Beloved News Anchors From San Antonio's Past
While Randy Beamer, Deborah Knapp, Steve Spriester, Ursula Pari and so many other household names continue to hold it down on our local news stations, we know that San Antonio is very much about nostalgia and being borderline obsessed with local news personalities. From desk-bound news anchors to sportscasters and plenty of weathermen, here are just some of the faces on the news that have played a big part in San Antonio's history.
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Dan Cook
Sports icon Dan Cook needs no introduction. He brought the sports talk for generations – literally. Part of the KENS 5 team from 1956 to 2000, Cook popularized the phrase "the opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." He was also a sports writer for the
San Antonio Express-News, where he worked for 51 years. His decade-spanning, influential career led to Cook being inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame. The Houston native passed away in July 2008 at the age of 81.
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Chris Marrou
If you grew up in San Antonio, you can definitely remember the deep, yet soothing tone of Chris Marrou’s voice. An news anchor for KENS 5 beginning in 1973, Marrou held it down during the 10 p.m. newscast before he retired in 2009. He received a law degree from St. Mary’s University in 2007 (oh, and he’s a LEE alum). Today, he’s a municipal judge in Von Ormy.
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Fred Lozano
After graduating from Brackenridge High School, Fred Lozano spent nearly 40 years bringing San Antonio the news. Covering a variety of newscasts, Lozano spent much of his career at KENS 5 with brief stints at WOAI. He retired in 2012, and died in 2016 at the age of 67 after a private battle with leukemia.
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Karen Gallagher
Once part of a dynamic news team, Karen Gallagher hasn’t had the best time since her end in broadcasting. After getting her start at KENS 5 in the ‘80s, Gallagher eventually landed at KSAT, where she anchored alongside notable personalities into the ‘90s. In 2011, she was arrested for prescription drug fraud and again in 2015 for driving under the influence.
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Bob Salter
Part of a team that brought KSAT up in ratings, Bob Salter spent about a decade contribute to local news.He eventually moved to Las Vegas and made flying helicopters his main passion. Salter passed away in 2015 at the age of 61.
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Jud Ashmore
If you were around back in the day, chances are you remember Jud “Hug Somebody It’ll Make You Feel Good” Ashmore,. Though he got his start in meteorology anchoring for KSAT in 1968, he spent much of the ‘70s at KENS 5 until he decided to focus on his radio career in 1980. Wearing loud suits and with a mustache that curled up at the ends, Ashmore would sign off with fun messages. He was definitely a character with his sense of humor and general on-air personality.
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Henry Guerra
Henry Guerra will likely be a memorable face to older generations. He spent more than 50 years in the broadcasting business, serving as an anchor for WOAI (both the news and radio stations). Lovingly nicknamed “the voice of San Antonio,” Guerra narrated many Fiesta parades and videos spotlighting Alamo City landmarks. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 81.
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Sarah Lucero
Though Sarah Lucero is a more recent retiree, her nearly two decades as a KENS 5 anchor have earned her a spot in many San Antonians’ hearts. Following a long career in news, Lucero made a major career change, retiring in 2017. She now runs a fitness company and competes in bodybuilding. And because we know you want to know, the Alamo City native attended LEE High School.
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Joe Fowler
Many San Antonians will remember Joe Fowler, who had a number of antics he shared with viewers. During the ‘80s, Fowler was KSAT’s chief sportscaster and would scream “boo!” if he didn’t like something. He eventually left the station and San Antonio, moving to Los Angeles where he had small film roles and did some infomercials. Today, he lives in Colorado.
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Albert Flores
With two separate stints on SA stations, Albert Flores is a household name here in the Alamo City. He was first part of the golden era of sorts for KENS 5 in the ‘70s, ‘80 and ‘90s when the network held the No. 1 spot among local stations, appearing alongside Dan Cook and Chris Marrou. KENS later let Flores go in 2002 after a report proved that Flores plagiarized a weather column under his name in the
Express-News. In 2011, WOAI hired the longtime weatherman. Flores suddenly retired from news in early 2018 without a farewell to viewers.
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