Notable Alumni: ASU’s Most Successful Grads

Originally called Territorial Normal School in Tempe, Arizona State University has been in existence since 1889. Since its inception, it has become the alma mater of several famous and successful people. Here’s a list from your Tempe dentist of some of the notable names that were once Sun Devils.

• Al Michaels. Most famous for his role as play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football, Michaels attended ASU where he majored in radio and television and also worked as a sports writer for The State Press, ASU’s independent student newspaper. One of his most famous broadcasts was during the 1980 Winter Olympics, during which the United States hockey team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union. In the closing minutes, Michaels interjected with “Do you believe in miracles? YES!” as the US won 4-3.
• Jimmy Kimmel. Television host Jimmy Kimmel initially rose to notoriety while co-hosting Comedy Central’s The Man Show and Win Ben Stein’s Money. Before that, Kimmel attended ASU and became a popular caller to the KZZP-FM afternoon show hosted by radio personalities Mike Elliott and Kent Voss here in Phoenix.
• David Spade. A resident of the Valley at the young age of 4, David Spade grew up in Scottsdale, attended Saguaro High School and Scottsdale Community College before transferring to ASU, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business. Spade performed stand-up several times at the university’s long-running sketch comedy show,Farce Side Comedy Hour. He was also a regular face in the Monday night comedy show at Greasy Tony’s Pizza in Tempe, Arizona.
• Ladimir Kwiatkowski. Better known as Ladmo, Kwiatkowski co-hosted The Wallace and Ladmo Show, a children’s variety show that was broadcast on KPHO from 1954 to 1989. Originally wanting to be a sportscaster, Kwiatkowski played for the ASU baseball team and was considered by scouts by the Cleveland Indians. After graduating with a degree in journalism, Kwiatkowski decided to pursue a career in television instead. For most of its run, the show was broadcast live from the KPHO studio in which it was filmed. At the time, the KPHO studio was located at the Westward Ho, which is a block away from ASU’s downtown campus. The station has since moved, but the original KPHO studio was is covered in a mural depicting the characters of The Wallace and Ladmo Show.