Television HOF

Russ Mitchell – 2009

Russ Mitchell began his TV career as a senior in high school when he took a part-time job as the night switchboard operator at KTVI. He enrolled in the MU-J School the following year, graduated in 1982, and after stops in Kansas City and Dallas, returned to KTVI as a reporter. He joined KMOV in 1987 and was promoted to CBS New York after 5 years. At the network, Mitchell was a correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, a contributor to 48 Hours and the CBS Evening News, as well as anchor for The Saturday Early Show and the Saturday CBS Evening News. He won numerous national awards for his work.

Charlotte Peters – 2006

Charlotte Peters earned the love and affection of female viewers in St. Louis with her ability to throw out all the stops to entertain her audience. After a few singing appearances on an early local TV show called “To the Ladies,” she exploded onto St. Louis television with a daily program in 1956 and for the next 14 years was seen on KSD-TV and KTVI. Family members confirmed that the bits on her shows were never formally written out. The shows were fast-paced, playing out before the live studio audience and viewers at home. Co-workers described an atmosphere of high energy and spontaneous creativity, which earned Peters superstar status in her hometown of St. Louis.

Fred Porterfield – 2008

Porterfield was the first African-American television news anchor in St. Louis. He was a news anchor and reporter at KMOX-TV (now KMOV) from 1965 to 1971. After leaving St. Louis in 1971, he was assistant regional administrator for seven years with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 1988, he returned to news, working as a news anchor-reporter for WJRT-TV, and later held similar posts at WSGW-AM radio station. He also did freelance writing before he retired in 1995 as public information director at Saginaw (Mich.) Valley State University.

John Roedel – 2007

John Roedel was one of the KSD folks who worked at the radio station when television came to St. Louis, which meant he was required to wear several hats in the Pulitzer broadcast operation. Roedel came to St. Louis from WISH in Indianapolis in 1946. As he told it, his uncle in St. Louis had lunch at the Missouri Athletic Club and KSD’s general manager George Burbach mentioned he needed radio announcers. A call was made and John Roedel was on the next train to St. Louis. The relationship that ensued was a long one. Roedel served as a staff announcer and newsman at KSD until 1975. In his initial position as staff announcer, Roedel “did just about everything,” from disc jockeying to news to commercials, not to mention the station IDs between network shows. Roedel was the voice of morning news on KSD Radio for 25 years. When KSD-TV signed on in February 1947, the radio announcers were also expected to perform similar chores in the television studio. His first job there was as a voiceover man, doing station breaks and commercials. He soon began work on camera as a newsman, later hosting the popular Falstaff 6:00 News. He hosted the station’s man-on-the-street feature, doing live interviews outside the KSD-TV studios on Olive, and his fondest memories recalled personal interviews with Presidents Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson. He was also the station’s co-host for the last two telecasts of the Veiled Prophet Ball. In 1996 he was made a member of the NATAS Silver Circle. Roedel retired from KSD-TV in 1986.

Sharon Stevens – 2011

Sharon Stevens  worked as education reporter at both KSDK-TV and KTVI-TV.  Her television career began at WGBH-TV in Boston, MA. A native Chicagoan and graduate of Northern Illinois University, Sharon began as a writer for her elementary school newspaper and later wrote for her high school, neighborhood and college publications. An award-winning  journalist and community volunteer, Stevens was nominated for two Emmy awards and in 2010  received the Silver Circle Award  from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).  Stevens also was honored by the Missouri Press Women, Associated Press, the National  Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, where she also served as Vice-President/Broadcast and the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists, the Missouri Association of School Administrators and the Gateway Classic Foundation.  She also tutored and mentored hundreds of students locally and at North Carolina A&T State University.

Parker Wheatley – 2011

Parker Wheatley came to KMOX-TV in St. Louis following an 11-year stint at WGBH radio and television in Boston, where he was the station manager. Prior to that, he’d done his broadcast apprenticeship at radio stations in Indiana and Chicago. His career at KMOX-TV/KMOV-TV began in 1958 as director of public affairs. He produced a daily “Eye On St. Louis” program which even included Dr. Martin Luther King as a guest. After retirement, he was still seen for another 14 years on the station’s “The People Speak” public affairs programs. His co-workers recalled his commitment to producing serious programming on commercial television. Wheatley was given numerous awards over the years, including a citation from the Lovejoy Society for his contributions to civil and human rights.