ABC13 Turns 70: KTRK-TV first launched on Nov. 20, 1954
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- All month long, ABC13 is celebrating 70 years of serving the Houston area. On November 20, 1954, KTRK signed on the air for the very first time. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The station went live at 8:30 p.m. from the University of Houston campus at the school's Music Hall. The celebration was complete with performances from the Houston Symphony, Metropolitan Opera singers, and even a ventriloquist.
BREAKING GROUND AT OUR NEW LOCATION
ABC13's new home inspired the Astrodome
On October 6, 1960, Judge Roy Hofheinz and Houston architect Herman Lloyd were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony of ABC13's new studios at 3310 Bissonnet, the home of the station to this day. Lloyd was responsible for the design, which was called a "state-of-the-art television station of tomorrow."
The building's lobby and the main offices overlooked a landscaped patio, complete with palm trees and even a pool. But the creme-de-la-creme of the building was its domed roof, which housed two full-sized television studios.
ABC13's domed design fascinated Judge Hofheinz, who had just secured a professional baseball franchise for Houston and dreamed of building the team a new indoor stadium.
Hofheinz reached out to Herman Lloyd to build the new stadium, with a domed roof, just like ABC13's.
ABC13 moved into its domed building four years before the Astrodome. At the time, the station had state-of-the-art equipment for two 15-minute newscasts a day.
TOUR THE NEW KTRK
ABC13 icons
Dave Ward joined the team in 1966 as the first street reporter/photographer. Two years later, he was promoted to anchor.
Ward signed off from ABC13 on May 2, 2017. He hit a historic milestone in 2016, when he celebrated 50 years at KTRK. His tenure made him the longest-running local TV news anchor in the world at the same station, in the same market.
Long known as the "Voice of Houston," Ward has also earned a number of awards over his career, while being equally devoted to community service.
He was also instrumental in establishing Crime Stoppers in Houston, which served as a model for other Crime Stoppers organizations around the globe.
50 YEARS OF DAVE WARD!
Dave was also instrumental in ABC13 hiring pioneering consumer reporter Marvin Zindler.
Marvin joined KTRK in 1973, and his trademark blue glasses became a Houston household fixture for more than three decades.
His team became so well-known for their community work that Marvin received hundreds of thousands of letters, and he responded to every single one.
One of his most notable investigations was exposing the prostitution Chicken Ranch in La Grange. The story went on to inspire a Broadway musical and the movie, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."
Marvin made history when he signed a lifetime contract with KTRK. Marvin passed away in 2007 after battling pancreatic cancer.
MARVIN ZINDLER...EYEWITNESS NEWS!
Channel 13's beloved mascot
In the early 1950s, when KTRK was assigned the potentially unlucky Channel 13, station owners decided to embrace it! A black cat was named the station mascot and incorporated into our logo.
All that was left was a name for the soon-to-be children's television host. The station hosted a contest, and a viewer sent in artwork that had KTRK with an "I" between each letter. Management liked how it incorporated the station's call letters, so the black cat mascot was called KiTiRiK.
With a catsuit, whiskers drawn on her face using an eyebrow pencil, and a winning personality, Bunny Orsak played the role of KiTiRiK and became a Houston TV phenomenon still remembered by viewers to this day.
Many Houston kids celebrated their birthdays on KiTiRiK's live show, learning valuable lessons with her puppet friends.
In 1974, after a 16-year run, the KiTiRiK show aired its final show.
MEET THE WOMAN BEHIND HOUSTON'S ICONIC KITIRIK!
Houston's community leader
Coverage of community events is as important to us today as it was back then. Not only is ABC13 Houston's most trusted news leader, the station consistently leads the nation in local television production.
We've produced everything from children's shows like KiTiRiK, Cadet Don, and Eyewitness News for Kids to public affairs programs and weekly sports shows, and, of course, daily morning shows like Dialing for Dollars and Good Morning Houston.
Name a big local event such as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade, and chances are ABC13 was the first television station to provide complete live coverage.
Our first attempt at a televised holiday food drive was so successful that it became an annual event that continues to this day. Through the years, Share Your Holidays has inspired several others, including our annual E-cycle Drive and Share Your School Supplies drive benefiting Houston's teachers.
Serving our community has and always will be our top priority and we thank all of you for supporting us since that very first broadcast 70 years ago.
