Tom Kennedy obit

'Name That Tune' Host Tom Kennedy

Iconic Game Show Host Dead at 93 

He was not on the list.

Tom Kennedy -- one of America's most recognizable game show hosts ... known for a slew of shows including "Name That Tune" -- has died, according to his friend, Steve Beverly.

The cause of death is not known but Tom had been ill for several months.

The guy was a titan of television, having served as host of a number of hit game shows including "Split Second," "You Don't Say!" and of course ... 'NTT,' which he hosted for a number of years in the '70s and '80s. Might we say ... "Name That Tune" could be the best game show ever. Tom also hosted a syndicated version of "The Price Is Right' ... with Bob Barker handling daytime duties and Tom heading up the night shift.

There's a lot more to his game show credits ... Kennedy appeared on "Doctor I.Q.," "Match Game," "It Takes Two," "It's Your Bet," "Password," "Break the Bank," "Hollywood Squares," "To Say the Least," "Whew!,' "Password Plus," "Wheel of Fortune," "Body Language," "Family Feud," "Wordplay," "Card Sharks," "Oh My Word," "The Big Game" and many others.

He also served as an announcer for a bunch of projects, including Betty White's early comedy series, "Date with Angels," as well as variety shows like "The Polka Parade," "Going, Going, Gone!" and "About Faces." Kennedy tried his hand at traditional acting too -- he starred in a bunch of one-off guest spots on shows like "That Girl," "Cannon," and "Hardcastle and McCormick."

BTW, Kennedy was there to help give Kathie Lee Gifford (then Johnson) her first big break in TV -- she was the "Name That Tune" singer.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, James Edward Narz was the son of John Lawrence Narz Sr., and the younger brother of host Jack Narz (1922–2008), whose son, David, related about his uncle's name change that the brothers wanted to avoid the perceived conflict of having two announcers with the same last name promoting competing products. "After a lunch meeting with his agent," he said, "... he emerged as Tom Kennedy.

While attending the University of Missouri, Kennedy worked at KFRU in Columbia, Missouri. While in Lexington, Kentucky, he worked at WKLX. After moving to Los Angeles, he worked for five years at KPOL and had a part-time job at KGIL

 Kennedy's biggest hit series were You Don't Say! which aired on NBC from 1963 to 1969, and on ABC in 1975; Split Second (1972–75); Name That Tune (1974–81); and Password Plus, which he hosted from 1980 to 1982 following the illness (and later death) of original host Allen Ludden. His other hosting credits include The Big Game (1958), Dr. I.Q. (1958–59), It's Your Bet (1971–72), Break the Bank (1976), 50 Grand Slam (1976), To Say the Least (1977–78), Whew! (1979–80), Body Language (1984–86), a syndicated nighttime version of The Price Is Right (1985–86) and Wordplay (1986–87). He briefly hosted a talk show, The Real Tom Kennedy Show, in the early 1970s, and appeared as a guest panelist on To Tell the Truth, Hollywood Squares, Liar's Club and other game shows.

The legendary host is survived by several children, whom he shared with his late wife, Betty Gevedon. He was 93.

 

Additional Crew

Date with the Angels (1957)

Date with the Angels

7.0

TV Series

announcer

1957–1958

16 episodes

 

Actor

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

Tom Kennedy

1997

1 episode

 

Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly in Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)

Hardcastle and McCormick

6.6

TV Series

Bryce Benson

1985

1 episode

 

Harrison Ford and Lukas Haas in Witness (1985)

Witness

7.4

Ticket Seller (as Tom W. Kennedy)

1985

 

Adrienne Barbeau and Vicki Lawrence in Having Babies (1976)

Having Babies

5.6

TV Movie

Hal Bergstrom

1976

 

Cannon (1971)

Cannon

6.8

TV Series

Tommy Corbin

1973

1 episode

 

Marlo Thomas in That Girl (1966)

That Girl

7.3

TV Series

Barry Forbes

1969

1 episode

 

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

8.0

TV Series

Guest Performer (uncredited)

1969

1 episode

 

Harlen Carraher, Kellie Flanagan, Hope Lange, Edward Mulhare, and Charles Nelson Reilly in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968)

The Ghost & Mrs. Muir

7.7

TV Series

George Hooper

1969

1 episode