Bill Kurtis Bio | Wiki
Bill Kurtis is an American news anchor, narrator, television producer, and television journalist. Currently, Bill serves as the scorekeeper as well as announcer for National Public Radio (NPR)’s news comedy and quiz show called Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, At the same time, he serves as the host of a documentary-style news magazine called Through the Decades which is seen on CBS/Weigel Broadcasting’s digital multicast network, Decades syndicated subchannel.
Bill Kurtis Age
He was born on September 21, 1940, in Pensacola, Florida, United States of America. Bill is 81 years old.
Bill Kurtis Height
He is a man of average stature. Bill stands at a height of 5 ft 8 in ( Approx 1.73m).
Bill Kurtis Family
He was born and raised by his parents Wilma Mary Horton and William A. Kuretich (Croatian: Kuretić) in Pensacola, Florida. Wilma was born in 1911 and died in 2001. William was of Croatian origin, a United States Marine Corps brigadier general and decorated veteran of World War II who was born in 1914 and died in 2001.
William’s military career included extensive travel for his family which finally settled in Independence, Kansas after his retirement. Bill has a sister called Jean Schodorf. She is a former Kansas state Senate Majority Whip from Wichita, Kansas.
Bill Kurtis First Wife
He was married to his late wife Helen Kurtis. The couple had two children ( a daughter and a son). Their daughter Mary Kristen was born in 1966 while their son Scott was born in 1970. Helen died of breast cancer on June 11, 1977, in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 36.
Bill Kurtis Wife
On December 13, 2017, Bill married his second wife called Donna La Pietra. She is a 40 years partner and former Chicago TV news producer. Donna is a partner with Bill in his Productions company. He owns a home in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and in Mettawa, Illinois.
Bill Kurtis Daughter
He and his late wife Helen Kurti welcomed a baby girl called Mary Kristen in 1966 in Chicago. Bill and his daughter serve as honorary co-chairs of the 2014 Oklahoma Indian Summer Festival. Mary the summers of her teen years on her grandparent’s farm in Kansas. Later, she migrated to San Francisco where she spent 20 years in the construction business.
While there, Mary served as a building permit expediter. She eventually moved to Sedan, Kan with her partner, David Parsons to take over management of her father’s ranch. Mary and David eventually sold off all the ranch’s cattle and horses to acquire buffalo. Currently, the two work a herd of 60 buffalos on their 10,000 acres. Conservation of the native prairie has become a prime focus.
Bill Kurtis Son
He and his late wife Helen Kurti welcomed a baby boy called Scott in 1970. However, Scott died at the age of 38 on July 20, 2009, at the Kansas cattle ranch owned by Bill. Since his mid-teens, Scott was best known to have suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.
Bill Kurtis Education
He earned his High School diploma from Independence High School in 1958. Later, Bill joined the University of Kansas and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in journalism in 1962. In 1966, Washburn University School of Law warded Bill with a Juris Doctor degree after completing his studies.
Bill worked part-time at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas while in Law school. He discussed his options with Harry Colmery and Bob McClure of Colmery and Russell after passing the Kansas bar examination and getting a job with a Wichita, Kansas law firm. He then decided not to pursue a career in law.
Bill Kurtis American Justice
On November 30, 2004, Public Affairs published Bill’s book titled The Death Penalty on Trial: Crisis in American Justice about the death penalty. He also wrote Bill Kurtis on Assignment which was published by Rand McNally on October 1, 1983,
Bill Kurtis Productions
He hosted a four-part science series in 1986 on PBS called The Miracle Planet and a four-part series on the Central Intelligence Agency in 1987. In 1988, Bill launched his own documentary production company called Kurtis Productions. He also produced “Return to Chernobyl” for the PBS series Nova in the same year.
Bill narrated almost 1,000 documentaries, and his Productions produced almost 500 documentaries for series such as Investigative Reports and Cold Case Files for the A&E, The New Explorers on PBS, as well as Investigating History for the History Channel. He also hosted American Justice, produced by Towers Productions. The company has produced nearly 100 episodes of American Greed for CNBC.
Bill Kurtis Investigative Reports | A&E
Bill obtained a videotape in 1994 that showed Richard Speck who was convicted of murdering eight student nurses in Chicago in 1966. The tape showed Richard having jailhouse sex and also using drugs within Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum-security facility in Joliet, Illinois. The journalist aired a report on WBBM-TV, Chicago, and also produced a documentary for A&E Network. The documentary really shocked the nation and resulted in the most sweeping changes to the Illinois penal system in the history of Joliet, Illinois.
Bill Kurtis Cold Case Files
The journalist served as the host of a number of A&E crime and news documentary shows such as American Justice, Investigative Reports, and Cold Case Files. Prior to that, Bill anchored The CBS Morning News. He is also the longtime anchor of the CBS-owned and operated TV station in Chicago, WBBM-TV,
Bill Kurtis Voice | Anchorman
The journalist narrated the 2010 documentary film titled Carbon Nation by Peter Byck. He as well served as the narrator in the 2004 film titled Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy that starred Will Ferrell as well as its sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues in 2013. Bill was named the Voice of Illinois Tourism on July 8, 2013.
Bill Kurtis Tv Shows | Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me
He appeared on NPR’s news quiz show called Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, on several occasions beginning in 2009. Bill filled in for regular announcer Carl Kasell. On May 24, 2014, he took over from Kasell on a permanent basis. One segment of the show has Bill reading out three news-related limericks. The last word or phrase is removed for contestants to fill in.
Bill Kurtis Salary
Currently, Bill serves as the scorekeeper and announcer for National Public Radio (NPR)’s news comedy/quiz show. He earns an average salary of $74,385 per year.
Bill Kurtis Net Worth
He has accumulated a lot of wealth from his journalist career. Bill has an estimated net worth of $2,582,915.
How Old Is Bill Kurtis
Bill is an 81-year-old American journalist who was born on September 21, 1940, in Pensacola, Florida, United States of America.
Is Bill Kurtis Still Alive
Yes. Bill is currently 81-year-old. he was born on September 21, 1940, in Pensacola, Florida, United States of America.
Who Is Bill Kurtis
Bill is an American news anchor, narrator, television producer, and television journalist. He serves as the host of a documentary-style news magazine called Through the Decades which is seen on CBS/Weigel Broadcasting’s digital multicast network, Decades syndicated subchannel.
What Is Bill Kurtis Doing Now
Currently, Bill serves as the scorekeeper as well as announcer for National Public Radio (NPR)’s news comedy and quiz show called Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!.