has been married twice. His first marriage was to Donna La Pietra, with whom he has two children, Ashley and Will. His second marriage is to Marion Jolliffe, with whom he has two stepdaughters, Kate and Lauren.

Kurtis is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

General Info

Net Worth$15 million
Date Of BirthSeptember 21, 1940
ProfessionJournalist, Television producer, Film producer, Voice Actor, Newscaster, Spokesperson
EducationUniversity of Kansas, Washburn University School of Law, Washburn University
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseHelen Kurtis
ChildrenScott Kurtis, Mary Kristin Kurtis
ParentsWilliam A. Kuretich, Wilma Mary Horton
SiblingsJean Schodorf
PartnerDonna La Pietra

Accomplishments

NominationsPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-fiction Series
MoviesAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
TV ShowsParking Wars, Ebert Presents: At the Movies, American Justice, Cold Case Files, Investigative Reports, The New Explorers, CBS Morning News, Investigating History

Social profile links

Facts

#Fact
1Appeared in several commercials for AT&T's 3-G Internet network. Also appearing are Andy Roddick and Floyd Mayweather Jr.. [2009]
2Several scenes in independent filmmaker Kevin Willmott's upcoming feature The Battle for Bunker Hill (2008) were filmed at Kurtis' Red Buffalo Ranch near Sedan, Kansas.
3Graduate of Washburn University School of Law.
4Host of Investigative Reports (1991) on A&E network.

Pictures

Movies

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The American Tax Cheat2011TV Movie executive producer
The Abduction of Jaycee Dugard2010TV Movie documentary executive producer
CNBC Investigates: Illegal Gambling2009TV Movie documentary executive producer
The Oprah Effect2009TV Movie documentary executive producer
The Entrepreneurs (Toms Shoes and Frontera Foods)2009TV Series documentary executive producer
Parking Wars2008TV Series executive producer
American Originals2008TV Series documentary executive producer - 1 episode
Day Under Fire: The Civil War2007TV Movie documentary series producer
Day Under Fire: Vietnam War2007TV Movie documentary series producer
Madness in the White City2007TV Movie documentary series producer
Day Under Fire: World War II2007Documentary series producer
American Justice1992-2005TV Series documentary executive producer - 12 episodes
High Tech Lincoln2005TV Movie documentary executive producer
Investigating History2004TV Series documentary executive producer - 1 episode
Cold Case Files1999-2004TV Series documentary executive producer - 4 episodes
The Secrets of Genghis Khan2004executive producer
Saudi Arabia: A Complicated Ally2003TV Movie documentary executive producer
Investigative ReportsTV Series executive producer - 16 episodes, 1991 - 2002 producer - 1 episode, 1998
The Farm: Angola, USA1998Documentary executive producer: Investigative Reports
The New Explorers1993-1996TV Series documentary executive producer - 11 episodes
The Science of Star Trek1995TV Movie documentary executive producer
American Justice: Target - Mafia1993TV Mini-Series documentary executive producer - 1 episode
Nova1989TV Series documentary producer - 1 episode

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Scary Ham2016Short completedCommercial Voice Over
The Jellies2015TV Series
HOMEWARD.2014John James
Santa Hunters2014TV MovieSanta Hunters V.O. Narrator (voice)
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues2013Narrator (voice)
Parking Wars2012TV Series
Stull2010ShortNarrator (voice)
30 Rock2008TV SeriesBill Kurtis
Biography2005-2006TV Series documentaryNarrator
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie2004VideoBill Lawson
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy2004Bill Lawson - Narrator (voice)
The Unexplained1996TV SeriesNarrator

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Unexplained1997-1999TV Series narrator - 4 episodes

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Investigating History2003TV Series documentary writer
Nova1989TV Series documentary written by - 1 episode

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Jayhawkers2014special thanks
The Only Good Indian2009special thanks
The Battle for Bunker Hill2008special thanks
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie2004Video thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
'85: The Greatest Team in Pro Football History2016Himself
Svengoolie2016TV SeriesHimself
Heroes on Deck: World War II on Lake Michigan2016DocumentaryNarrator
Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious2013TV SeriesHimself
Ebert Presents: At the Movies2011TV SeriesHimself - Speaking for Roger Ebert
Carbon Nation2010DocumentaryHimself - Narrator
The Good Wife2010TV SeriesHimself
The Abduction of Jaycee Dugard2010TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
A Better Life2009DocumentaryHimself
Discovering Deerpath2009DocumentaryNarrator
The Last Four Miles: A Legacy to Complete2009ShortHimself - Host
Cold Case Files1999-2008TV Series documentaryHimself - Host / Narrator / Himself - Presenter / ...
A Killer on Campus: A Bill Kurtis Special Report2007TV Movie documentaryHimself
Chasing October2007DocumentaryOpening Narrator
For God's Sake Take Cover2006TV MovieHimself - Host
The Sopranos2006TV SeriesHimself
American Justice1992-2005TV Series documentaryHimself - Host / Himself / Host / ...
Criss Angel Mindfreak2005TV SeriesHimself
American Justice: Marty Tankleff2005TV Series documentaryHimself - Host
Investigating History2004-2005TV Series documentaryHimself - Presenter / Himself - Narrator
Deadly Deception: The Mark Hacking Story2004TV Movie documentary
Reel Comedy2004TV SeriesHimself - Host
History Makers2004TV MovieHimself - Host
Saudi Arabia: A Complicated Ally2003TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
MIA: Solved2003TV MovieHimself - Host
The Real Story2002TV SeriesHost
Medicine on the Kansas Prairie2002TV Short documentaryNarrator
The Rosie O'Donnell Show2002TV SeriesHimself
Investigative Reports1991-2002TV SeriesHimself - Host / Himself / Narrator / ...
Biography1995-1999TV Series documentaryHimself - Investigative Journalist / Himself / Himself - Host
The Unexplained1998-1999TV SeriesHimself - Host
Guns in America: Gun Life1999TV MovieHimself - Host
Inside Story1999TV Series documentaryHimself - Host
Polluting the Fountain of Youth1998TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
L.A. Detectives1998TV Series documentary
Saturday Night Live1997TV SeriesHimself
The Best of American Justice: The Mob1996Video documentaryHimself - Host
The New Explorers1995TV Series documentaryHimself - Host
The Science of Star Trek1995TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
The American Revolution1994TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
Eight-Tray Gangster: The Making of a Crip1993DocumentaryHimself - Host
American Justice: Target - Mafia1993TV Mini-Series documentaryNarrator / Himself / Host / ...
Secret Intelligence1989TV Series documentaryCorrespondent / Narrator
The Men Who Killed Kennedy1988TV Mini-Series documentaryNarrator (initial A&E presentations only)
The American Parade1984TV SeriesCorrespondent
CBS Early Morning News1982TV SeriesHimself - Co-Anchor (1982-1985)
Morning1979TV SeriesHimself - Co-Anchor (1982-1985)

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Eighties2016TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself - CBS News
Ebert Presents: At the Movies2011TV SeriesHimself - Speaking for Roger Ebert

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1999Bronze WranglerWestern Heritage AwardsFactual NarrativeThe New Explorers (1990)
1995CableACECableACE AwardsEnvironmental/Nature Documentary SpecialInvestigative Reports (1991)
1995CableACECableACE AwardsBusiness or Consumer Programming Special or SeriesInvestigative Reports (1991)
1993CableACECableACE AwardsBusiness or Consumer Special or SeriesInvestigative Reports (1991)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2005Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Nonfiction SeriesCold Case Files (1999)
2004Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Nonfiction SeriesCold Case Files (1999)
1995CableACECableACE AwardsNews Special or SeriesInvestigative Reports (1991)
1995CableACECableACE AwardsEnvironmental/Nature Documentary SpecialInvestigative Reports (1991)
1995CableACECableACE AwardsDocumentary SeriesAmerican Justice (1992)
1994CableACECableACE AwardsNews Special or SeriesInvestigative Reports (1991)
1993CableACECableACE AwardsNews Special or SeriesInvestigative Reports (1991)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

Write A Comment

Pin It