Anecdotes

She first became famous in Los Angeles as morning traffic reporter Dawn O'Day on radio station KABC-AM 790.

She was the longest running network host of NBC's worldwide coverage of the celebrated Rose Parade, during the 70s and 80s, most often paired with actor Michael Landon.

She became the most well known Los Angeles/ Southern California news anchorwoman in the 70s, 80s, and 90s during which she appeared on KABC-7 for 2 years as a reporter, 28 years on KNBC-4 as a reporter,weather person, and later prime time news anchor, then 2 years at KCBS-2 as reporter, Anchor and talkshow host.

NBC News refers to Lange as the first woman to anchor a nightly newscast at an NBC-owned station. TV Guide said Lange was the first local newscaster to be paid $1 million per year.

Met her ex-husband, William Friedkin, on the set of their movie Le coup du siècle (1983).

Ex-stepmother of Jackson Friedkin and Cedric Friedkin.

Kelly was a contestant on the original What's My Line television quiz show, appearing on the June 11, 1967 episode. Her line: "Broadcasts Traffic Reports from Helicopter".

She is well known to viewers of NBC television for appearances on the Peacock network and its cable subsidiaries, CNBC and MSNBC. As the regular substitute host for Tom Snyder on The Tomorrow Show (1973) program in the 70s and 80s; 10 years as regular substitute for Jane Pauley on the Today (1952) show in the 70s and 80s; host of the Academy Awards, host of the 1976 game show "Take My Advice" and panelist on other game shows. CNBC talk show host, and West Coast Anchor for MSNBC.

In 2010, Lange was presented with the Golden Mike's Lifetime Achievement Award by the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California. As a member of the KNBC-TV nightly news team, she won several Emmy Awards.

As "Ladybirds" on KABC 790 radio in 1967, Kelly Lange and Lori Ross duo would become the first female traffic/weather reporters in this area to patrol in helicopters. She got the 6 a.m.-to-9 a.m. segment and she was called "Dawn O'Day." Ross, the afternoon shift as "Eve O'Day." The two women in their tight-fitting, silver-lamé jumpsuits paved the way for today's less-exploited women deejays and announcers, thus began Kelly Lange's career as a news reporter, spotting news and reporting traffic for KABC, later joining KNBC-4 in 1971.