For twenty-five years, Bill Landry has been the
voice and face of The Heartland Series on WBIR, Channel 10. In
fact, retired Knoxville News Sentinel Senior Writer, Fred Brown, describes
Landry as “East Tennessee’s favorite uncle, the one with all the good stories
that have become so familiar and popular.”
The
Heartland Series premiered in 1984 to
showcase the 50th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. Landry quickly emerged as host, narrator, and co-producer of the show.
Over the twenty-five years, the “Heartland” team produced 1,900 short 3 ½
minute features and 150 half-hour specials. The show received four Emmy awards,
two of which Landry won for direction.
Landry grew up in Chattanooga, and earned a degree
in literature from the University of Tennessee and a master’s of fine arts
degree from Trinity University and the Dallas Theater Center. He wrote and produced
a one-man play about Albert Einstein called Einstein
the Man and traveled 38 states and two provinces in Canada to give over
1,000 performances, which he continues to do. The book, Einstein the Man was published in 2000 and multiple copies given to
every school within the state of Tennessee.
From 1982-1984, he worked for the
Tennessee Valley Authority before beginning work on The Heartland Series, one
of the longest-running productions in regional television history.
Today, Bill and his wife Becky live in a log cabin
built in 2007 in Blount County, Tennessee. Appropriately, it sits adjacent to
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Bill will be at David Webb's Rocky Top General Store, in South Harriman, on Saturday, November 12, 2011 to sign copies of his
new book, "Appalachain Tales & Heartland Adventures."
It's from 12:00 -- 3:00. There will be hot cider and warm fellowship!
See you there!
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