Tom Kennedy, the television game show host for “You Don’t Say!” and “Name That Tune,” died on Oct. 7 in Oxnard, Calif. He was 93.
Kennedy’s close friend Steve Beverly confirmed his death on Facebook, writing: “Tom had not been well in recent months but remained in communication with his family and close friends… Later, after I have time to clearly process this, I will offer my own remembrances of a relationship that evolved from his being my childhood icon to a genuine friendship I will always cherish.”
Kennedy was born Jim Narz on Feb. 26., 1927 in Louisville, Ky. Inspired by his older brother, Jack, who was also a television host, Kennedy moved to Los Angeles in 1947 to begin a broadcast career. After 10 years in radio and marrying his high school sweetheart, Betty Gevedon, Kennedy began hosting game shows as they rose to popularity in the ’50s. But, with his brother a host as well,...
Kennedy’s close friend Steve Beverly confirmed his death on Facebook, writing: “Tom had not been well in recent months but remained in communication with his family and close friends… Later, after I have time to clearly process this, I will offer my own remembrances of a relationship that evolved from his being my childhood icon to a genuine friendship I will always cherish.”
Kennedy was born Jim Narz on Feb. 26., 1927 in Louisville, Ky. Inspired by his older brother, Jack, who was also a television host, Kennedy moved to Los Angeles in 1947 to begin a broadcast career. After 10 years in radio and marrying his high school sweetheart, Betty Gevedon, Kennedy began hosting game shows as they rose to popularity in the ’50s. But, with his brother a host as well,...
- 10/11/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Tom Kennedy, a longtime game show host, died this past week at the age of 93, according to a social media post by close friend Steve Beverly.
Born Jim Narz in Louisville, Kentucky, Kennedy got his start in broadcasting via a radio job while study at the University of Missouri. After a decade in radio and a marriage to his college sweetheart Betty Gevedon, he moved to Hollywood and decided to follow in his brother Jack’s footsteps in television. To distinguish himself from his brother, he changed his name to Tom Kennedy and got his start as a game show host in 1958 with the short-lived NBC game show, “The Big Game.”
After several years of jumping from one show to the next, Kennedy got his big break in 1963 with the NBC show “You Don’t Say!,” a “Password”-esque show where contestants try to get a celebrity guest to identify...
Born Jim Narz in Louisville, Kentucky, Kennedy got his start in broadcasting via a radio job while study at the University of Missouri. After a decade in radio and a marriage to his college sweetheart Betty Gevedon, he moved to Hollywood and decided to follow in his brother Jack’s footsteps in television. To distinguish himself from his brother, he changed his name to Tom Kennedy and got his start as a game show host in 1958 with the short-lived NBC game show, “The Big Game.”
After several years of jumping from one show to the next, Kennedy got his big break in 1963 with the NBC show “You Don’t Say!,” a “Password”-esque show where contestants try to get a celebrity guest to identify...
- 10/11/2020
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
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