R.I.P.: John Criswell, Former D/FW News Anchor

(1940-2023)

John Criswell, a longtime anchor at WFAA (Channel 8) and originator of its popular Wednesday’s Child segment, has died, his family confirmed Thursday.

Criswell, 83, died Wednesday in his Carrollton home, reports The Dallas Morning News.

Criswell was a news anchor for WFAA from 1973 to 1990. Criswell anchored nearly every broadcast on the station — morning shows, weekend shows and weekday newscasts at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

He covered several major stories at WFAA, including serving as an anchor for national political conventions, reporting on multiple hurricanes and being an integral part of the station’s coverage of the Delta 191 crash at DFW International Airport in August 1985.

“He was the face of WFAA for a long, long time,” said Bob May, who worked in production at WFAA during Criswell’s time at the station.

Criswell moved to KDFW Channel 4 in 1990 and worked at the station through 1997. At WFAA, he originated Wednesday’s Child in 1980 and Crimestoppers segments.

Before retiring in 1999, Criswell worked in the newsrooms of KTVT-TV in Fort Worth, KDFW-TV and KTXD-TV, both in Dallas.