Westport Historical Society's
Quarterly Meeting
November 2006
Bill Kurtis
Bringing the Civil War to Life on the Screen
Living History of the Civil War
Mr. Bill Kurtis, acclaimed documentary host, producer, and national
network news anchor, will be the featured speaker at the November 2007
quarterly meeting of the Westport Historical Society.
Bill Kurtis is celebrating his fortieth anniversary in the field of
broadcasting. Over the years, Kurtis has created a body of work that
is virtually unparalleled.
Mr. Kurtis is a writer, producer, and host of many popular crime
documentary series and news programs. Raised in Independence, Kansas,
Mr. Kurtis received his degree in journalism from the University of
Kansas in 1962. He later graduated from Washburn University School
of Law and became a member of the Kansas bar.
He began his career in TV in 1966 as the news anchor at WIBW in Topeka.
Moving to Chicago, he began working at WBBM Channel Two News as a
reporter and later as an anchor. From 1982 to 1985, he was in New York
to anchor the CBS Morning News. He then began producing a series of
Peabody Award winning documentaries. During his prestigious career,
he has been awarded more than 20 Emmy Awards.
In 1990 he started his own production company, Kurtis Productions,
and a year later began working with A&E. Mr. Kurtis has hosted the
popular Investigating History series on the History Channel. He
recently produced a documentary for the History Channel on the Civil
War Battle of Mine Creek, the aftermath to the Battle of Westport.
Now residing on his family’s sprawling ranch near Sedan, Kansas, he
continues to produce and host his award-winning television series'
for A&E and the History Channel.
