John Criswell did so many different “jobs” for several news stations during his remarkable career, but the one I remember most is one that made me stop to watch and listen when it would hit the screen— “Wednesday’s Child” segments, which he was the first to “anchor” as he saw the need for adoptions and their stories and sought to find homes for those wonderful, sweet children of all ages, children who just needed “chances” or “second chances” to have lives with their own FAMILIES, where they could have good chances of “living their dreams.” Before moving to the Dallas area, Mr. Criswell worked in Washington, D. C.—and I am glad he came! For years and years he stood out as not only a voice for broadcast stations but for the DFW area and beyond into areas, such as Forney.
From 1973 to 1990, Mr. Criswell was some type of news anchor for television station WFAA, local Channel 8. You name the timeperiod, and great chances are that he, at one time or another, filled that slot! In 1980, he was the one who brought into being the segment, called “Wednesday’s Child,” and also worked with and on “Crimestoppers” segments.
WFAA Sportscaster (You remember, the sometimes funny, sometimes obnoxious, always entertaining guy, who made the Sports segments the most popular for a long time?) Dale Hansen once stated that “It’d be a hell of a lot better world if we had more John Criswells in it.”
And WFAA’s long-time production operations manager, Jerry Cadigan, noted this supreme compliment: John Criswell “was totally devoted to making sure we served our audience and viewers well.”
It seems to me that so many who knew him always mentioned that he PUT OTHERS FIRST! Wouldn’t it be nice if we all tried to do that?
In 1990, he moved over to KDFW local Channel 4 and added his expertise there through 1997. And through 1999 and his retirement, Ft. Worth’s KTVT- Television’s newsrooms were fortunate enough to have his experience in action, as did KDFW and KTXD television stations in Dallas.
John Criswell and Phyllis Watson were singled out as the “best anchors” in surveys in 1983, 1985, and 1986, and she speaks of him as “one of the most dearest, sincere people she has ever met.”
And….Tracy Rowlett (I, at one time thought they must be related, but they were just GREAT FRIENDS and long-time fellow workers.) called John a “true professional…..who anchored nearly every newscast we ever had—from morning until evening!”
I want to close with one more important thing that this talented and devoted and unique man did: His wife and he were co-founders of the Deaf Action Center that for years helped those in the area who were, in my Grandpa’s words, “hard of hearing.”
JOHN CRISWELL: 1940–2023
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