Veteran TV game show host Tom Kennedy, who emceed the likes of Name That Tune and Split Second, died on Oct. 7 at the age of 93, according to a friend, Steve Beverly. The cause of death is unknown, though Beverly shared on Facebook that Kennedy “had not been well in recent months.”
Born Jim Narz, Kennedy broke into the business with 1958’s The Big Game and Dr. I.Q., which aired throughout the 1958-59 season. His first major success was NBC’s You Don’t Say!, which ran from 1963 to 1969; the series was later revived by ABC six years later. In 1972, he hosted the Monty Hall-created Split Second, and from 1974-81, he invited people to Name That Tune.
Other hosting credits include Break the Bank and 50 Grand Slam in 1976; To Say the Least from 1977-78; Body Language from 1984-86; Wordplay from 1986-87; and a primetime syndicated version of The Price Is Right from 1985-86.
Kennedy also took over hosting duties on Password Plus following the illness and death of its host, Allen Ludden.
Aside from game shows, Kennedy also hosted The Real Tom Kennedy Show, a talk show, in 1970, and served as a panelist on To Tell the Truth, Hollywood Squares and Liar’s Club. In addition, he was the announcer on the Betty White comedy Date With the Angels from 1957 to 1958.
On the scripted front, he made acting appearances on That Girl, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Cannon and Hardcastle and McCormick, among others.
He is survived by three children, a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter and a sister.
I always enjoyed any show that Tom Kennedy (Jim Narz) was on. I also watched game shows that his brother Jack Narz hosted when I was a young girl.
And his brother was Jack Narz, announcer and game show host, too!
Both originally from Louisville, Kentucky.
Split Second was such a great show. Watching now is a guilty pleasure. The winner gets to choose a car to see if the key will work, but most of the cars are seventies nightmares. Seeing the cars as valuable prizes is a hoot.
His NTT show is where Kathy Lee Johnson, now Gifford, got her start.
OMG! When I saw Toms pic, I immediately thought of whether the car would atart. Split second was the best ever! I had forgotten about his hosting of Name That Tune. The 70s had gres t game shows and many had daytime and nighttime versions.
Tom Kennedy was also the brother of fellow veteran game show host Jack Narz (Seven Keys, Video Village).
When I was growing up in the 60s, You Don’t Say was my favorite game show. We would make up our own version and play on trips. I wish one of the Game Show channels would air this if it still exists.
Tv could use a lot more game shows in daytime than talk shows and with nice guy hosts like the Narz brothers.
There’s a clip floating out in the You Tube vapors of Jack Narz taking over, for one game from his brother on Password Plus.