Judd Hambrick
Encyclopedia
Judd Hambrick is an American former Emmy-award winning television newscaster/reporter.
Hambrick grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas
.
in 1963, Hambrick attended the University of Texas at Austin
, where he obtained his degree in journalism in 1967. He then got his start in television at KTBC-TV in Austin
.
Later on, by 1972 Hambrick had moved on to WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and served as co-anchor of their evening news programs with John Facenda
, better known outside of Philadelphia as the "voice" of NFL Films
. Hambrick's stay at WCAU lasted only one year.
In 1977, Hambrick arrived in Cleveland, Ohio
, where he became an anchor of the evening newscasts on WJKW-TV (now WJW-TV). Hambrick won a local Emmy Award
in 1979, and helped the station's newscast become the top rated
news program in Cleveland until his departure from WJKW-TV in 1981. The next year, he moved to rival WKYC-TV
, where he served in a similar capacity until 1985.
Hambrick then spent next several years away from television news anchoring, though he worked on several business news ventures in markets such as New York City
and Chicago
. An avid crossword puzzle expert, Hambrick also authored a series of books based on the board game Scrabble
, titled Scrabble Brand Grams. Many of his puzzles have also been printed in sections of various newspapers across the United States.
Hambrick ended his self-imposed hiatus in the early 1990s when he joined KTUL-TV in Tulsa as an anchor. Not long after, Hambrick returned to Cleveland and to WKYC-TV, for one final anchoring stint from 1993 to 1999. During his career, he also worked in markets such as Memphis
, Atlanta
, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
(now retired) and Mike Hambrick
. John, five years older than Judd, also worked in Cleveland (at WEWS from 1967 to 1975), as well at stations in New York City and Miami
. Younger sibling Mike worked in several markets such as Phoenix
, Pittsburgh
, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
. A nephew, Jack Hambrick (John's son), also went into the television business as a news reporter and now, along with his father, has become a documentary filmmaker.
Hambrick, who is now semi-retired, lives with his wife in Florence, Alabama
after pursuing some business ventures for a time in both the Belden
and nearby Saltillo
, Mississippi areas. Hambrick continues to work in mostly free-lance video news media production.
Hambrick grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas
Mount Pleasant, Texas
Mount Pleasant is the county seat and largest city of Titus County in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2000 census, Mount Pleasant's population was 13,935. It is the county seat of Titus County, and is situated in Northeast Texas. This town, by city ordinance, is dry to sell alcoholic beverages....
.
Career, accomplishments, and awards
Hambrick started his career in radio in 1961 while still a sophomore in high school. After graduation from Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, TexasMount Vernon, Texas
Mount Vernon is a town in Franklin County, Texas, United States. It is the Franklin County seat, and the population was 2,286 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Vernon is located at ....
in 1963, Hambrick attended the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he obtained his degree in journalism in 1967. He then got his start in television at KTBC-TV in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Later on, by 1972 Hambrick had moved on to WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and served as co-anchor of their evening news programs with John Facenda
John Facenda
John Thomas Ralph Augustine James Facenda was an American broadcaster and sports announcer. He was a fixture on Philadelphia radio and television for decades, and achieved national fame as a narrator for NFL Films and Football Follies...
, better known outside of Philadelphia as the "voice" of NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
. Hambrick's stay at WCAU lasted only one year.
In 1977, Hambrick arrived in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where he became an anchor of the evening newscasts on WJKW-TV (now WJW-TV). Hambrick won a local Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1979, and helped the station's newscast become the top rated
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
news program in Cleveland until his departure from WJKW-TV in 1981. The next year, he moved to rival WKYC-TV
WKYC-TV
WKYC, virtual channel 3 , is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by the Gannett Company. Its studio is located on the shores of Lake Erie, while its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio....
, where he served in a similar capacity until 1985.
Hambrick then spent next several years away from television news anchoring, though he worked on several business news ventures in markets such as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. An avid crossword puzzle expert, Hambrick also authored a series of books based on the board game Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
, titled Scrabble Brand Grams. Many of his puzzles have also been printed in sections of various newspapers across the United States.
Hambrick ended his self-imposed hiatus in the early 1990s when he joined KTUL-TV in Tulsa as an anchor. Not long after, Hambrick returned to Cleveland and to WKYC-TV, for one final anchoring stint from 1993 to 1999. During his career, he also worked in markets such as Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
Personal life
Judd Hambrick is the brother of newscasters John HambrickJohn Hambrick
John Hambrick is an American broadcast journalist, reporter, actor, and voice over announcer.-Broadcast journalist:Hambrick began his television career in 1963, at a station in Abilene, Texas. By 1967 he was working at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati when he was recruited by its sister station in...
(now retired) and Mike Hambrick
Mike Hambrick
Mike Hambrick is an American television anchor and correspondent who has worked on network television stations such as WJLA-TV in Washington, DC, KTVT-TV in Dallas, KTAR-TV in Phoenix and WBAL-TV in Baltimore. Hambrick was also a news anchor for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh where he also served as its...
. John, five years older than Judd, also worked in Cleveland (at WEWS from 1967 to 1975), as well at stations in New York City and Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Younger sibling Mike worked in several markets such as Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. A nephew, Jack Hambrick (John's son), also went into the television business as a news reporter and now, along with his father, has become a documentary filmmaker.
Hambrick, who is now semi-retired, lives with his wife in Florence, Alabama
Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
after pursuing some business ventures for a time in both the Belden
Belden, Mississippi
Belden, Mississippi, is a place in Lee County in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is located at . Most of the community is in the city limits of Tupelo.Oak MeadowsSt. AndrewsWendover...
and nearby Saltillo
Saltillo, Mississippi
Saltillo is a town in Lee County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,393 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Saltillo is located at ....
, Mississippi areas. Hambrick continues to work in mostly free-lance video news media production.