2007 Inductee
Ken Wilmot’s legacy to broadcasting started in 1947 with his World War II tour of duty in the 20th Special Services, 7th Army where he served in the European Theater as an Infantry Heavy Weapons replacement. His creativity found a home in the Soldier Shows, a group of technicians that created plays and concerts for the troops stationed in Europe, which combined with the USO in 1946.
Returning home, Ken landed a job at Agfa-Ansco using color film to do movie dailies for the motion picture industry. Later, he attended New York’s Pratt Institute. Graduating in 1951, Ken took a full time position as Art Director for Eastern Corporation and married Marie Self of Englewood, Colorado.
Once in Denver, Ken did freelance Art Direction while he waited for KLZ radio to get their TV license. KLZ or Channel 7 was just starting up and Ken helped with the graphic side of the local broadcasts. From 1953 to 1975, Ken worked at KLZ-TV in many capacities and it was a great time for innovations.
In 1965 Ken was elected President of the Denver Art Directors Club.
In 1976 Ken joined KRMA (now Rocky Mountain PBS) as the Manager of Film and Graphics and was the mastermind behind the shift from KRMA-TV to the introduction of the new logo “SIX.”
When Ken retired in the mid-1990’s, he began to experiment more with digital painting and still combines this with oil paint and watercolor. Ken is still enjoying painting and creating and has built several computers to get the tools that he wants.
Ken was inducted into the Broadcast Professionals of Colorado’s Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2004.