"I fell in love with the TV show 60 Minutes as a child. I loved non-fiction storytelling. Because of where I lived, I got a chance to be on TV when I was in high school. I appeared as a student on Gene Autry's TV station, KTLA. I preferred the world of television to the world of film because it moves faster and there aren't long setup times."
"I called a radio station and "killed" a movie I had just seen. The DJ liked it so much he kept putting me on the air to do movie reviews. At that time, there was nobody else colorful, funny, and steeped in Hollywood history doing movie reviews. KRON-TV hired me, leading to 22 years on the air."
"The song "You Gotta Have a Gimmick" from the musical Gypsy helped me decide to wear hats. I would rate movies with four hats being the highest. Pretty soon, people were yelling out of their cars, "Hey, Wahl, how many hats does this movie get?" It was very gutsy for KRON to allow me to do this."
Jan Wahl's path to television criticism began in childhood with admiration for 60 Minutes and non-fiction storytelling. Living in Beverly Hills provided early opportunities to appear on KTLA during high school. Her professional breakthrough came in her twenties when a radio station DJ repeatedly aired her passionate movie reviews. KRON-TV recognized her unique talent and hired her for 22 years on air. Wahl developed a distinctive trademark by rating movies using hats, inspired by the musical Gypsy's song "You Gotta Have a Gimmick." This creative approach generated public recognition, with viewers calling out asking for hat ratings. Her authentic personality and Hollywood knowledge attracted celebrity interviews, including notable figures like Mel Brooks, expanding her influence beyond traditional broadcasting.
Read at San Francisco Bay Times
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