From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Ruth Ezell visits with opera singer Christine Brewer. Originally trained as a violinist, Brewer gave up touring and performing at Opera Theatre St. Louis to raise her daughter. She returned after her daughter's high school graduation, including a debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2003.
From KETC, Living St. Louis Producer Anne-Marie Berger meets Katie Rodriquez Bannister, an inspirational young woman who shares the obstacles and triumphs of her own life with others. At age 25, Katie was in an automobile accident that left her a quadriplegic. Now, she visits schools to speak about her disability and her job as a recreation director.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Anne-Marie Berger profiles Philip Hitchcock, an artist who makes sculptures using molds and body casts from live, human models. Berger gets a first-hand look at this process, from start to finish.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Anne-Marie Berger sits down with drummer, Bob Kuban. His first time on stage, Kuban played the drums with Chuck Berry. Kuban also performed on American Bandstand with his own band, the In-Men. Their hit record was titled, "The Cheater", but the group never had a chance to tour due to the Vietnam War draft.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Ruth Ezell attends a performance of the U.S. Airforce Band of Mid-America, stationed at Scott Airforce base. The group includes a jazz ensemble, rock and blues combo and a concert band. Included is a look back into the history of U.S. military bands.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Patrick Murphy looks at the history of Interstate 64/Highway 40 and the construction in its future. Beginning in 2007, more than 12 miles of this heavily traveled highway will be revamped.
From KETC, Living St. Louis Producer Kate Shaw attends a reunion for former employees of the now defunct Ozark Airlines. Despite great success in the 1950s and 60s, the airline was bought out by TWA in 1986. The Silver Swallows, as they are known, reunite every year to commemorate the airline and discuss the special camaraderie and service that Ozark had to offer.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Ruth Ezell sits down with pop singer, Billy Davis Jr. and his wife, Marilyn McCoo. The St. Louis native returned home to perform at the Fox theatre.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Patrick Murphy recounts the "Great St. Louis Bank Robbery" of 1953 at Southwest Bank. While it was in progress, the robbery drew a crowd of thousands of people. A movie was later made about the robbery, in which police officer Mel Stein played himself.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Patrick Murphy tours the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. By 1935, it was the largest prison in the United States with 5,000 inmates. The penitentiary closed its doors in 2004.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Patrick Murphy goes inside Wick's Organ Company of St. Louis, where these world-renowned organs are being created. The organs stand the test of time and have been known to last for over 75 years.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Ruth Ezell meets actor, Kevin Kline. For the past three decades, Kline has graced stages and movie screens and credits his success to his St. Louis roots. Kline attended St. Louis Priory School where he played the clarinet as well as varsity football and soccer.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Anne-Marie Berger takes a look at the history of Sears homes, ready-to-assemble houses available nearly 100 years ago in the Sears Roebuck catalogue. In 1908, these kit homes were offered in 370 styles and ranged in price from $50 to $5000. Families who selected a Sears home saved 1/3 the price it would cost to buy an already assembled, or 'normal', house.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Anne-Marie Berger catches up with professional dancer Antonio Douthit, an alumni of COCA in University City. As a child, boys were not encouraged to be dancers in his neighborhood, but he found a dance class that helped him get into COCA. He is now a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS Producer Anne-Marie Berger takes a Segway tour. Segways are self-balancing personal transporting devices used by commuters, security officials, and civilians. St. Louis began offering tours of the city on Segways through an organization called Glide St. Louis in April of 2007.