
Bill Kurtis
Actor · b. 1940 · Pensacola, Florida, USA
Bill Kurtis (born William Horton Kuretich; September 21, 1940) is an American television journalist, television producer, narrator, and news anchor. He has been noted for his sonorous voice throughout his career. He is most known for narrating A&E's true crime series Cold Case Files as well as American Justice. Kurtis was studying to become a lawyer in the 1960s, when he was asked to fill in on a temporary news assignment at a television station in Topeka, Kansas. His reporting on a devastating tornado outbreak, led to an on air news reporter and later a very successful news anchor position in Chicago. In 1982, Kurtis joined Diane Sawyer on The CBS Morning News, the network broadcast from New York City. The two were also on the CBS Early Morning News, which aired an hour earlier on most CBS stations. He also anchored three CBS Reports: The Plane That Fell from the Sky, The Golden Leaf, and The Gift of Life. He became especially interested in investigative in-depth reports and documentaries. When he returned to Chicago and for a time resumed his anchor duties, he also founded a production company, Kurtis Productions. Kurtis hosted or produced a number of crime and news documentary shows, including Investigative Reports, American Justice, and Cold Case Files. Kurtis is the scorekeeper/announcer for National Public Radio (NPR)'s news comedy/quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and served as the host of Through the Decades, a documentary-style news magazine seen on Decades. Kurtis narrated nearly 1,000 documentaries, and Kurtis Productions produced nearly 500 documentaries for series like The New Explorers on PBS; Investigative Reports and Cold Case Files for the A&E; and Investigating History for the History Channel. He also hosted American Justice, produced by Towers Productions. For CNBC, the company has produced nearly 100 episodes of American Greed. Kurtis has received two Peabody Awards, numerous Emmy Awards, awards from the Overseas Press Club, a DuPont Award, and has been inducted into the Illinois and Kansas Halls of Fame. In 1998, he was awarded the University of Kansas William Allen White citation. Kurtis has also authored three books: On Assignment (1984), Death Penalty on Trial (2004), and Prairie Table Cookbook (2008). In the animated series South Park, Eric Cartman owns a board game called "Investigative Reports with Bill Kurtis", featuring a talking Bill Kurtis bust. The boys can be seen playing the game in South Park's season four episode "Cartman Joins NAMBLA" (2000) and season eight episode "Up the Down Steroid" (2004). The game can also be seen on the shelf of a hobby store in the episode "Cock Magic" (2014). A 1972 report by Bill Kurtis, while a correspondent for CBS News in Los Angeles, was used as the introduction to Dr. Dre's album Compton. Kurtis also contributed a spoken-word introduction to The Dandy Warhols' 2005 album Odditorium or Warlords of Mars.
Series13
TV6.9ComedyNewsA late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Saturday Night Live
1975 · 528 votes
TV8.7CrimeDramaThe story of New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads. Those difficulties are often highlighted through his ongoing professional relationship with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The show features Tony's family members and Mafia associates in prominent roles and story arcs, most notably his wife Carmela and his cousin and protégé Christopher Moltisanti.
The Sopranos
1999 · 3.7K votes
TV7.5ComedyLiz Lemon, the head writer for a late-night TV variety show in New York, tries to juggle all the egos around her while chasing her own dream.
30 Rock
2006 · 850 votes
TV7.6CrimeDocumentaryHosted by Bill Kurtis, American Justice looks at groundbreaking criminal cases, presenting viewers with an inside look at the case through the eyes of those directly involved, ranging from law enforcement officers to the victims.
American Justice
1992 · 9 votes
TV8.0DocumentaryCrimeInvestigative Reports
1991 · 2 votes
TV8.4CrimeMysteryExplore compelling cases that have gone cold for years, chronicling the journeys of the detectives who reopened them. The detectives relive the events of the crimes, reveal new twists and startling revelations, relying on breakthroughs in forensic technology and the influence of social media to help crack these cases.
Cold Case Files
1999 · 34 votes
TV7.9CrimeMysteryThere are over 100,000 cold cases in America, and only about 1% are ever solved. With recent advancements in technology and the methods used to solve these cases, as well as the unwavering dedication of victims’ families, law enforcement and the public, “Cold Case Files” explores the cases that defied the odds. Each episode of the Emmy-nominated series examines the twists and turns of one murder case that remained unsolved for years, and the critical element that heated it up, leading to the evidence that finally solved it. Featuring interviews with family members, friends, detectives, and others close to the cases, the refreshed classic series examines all facets of the crime and shines a light on a range of voices and victims.
Cold Case Files
2017 · 31 votes
TV8.4DocumentaryThe Unexplained is an American paranormal television series that originally aired from January 2, 1996 to May 7, 2000 on A&E and is currently being broadcast on the Biography Channel. The program features various mysteries, paranormal, psychic phenomena, and other topics that are considered to be "unexplained." Earlier episodes of the series are narrated by Bill Kurtis
The Unexplained
1996 · 5 votes
TV9.0DocumentaryThorough documentary of how the American Colonies rebelled against England and the personalities involved in the creation of a new nation.
The American Revolution
1994 · 2 votes
TV8.7DocumentaryCrimeBill Kurtis examines cold cases that are solved through advancements in DNA, along with help from victims’ families, law enforcement and the public. Each episode tells the story of how forensic evidence is used to solve murder cases that have remained unsolved for years.
Cold Case Files: DNA Speaks
2023 · 6 votes
TV10.0DocumentaryUsing the latest techniques of forensic science, investigators re-explore some of the legendary figures and events of history in order to determine how much of what has come down to us is a true account.
Investigating History
2004 · 1 votes
TV9.0DocumentaryDive deep into the dark heart of the mob with this definitive 4-disc set from HISTORY. A sweeping saga of bloodshed, betrayal and big business, The Mafia offers a cold-blooded examination of organized crime in the 20th century, from prohibition to WWII and the Cold War, to JFK s presidency and John Gotti. Get the real story behind the Kennedy connection, see how organized crime infiltrated organized labor, learn how the Mob helped win WWII, and trace the exploits of legendary figures through rare photos, footage and period accounts. From bootlegging to racketeering to murder, from Al Capone and Lucky Luciano to Benjamin Bugsy Siegel, this comprehensive collector s set is a groundbreaking investigation into the origins of the ethnic gangs that turned criminal activities into family enterprises, and a detailed look at some of the mob s most notorious members.
The Mafia: Empire of Crime
1993 · 1 votes
- TV
American science documentary television series on PBS and A&E produced and hosted by Bill Kurtis.
Movies12
Movie6.7ComedyIt's the 1970s and San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy is the top dog in local TV, but that's all about to change when ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone arrives as a new employee at his station.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
2004 · 4.8K votes
Movie6.1ComedyWith the 70s behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to take New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
2013 · 2.9K votes
Movie6.0ComedyWhile Ron Burgundy's rivalry with Veronica Corningstone escalates quickly, a group of unprofessional thieves better known as 'The Alarm Clock' try to make the truth known, whatever that may mean...
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie
2004 · 202 votes
Movie8.2DocumentaryHistoryThrough never-been-seen-before footage and fascinating interviews with key members of the 1985 Chicago Bears -- Mike Ditka, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, and others -- you will hear the inside story of their historic season.
'85: The Greatest Team in Football History
2016 · 8 votes
MovieDocumentaryMusicThe iconic Mister Kelly’s bedazzled the country by launching superstars like Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, and Steve Martin. It smashed color and gender barriers to put controversial voices on stage and transformed entertainment in America in the '50s, '60s, and ’70s.
Movie6.2DocumentaryHow real is the 'science' in Star Trek?
The New Explorers: The Science of Star Trek
1995 · 3 votes
MovieHorrorIn 1993, four teens went to investigate an abandoned church in Stull, Kansas -- a place rumored to be a gate to Hell. They were never heard from again. 'Stull' shows the events leading up to their disappearance, including an encounter with a strange man who may be the Devil himself. The story is based on the chilling real-life legend.
Stull
2009
Movie6.0DocumentaryDiscovering Deerpath is a historical documentary about the town of Lake Forest, Illinois. Located 30 miles north of Chicago, the town of Lake Forest and its citizens have made an amazing mark on the nation and the world over the past 150 years. From the town's inception, Lake Forest has earned a reputation for its solid educational, philanthropic and preservation efforts. These efforts have led to a vibrant community that celebrates its town through a variety of traditional and unique special events. Through a serious of amazing brushes with local and globally significant events, the dramatic power of community is demonstrated throughout the film.
Discovering Deerpath
2009 · 1 votes
MovieDocumentaryComedy"Chasing October" is a docu-comedy that chronicles one fan's crusade to take the Chicago Cubs to the World Series "by any means necessary." Director Matt Liston quits his job, gets all access to his favorite team, and rallies a city. Perhaps no other fan in the history of sports has gone to such an extreme. See Liston as he helps facilitate a trade, attempts to get a $20 million loan to help team payroll, and takes being a fan to a whole new level. This film is a hilarious must-see for all sports fans and for anyone who has ever chased a dream.
Chasing October
2007
MovieDocumentaryCrimeThe Atlanta murders of 1979–1981, sometimes called the Atlanta child murders, were a series of murders committed in Atlanta, Georgia, between July 1979 and May 1981. Over the two-year period, at least 28 children, adolescents, and adults were killed. Wayne Williams, an Atlanta native who was 23 years old at the time of the last murder, was arrested, tried, and convicted of two of the adult murders and sentenced to two consecutive life terms.
Movie6.0DocumentaryWarEyewitness explores the lives of three artists forced to work in secret while living in Nazi death camps: Jan Komski, Dinah Gottliebova, and Felix Nussbaum, and who all witnessed and painted the horrors of the Holocaust.
Eyewitness
1999 · 2 votes
MovieNarrated by Bill Kurtis, this documentary that explores the life an accomplishments of William Allen White.