Tom Kennedy (born James Narz on February 26, 1927, in Louisville, Kentucky) is a television game show host who had his greatest fame in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the younger brother of host Jack Narz and the brother-in-law of Bill Cullen, and changed his name to avoid confusion prior to hosting his first national show, The Big Game, in 1958.
Before Kennedy got his start in hosting game shows, he was once an elevator operator and a stand-up comedian.
His biggest hit series were You Don't Say!, which aired on NBC from 1963 to 1969 and on ABC in 1975; Split Second, on ABC from 1972 to 1975; Name That Tune, which he hosted from 1974 to 1981; and Password Plus, which he hosted from 1980 to 1982 following the illness (and later death) of original host Allen Ludden due to stomach cancer. Other hosting credits include Doctor I.Q., Break the Bank, To Say the Least, Body Language, 50 Grand Slam, Whew!, It's Your Bet, Wordplay and a syndicated nighttime version of The Price Is Right in 1985.
He also briefly hosted a talk show, The Tom Kennedy Show, in the early 1970s and appeared as a panelist on To Tell the Truth.
In addition, he made guest appearances, as an actor, on such shows as The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, The Fall Guy and Hardcastle and McCormick.
Now retired, Kennedy appeared as a panelist on Hollywood Squares during "Game Show Week Part 2" in 2003.
In 2005, he and his brother, Jack Narz, were co-recipients of the Game Show Congress' Bill Cullen Award for Lifetime Achievement.
In May 2007, both Kennedy and Narz were presented the Diamond Circle Award of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters at a celebrity luncheon honoring Leonard Maltin.
