“KTLA AT 40: A CELEBRATION OF LOS...

“KTLA AT 40: A CELEBRATION OF LOS ANGELES TELEVISION,” 8-10 p.m. Wednesday (5)--No wonder that the Museum of Broadcasting’s recent Los Angeles TV festival devoted an evening to KTLA. The history of KTLA is the history of American television.

Hence, it’s appropriate that KTLA should celebrate its birthday with this two-hour special, one that shows Bob Hope signing KTLA on the air Jan. 22, 1947, as the first commercially licensed TV station west of the Mississippi.

The first telecast originated from a garage.

Narrated by reporter Stan Chambers, who’s been with KTLA since its inception (beginning as a stage hand), the anniversary program defines the station’s past in old film, rare kinescopes and interviews with oodles of the celebrities who can trace their career roots to KTLA.

Various segments of the two hours (repeated Saturday at 8 p.m.)are hosted by Steve Allen, Dinah Shore, Stan Freberg and Dick Enberg, all of whom have had associations with KTLA. And veteran KTLA news anchorman Hal Fishman reviews the station’s storied newscasting history that began in 1949 when Channel 5 remained on the air 27 consecutive hours reporting the attempted rescue of a 4-year-old girl from an abandoned well.

KTLA got its share of the first Emmy Awards in 1949, with Shirley Dinsdale and her puppet Judy Splinters picked as best TV personality (or personalities)and “Pantomime Quiz” cited as best program.

In those early days, KTLA was where you found Spade Cooley and his western band, Korla Pandit playing the organ, Roller Derby, “Bowling for Dollars” with Chick Hearn, “Hollywood Reel” and “Time for Beany.”

Now, time for celebrating.