TeleTales #105…Before They Were Famous: Narz And Powers

TeleTales #105…Before They Were Famous: Narz And Powers

From the late 1950’s, here’s a shot of a commercial rehearsal on “The Bob Crosby Show” at Television City. On the right is floor director Dave Powers. He would go on to direct “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Three’s Company,” “The Ropers,” and “Mama’s Family.”

On the left is the man most of us know as Tom Kennedy, but as he has told me, at the time this photo was taken, he was still Jim Narz. He is the younger brother of another famous Hollywood host and announcer Jack Narz. As Jim’s fame grew, so did confusion among agents and show bookers, so out of respect to Jack, he took a new stage name.

As you see in the photo, Tom Kennedy is doing a Betty Crocker cake mix spot. One of the first times he did this live, he thought he would help the “sell” and took a bite. No one had told him the cake was made of putty, to hold up under the lights, and when he bit into it live, Bob Crosby laughed so hard, it took him five minutes to finally quit laughing. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

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