As the first licensed commercial television station west of the Mississippi River and the first to schedule its own programming, KTLA has made more than its share of broadcast history. Some of those moments includes footage from many of the station's popular early shows along with its coverage of major news events, such as its 27-hour live broadcast of the failed rescue attempt in 1949 of 3 1/2-year old Kathy Fiscus from a well at what is now San Marino High School and coverage of the 1952 atomic bomb test.
"KTLA at 40: A Salute to Los Angeles Television" is hosted by five former station personalities--Steve Allen, Stan Chambers, Stephanie Edwards, Hal Fishman and Tom Snyder.
The station signed on the air in 1941 as experimental station W6XYZ. It was the first commercial television station west of the Mississippi, making its inaugural broadcast on January 22, 1947. That first grand premiere show was hosted by Bob Hope, and featured Edgar Bergen and Mickey Rooney.
