Stan Chambers
Local News Correspondent
About This Interview
Part of the local Los Angeles news scene for over 60 years, Stan Chambers was instrumental in the national evolution of local television news coverage. Having worked at KTLA almost since its inception, Chambers discusses the many local events, breaking news stories and tragedies he has covered: the 1949 Kathy Fiscus tragedy involving the rescue attempt of a little girl who was trapped in a well; hosting Frosty Frolics; covering an above ground Nevada A-bomb test with television cameras for the first time; the first Telecopter; the Watts Riots; breaking the Rodney King beating story, and many others. The four-hour interview was conducted by Karen Herman on July 28, 1998.
Related To This Video
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Video: A short video celebrating KTLA's 60-year history in Los Angeles featuring Stan Chambers and telecopter inventor John Silva
Video: Stan Chambers retires in August 2010
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Highlights
Stan Chambers on how the definition on the early television cameras almost prevented him from being on-camera
Clip begins at: 17:22, Duration: 01m 53s
Stan Chambers on reporting at the scene of the 1949 Kathy Fiscus tragedy -- a story that was followed nationwide
Clip begins at: 17:54, Duration: 11m 01s
Stan Chambers on anchoring KTLA's evening news in 1958 (and using an improvised prompting system)
Clip begins at: 00:03, Duration: 02m 04s- Stan Chambers on KTLA's invention and use of the first news helicopter, the "telecopter" in 1958
Clip begins at: 02:07, Duration: 05m 51s 
Stan Chambers covering the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968
Clip begins at: 10:41, Duration: 04m 28s
Stan Chambers on KTLA's breaking the news story of the Rodney King beating by Los Angeles police officers
Clip begins at: 00:07, Duration: 11m 04s
Stan Chambers on how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 16:53, Duration: 01m 30s
Interview
- Part 1
- On his early years growing up in Los Angeles, his education and military service, and his first work in radio
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 2
- On his student work at radio station KUSC and his interest in the new medium of television
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On joining KTLA and his initial jobs behind-the-scenes at the local Los Angeles station
Clip begins at: 09:39 - On the history and facilities of KTLA and some of the key people who were there at the beginning
Clip begins at: 14:46 - Part 3
- On his early years at KTLA and some of the unique programming that was on the station, the influence of Klaus Landsberg
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 4
- On selling ads on KTLA; on hosting shows including Frosty Frolics and a cooking show; the death of Klaus Landsberg and how it affected KTLA
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On reporting at the scene of the 1949 Kathy Fiscus tragedy -- a story that was followed nationwide
Clip begins at: 17:54 - Part 5
- On the conclusion of the 1949 Kathy Fiscus tragedy and some of the details of the coverage as well as the influence it had for how television covered live news events
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On KTLA's remote coverage of the local Southern California troops leaving for Korea and returning from duty
Clip begins at: 15:02 - On KTLA's remote coverage of atom bomb tests in Nevada in 1952
Clip begins at: 16:50 - On KTLA's coverage of hearings and Los Angeles stories with a national focus
Clip begins at: 24:09 - Part 6
- On anchoring KTLA's evening news in 1958 (and using an improvised prompting system)
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On KTLA's invention and use of the first news helicopter, the "telecopter" in 1958
Clip begins at: 02:07 - On Los Angeles' KTLA's news coverage and competition in the late-50s and early 60s, including the assassination of President Kennnedy, the Baldwin Hills Dam collapse (1963); becoming news director for KTLA and his role in managing the team
Clip begins at: 07:58 - On Gene Autry's purchase of Los Angeles' KTLA station; changes in the newsroom
Clip begins at: 24:21 - Part 7
- On covering the Watts Riots in 1965 and the Los Angeles riots in 1993
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On covering the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968
Clip begins at: 10:41 - On stepping down as KTLA's new director in 1970 and focusing on reporting; on the changes in local news coverage; on covering Pope John Paul II's visit to Los Angeles in 1997
Clip begins at: 15:09 - Part 8
- On KTLA's breaking the news story of the Rodney King beating by Los Angeles police officers
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On the process of covering local news
Clip begins at: 11:11 - Part 9
- On news coverage's evolution throughout his career
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 16:53 - On some of the people he's worked with during his long career
Clip begins at: 18:28 - Part 10
- On some more of the people he's worked with in his career at KTLA; his first wife Beverly; current wife Gigi
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On photos of some of the highlights in his career
Clip begins at: 10:48
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