Wally Kennedy is dead; my last visit with him

October 31, 2024 14 Comments

I knew it was coming, but it’s hard to take: Longtime TV host and radio anchor Wally Kennedy has died at 76.

Stu Bykofsky, Wally Kennedy at Chili’s, King of Prussia

6abc carried an unusually short, in my opinion, death report.

The on-air TV report said he had left the station, but there was a little more to that, as Wally told me over lunch back in January. It was the last time I was to see him alive.

We met in King of Prussia, as Wally wasn’t feeling well enough to trek into town. We ate at Chili’s because neither of us are pretentious, 

He looked good, but told me he had been in a serious battle with cancer, but that things were looking up.

Less than a week ago, his wife Glendia texted me to say he was in hospice, with days to live.

That was shocking.

Glendia said she quietly was letting some friends know. I was not actually a “friend,” but he told Glendia he respected my work when I covered him as a TV critic in the early ‘80s. The respect was mutual.

He had transitioned from the milquetoast Midwest to the hard-edged big city of Philly, and then transitioned to TV from radio.

I liked his work on radio, and was a guest on his show a few times, and continued to like his work on TV. He had a gentle interviewing style, but could close in for the kill on the few occasions it was necessary. 

He was best-known for hosting “AM Philadelphia” and then  “AM Live, which was canceled in 1996 due to other programming concerns, not because of ratings.

6abc did not find another role for the man who had been there two decades, so Wally became an anchor at KYW radio, which made good use of his voice, but not his interviewing talents.

Back in January we had a laugh over some criticism I had written about his show, constructive, I thought. And he agreed. A lot of high-profile people can’t stand any kind of criticism, but Wally’s talent was bigger than his ego.

He will be missed.

14 thoughts on “Wally Kennedy is dead; my last visit with him”

  3. I always enjoyed Wally Kennedy on radio and TV. My favorite TV interview that Wally did was when Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit were interviewed. Hy Lit was warned by the Police that Jerry Blavat asked Nicky Scarfo to kill Hy Lit. Very interesting. Wally a standup guy. RIP

      1. lndeed, Wally Kennedy was a great guy, as well as a master of his craft. l, too, remember his interview with Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit. That studio suddenly became ice cold. You could feel the uneasiness between the two. The piece still available on you tube

      2. It was on Wally Kennedys Tv show, he had Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit on it. He questioned them regarding the possible hit Blavat wanted on Hy Lit. Very informative. Blavat was always a mob flunkie. I guess Scarfo allegedly refused.

  4. Although we were both members of The Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers, I did not know Wally personally, but always respected his work on-air, both on TV and radio. You confirmed my impression that he was a good guy. May he rest in eternal peace.

  6. Thank you for this notice. Wally and I crisscrossed paths on several occasions in the radio business. A gentleman has passed, owing to that horrid disease.

  7. A poignant and loving piece, Stu. Wally was a consummate professional but an approachable “talent” at WPVI, and when the Sales Department got a little “too,” I’d go upstairs and watch Wally and Liz enjoy the repartee between Captain Noah and Larry Ferrari. Such comedy relief that was needed!! He was a good guy and my sympathies to his family and to Liz Starr, his co-anchor from “AM Philadelphia.” Vicky Benedict Farber

  9. As a PR person in the city I had many dealings with him and he was always accessible, personable, warm and professional. It’s a shame that there aren’t any local shows like his left. The beancounters took over, not just in his industry but everywhere — and we are all the lesser for it. I did enjoy hearing him from time to time on KY but it was not the same and he was simply reading copy.

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