This is How I See It (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781519361745)

Corpus Christi icon Walter Furley was born June 11, 1928, in Marble Falls, Texas. He passed away January 9, 2013. He was graduated with a BFA from The University of Texas in 1949, going to work immediately for KSIX-AM Corpus Christi, the eventual parent of KZTV, working continuously until his retirement in 2002. After serving two years as the KSIX Klock Watcher on radio, he was drafted into the 45th Division of the Oklahoma National Guard and served in Japan and Korea for two years. Upon release, he used his GI Bill to do graduate work at Columbia University, then returned to KSIX as announcer and traffic manager. With the help of a fellow Corpus Christian, Allen Ludden at NBC in New York, he took a job as assistant producer of the NBC radio show "Weekday" from 1956 to 1957. The show ran from 10:00 AM.to 4:00 PM and was a radio effort to duplicate the success of the Today Show on NBC-TV. It starred Margaret Truman and Mike Wallace. "Weekday" closed in the spring of 1957 and Furley, having become disillusioned with the trappings of New York City after a conversation with announcer Bill Wendell, returned to Corpus Christi where his radio station had secured a television broadcast license from the FCC. Furley was on the ground floor of the industry when it was all black and white production, when all local production was done live before video tape was invented and before color television was even dreamed of. KZTV's owner, Vann M. Kennedy assigned Furley as anchor and producer of the noon newscast immediately on his return from New York, and that newscast was rated number one from the outset, remaining in that position until his retirement. In addition to the noon newscast, Furley fulfilled duties as feature reporter, interim news director and primetime news anchor for several years until he was made fulltime news director in the early 1980s, and through it all, continued to maintain his top rated newscast at noon. He hosted the now classic "Little Orphan Animals", as well as his special promotional commercials for the new CBS television seasons during the 60's. He was also hired as an uncredited extra in the hit TV show "Route 66". Furley was active in the community during his career. He has served as narrator for Corpus Christi Symphony concerts, and was very active in local theater since 1951. Furley held a Guinness Records as "The Most Durable News Reader" for a while, and was honored with a scholarship bearing his name at Del Mar College.