‘Name That Tune’ Host Tom Kennedy Dead at 93

Longtime TV game show host Tom Kennedy died October 7 in Oxnard, California, Variety reports.

He was 93.

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Born Jim Narz on February 26, 1927, in Louisville, he began his broadcast career in 1947, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Jack Narz (1922-2008), also a successful host.

Kennedy hosted the long-running hits “You Don’t Say!” (1963-1969), “Split Second” (1972-1975), and “Password Plus” (1980-1982), replacing the late Allen Ludden on the latter. His most famous work was as the host of the pop cultural sensation “Name That Tune” (1974-1981), on which contestants wagered how many notes it would take for them to guess a popular song.

Kennedy acted occasionally, including a bit part in the Harrison Ford thriller “Witness” (1985) and appearing as himself on sitcoms, the last of which was “Cybill” in 1997. He appeared as a panelist on a 2003 edition of “Hollywood Squares,” which marked his final work on a game show. In 2018, he appeared in the game-show doc “Game Changers.”

Largely retired since 1989, Kennedy is survived by his three children, one grandchild, and his sister. His wife of nearly 60 years, Betty, preceded him in death in 2011.