Aztec Portfolio: Ken Kramer

The Storyteller

Ken Kramer won four Emmy Awards for the stories he has told in “About San Diego,” televised each weekend on NBC 7/39. He has also been recognized for news and documentary reporting, but “About San Diego” is his signature work. Kramer graduated in 1974 with a degree in broadcasting and filmmaking.

Tell us about a few of your favorite feature stories.

One story I did for “About San Diego” involved a home on East Talmadge Drive. A gentleman bought the house knowing that the previous owner had tunneled a cavernous maze underneath. Next to the refrigerator was a plant that slid aside, leading to nine enormous, cathedral-like rooms. More than 100,000 tons of dirt was removed to form the caves. People who had lived in the area told me about Haven’s Caves, and that’s how I tracked down the house. I like any story that leaves people saying, “I didn’t know that.” For example, Mt. Helix was named for the helix aspera, a snail that was discovered up there. The name has nothing to do with the roads spiraling to the top. We did a story about an old San Diego neighborhood known as the Harlem of the West, where some of the greats performed. I like to talk about San Diego’s history, but I consider myself a storyteller, not a historian.