MARK CURTIS 12 NEWS Many people know 14-time Rocky Mountain Emmy recipient Mark Curtis – and his famous mustache – as the longtime sportscaster-turned-anchor of nearly all of 12 News’ evening broadcasts. But not many know his original claim to fame. “Recall Remember the Titans, the Denzel Washington movie circa 2000,” Curtis says. “It’s based on T.C. Williams High School in Virginia, which was integrated in 1971.” In the film, Washington plays the head football coach, Herman Boone, who is tasked with bringing the integrated team – and the community – together. “That was my high school,” says Curtis, who attended T.C. Williams from 1971 to 1974. “Coach Boone was actually my driver’s ed teacher!” While at his alma mater, however, Curtis never dreamed of a career in journalism. “After graduating, I enrolled at the University of Georgia to study medicine with the goal of being an OB-GYN,” Curtis says. “However, I didn’t ‘cut the mustard’ academically.” Curtis switched majors (to psychology) and colleges (to American University) in 1977, graduating in 1978. “It wasn’t until after graduation when I was working as a bartender and our DJ called in sick that I ever even considered public speaking of any kind,” Curtis says, filling in for said DJ and loving it. “I got the bug and went back to school to earn my journalism degree soon after.” After that, things moved fast as Curtis did an internship at a local TV station, which evolved into a full-time position producing a Washington Redskins’ show in the late ’70s. “From there, I first joined 12 News from 1980 to 1987 before heading to the Midwest to hone my craft. I came back in 1995 and have called 12 News home ever since,” says Curtis, who transitioned from the sports desk to anchor duties in 2004, mustache intact. 2019 nominations (nine total): Evening newscast (three nominations), breaking news, continuing coverage, politics/government, societal concerns, special events coverage, and writer.
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So Scottsdale! September ‘19