User:Billdeiz
Biography: (Source TV.com) Born in New York City during World War II, Bill Deiz moved with his mom to Portland, Oregon when he was four years old. After divorcing her first husband, his mom, Mercedes, later married Carl Deiz who adopted Bill. Bill grew up in Portland with one brother and one sister. Bill Deiz later attended the University of Oregon and graduated from Portland State University in 1968. Deiz was among 20 students selected for a Ford Foundation Fellowship to the inaugural Summer Program at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City, during the summer of 1968. When he returned to Portland that fall, he began his career as a television news reporter with KGW TV, Channel 8, the NBC affiliate.
His professional acting career began in 1972 when Deiz moved from Portland to Los Angeles. Here he met the manager of comedian Redd Foxx who arranged for an audition on Sanford and Son. Deiz was hired for a small part. Soon after he landed a job as a news reporter at what is now KCBS TV in Los Angeles where he won Los Angeles EMMY and Golden Mike Awards for his live coverage, with reporter Bob Simmons and Bill's crew, of the dramatic shootout between the kidnappers of Patty Hearst, the SLA, and police. This led to numerous roles as a TV reporter and newscaster on episodes of Kojak, Columbo, The Nightstalker, Trapper John, M.D., Policewoman and The Incredible Hulk, along with many Movies of the Week. Deiz played himself as a reporter in the TV Movie: The Ordeal of Patty Hearst where he recreated his coverage of the shootout between the Symbionese Liberation Army and Los Angeles police. Jack Webb helped to break the mold, by casting Deiz in non-reporter roles in Project UFO, and several movies of the week, including Love's Dark Ride, where he played a doctor.
Prior to his career in broadcasting Deiz was a founding member of the legendary band, THE SEVEN SOULS, which featured the late Bob Welch on guitar. Welch went on to fame with FLEETWOOD MAC. While in the band, Deiz co-wrote with Henry Moore the tune, "I Still Love You" which has become a Northern Soul anthem. Deiz is a published songwriter with CORDIAL MUSIC, BMI, in Nashville, Tennessee, and he has played in a number of Portland, Oregon bands as Billy Ray Deiz.
Deiz is a former television news anchorman at KCOP TV in Los Angeles. He was a featured reporter on KPIX TV in San Francisco and worked as a news anchorman and reporter for KCBS Radio in San Francisco, where a number of his reports were used by the CBS Radio Network.
Other achievements in broadcasting include live coverage of the May 1980 explosive eruptions of the Mt. St. Helens volcano for KOIN TV and CBS; and live coverage of Richard Nixon's return to California on the day he resigned as president of the United States, for KCBS TV and the CBS Television Network.
Deiz is married with two sons. His brother, Gilbert, is a veteran photographer with CBS News.