Salute to 'Citywatchers' | KCET
Salute to 'Citywatchers'
"Citywatchers" was a local interest and public affairs program that ran between 1969 and 1976. The hosts, Art Siedenbaum and Charles Champlin, both L.A. Times writers, took to exploring Los Angeles by foot with a microphone and a whole lot of questions. Through the majority of the '70s, the duo highlighted such topics as the Venice Canals, Dodger Stadium, the Bradbury Building, and other landmarks and neighborhoods around Los Angeles. Many considered this show the precursor to such shows as CBS's "2 On The Town" and "California's Gold" featuring our very favorite man-on-the-street, Huell Howser.
This clip from 1972 features Siedenbaum, Champlin, and their "father figure/boss," KCET's Programming Director, Chuck Allen, sipping on red wine and reminiscing on their Emmy-award winning program.
Local Television ought to really connect to people on a local level and it seems to me that that's what we've tried to do. - Art Siedenbaum
The great thing about having a show like "Citywatchers" in Los Angeles is that you never run out. - Charles "Chuck" Allen
Today, KCET continues the tradition of exploring the city on a hyperlocal level with its award winning web series Departures.
Clips & Segments
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KCET 50th Anniversary
Penn and Teller? Never heard of 'em. It's 1985 and two fresh faced magicians take the stage.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
"¡Ahora!" the groundbreaking Mexican American community talk/magazine program, aired on KCET from 1969 to 1970.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
Fritz Coleman's 1999 one man show chronicles the performer's personal history and experiences as told to his children.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
During the early 1970s Sue Booker introduced dance, theater, drama, documentaries, news and public affairs, and other programming.
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Articles
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KCET 50th Anniversary
To a very small degree, I have done my best to follow in the footsteps of Jacques Cousteau.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
Keeping KCET running on the air, which requires a lot of electricity, a lot of equipment, and a lot of backup systems.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
Zarii Arri moved to California for acting and ice skating.
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KCET 50th Anniversary
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KCET 50th Anniversary
"Any time that you have an exclusive environment it really doesn't foster creativity or innovation."
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KCET 50th Anniversary
"My family put us all in a car and we drove across from New York to California."
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