Longtime Channel 3 personaity Tom Haley..courtesy WKYC-TV
From November 1957..A TV Guide ad for the Program "Cash on the Line"..The weekday morning movie show on channel 3 KYW-TV
It is with sadness that I have to report another loss in the Cleveland Classic Television community. Tom Haley, 88, veteran announcer, newsman and program host for WKYC-TV and it's predecessors for nearly 50 years, passed away suddenly Tuesday morning at Lakewood Hospital after about a bout with pneumonia....Haley began his broadcast career as an NBC Page in New York, then in radio at Allentown, Pa in 1943. After a stint at WRC Radio in Washington, DC, The Brooklyn, NY Native landed at Cleveland's WJW Radio, before moving to WTAM Radio about the time WNBK-TV began in Cleveland in 1948. Like most early TV performers, Haley did every kind of program imaginable at WNBK/KYW/WKYC. Booth announcing, Program Host, News reader, game show and Movie Host..His earliest program on WNBK was "Haley's Daily"..An hour show which he says he hosted and prepared the entire show himself..He also hosted Cash on the Line..A game show wrapped around a morning movie on KYW-TV..Another Game Show he hosted in the early 60's was Give N Take..As the years went on, he did more of booth announcing and 5-minute news updates then anything else..By the 1970's he began hosting the Sunday Morning Dialogue program..and, around 1980 or so, began to team with Del Donahoo on "Today in Cleveland"..Most younger viewers today remember Haley from Today In Cleveland..The show was a off the cuff, homespun half hour of news, jokes and just plain having fun..Haley retired in 1997..after a 49 year career at WNBK/KYW/WKTC...An amazing feat, considering how volatile broadcasting can be..
Haley's family included 7 daughters, 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren..From all the tributes I am reading and seeing today, he was the consummate gentleman off the set as all as on..and will be missed..Prayers go out to his family at this time..
http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=109435&catid=45
WKYC.com Tribute..
http://www.wkyc.com/weblog/directors_cut/2009/03/directors-alert-former-wkyc-personality.html
Frank Macek's Director's Cut Tribute..
http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2009/03/tom_haley_longtime_cleveland_t.html
Cleveland.com Article..
From TV 3's 50th anniversary..Tom Haley Remembers the early days..
WKYC-TV Report with Romona Robinson and Eric Mansfield..from Frank Macek..
A Final Thought..Tom Haley is more than likely the last WKYC link to the WNBK days..Also one of the last links to truly local television in Cleveland.
Nice posting. and congrats on the award that you got from Cliff over at Wixys gone bananas.
ReplyDeleteGiven the way NBC managed (or mismanaged) channel 3 from 1965 to 1991 Mr. Haley's tenure there was the absolute ultimate feat in the annals of TV anywhere in the world. The same can no doubt be said of Jay Miltner's tenure there as well.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Tom Haley in his various personifications at WKYC TV 3, he was a steady personality with an easy smile. Obivious, I don't know what he was like behind the scenes - but as Edward R. Murrow would say (not an exact quote), its what comes out of the box that counts. Tom will be missed by viewers.
ReplyDelete- Andrew, MALL727.net -