By Jan Wahl—
In my last column, we explored the glittering neighborhoods of 1950s and ’60s Beverly Hills and Westwood. Since then, readers, including my friend Adam Kent, have asked how I transitioned into television from there. So, we sat down over coffee and dished.
Adam Kent: How did you make the transition to becoming a well-known TV movie critic?
Jan Wahl: I fell in love with the TV show 60 Minutes as a child. I loved non-fiction storytelling. Because of where I lived, I got a chance to be on TV when I was in high school. I appeared as a student on Gene Autry’s TV station, KTLA. I preferred the world of television to the world of film because it moves faster and there aren’t long setup times.
Fast-forward to my first broadcasting gig: I called a radio station and “killed” a movie I had just seen. The DJ liked it so much he kept putting me on the air to do movie reviews.
Adam Kent: How old were you?
Jan Wahl: I was in my twenties. At that time, there was nobody else colorful, funny, and steeped in Hollywood history doing movie reviews. KRON-TV hired me, leading to 22 years on the air.
Adam Kent: Why the hats?
Jan Wahl: The song “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” from the musical Gypsy helped me decide to wear hats. I would rate movies with four hats being the highest. Pretty soon, people were yelling out of their cars, “Hey, Wahl, how many hats does this movie get?” It was very gutsy for KRON to allow me to do this.
Eventually, stars and celebrities would come to be interviewed by me to promote their projects. That’s how I met Mel Brooks. He invited me to come down to Los Angeles to interview him in his office. I recommend the two-part HBO documentary Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man. He is remarkable and a broadcaster’s dream since he talks in soundbites.
Adam Kent: I met you on a cruise ship giving lectures on Hollywood. How did you get that gig?
Jan Wahl: I combined my love of performing with my teaching about early Hollywood, and it turned into a lecture series on Crystal Cruises. I still give lectures with film clips, including segments on gays and lesbians in showbiz history.
Adam Kent: Did you meet anyone from the movie industry while giving lectures on the cruises?
Jan Wahl: I interviewed everyone from Patricia Neil to Jay Russell on the cruises, but my favorite was Troy Donahue, who became a good friend. Later on, with the brilliant Marc Huestis, we put together an unforgettable night with Sandra Dee at The Castro Theater.
Adam Kent: Yes, I hear that you are still giving lectures. Tell me more.
Jan Wahl: I’m a regular professor at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco. My next class this fall is titled “Scandals, Songs, and Supporting Characters.” It’s a lot of dishy fun, and people come away learning a new way to watch movies.
Adam Kent: Tell me about a high point in your career.
Jan Wahl: Winning two Emmys for documentary production was pretty great. My favorite memory, though, is sitting with my mother at the ceremony. I knew they were going to call my name, so I turned to her and said, “I am going to thank you, because you were always there for me.” She grabbed my arm in that “mother way” and said, “Don’t thank me; thank your boss. I will always be your mother.” I thanked the boss, and the next day he put me in the Directors Guild of America. Thanks, Mom!
Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com
Off the Wahl
Published on February 26, 2026
Recent Comments