Betty Margaret Hannah KennedyOC (néeStyran; January 4, 1926 – March 20, 2017) was a Canadian broadcaster, journalist, author, and Senator. She is best known for her work on radio and television.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, the daughter of Walter Herbert Styran and Janet Kincaid (McPhee) Styran,[1] Kennedy graduated from Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and began her career with the Ottawa Citizen. She became a broadcaster, as a host of a local radio show, during a newspaper strike.[2] She was soon hired away by CFRB in Toronto where she became host of The Betty Kennedy Show in 1959; the daily interview and public affairs show remained on the air for 27 years with Kennedy interviewing 25,000 guests ranging from Pierre Trudeau to Debbie Reynolds.[3] In 1962, she joined the panel of the current affairs quiz show Front Page Challenge on CBC Television, remaining with the show until it went off the air in 1995.[4]
She wrote two books: Gerhard: A love story (1975), about her late first husband, and Hurricane Hazel (1979). Kennedy also had a vital career as an Executive Producer for television. Her series, Insight with Betty Kennedy, aired on TV Ontario (OECA) during the early 1970s. Robert Gardner, who worked with Kennedy as a studio director on the series, said of her: "She was remarkable. We would tape five half hour interviews live-to-tape in a single day. She would prep each of the sessions with very prominent guests and would flawlessly interview them. Often there was only a space of fifteen minutes between each program. There were no re-takes and not a single chance for error." She also executive-produced Leave this Not to Cain (narrated by Pierre Berton), This Vibrant Land, and she hosted An Eye for Eternity (the international fine arts exhibition at Montreal).
Kennedy's first husband, businessman Gerhard Kennedy, died of cancer in 1975. Her second husband was G. Allan Burton (1915–2002), CEO and Chairman of now defunct Simpsons department stores.[5][6]
She was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on June 20, 2000. She retired less than six months later on her 75th birthday.
"Kennedy, Betty (1926-2017)". Canadian Communications Foundation. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
"APPOINTMENTS TO THE SENATE". Privy Council Office. Retrieved February 13, 2005.
"CBC Digital Archives". Betty Kennedy, Reporter and Panellist. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
Distinguished broadcaster Betty Kennedy was unflappable Globe and Mail obituary by Susan Ferrier Mackay, April 7, 2017.
January 01, 1970
betty, kennedy, bridge, player, betty, kennedy, betty, margaret, hannah, kennedy, née, styran, january, 1926, march, 2017, canadian, broadcaster, journalist, author, senator, best, known, work, radio, television, honourableocsenator, ontarioin, office, june, 2. For the bridge player see Betty Ann Kennedy Betty Margaret Hannah Kennedy OC nee Styran January 4 1926 March 20 2017 was a Canadian broadcaster journalist author and Senator She is best known for her work on radio and television The HonourableBetty KennedyOCSenator for OntarioIn office June 20 2000 January 4 2001Appointed byJean ChretienPersonal detailsBornBetty Margaret Hannah Styran 1926 01 04 January 4 1926Ottawa Ontario CanadaDiedMarch 20 2017 2017 03 20 aged 91 Political partyLiberalSpousesGerhard Kennedy m 1948 died 1975 wbr G Allan Burton m 1976 died 2002 wbr Children4OccupationAuthorbroadcasterjournalist Contents 1 Biography 2 Honours 3 References 4 External linksBiography editBorn and raised in Ottawa Ontario the daughter of Walter Herbert Styran and Janet Kincaid McPhee Styran 1 Kennedy graduated from Lisgar Collegiate Institute and began her career with the Ottawa Citizen She became a broadcaster as a host of a local radio show during a newspaper strike 2 She was soon hired away by CFRB in Toronto where she became host of The Betty Kennedy Show in 1959 the daily interview and public affairs show remained on the air for 27 years with Kennedy interviewing 25 000 guests ranging from Pierre Trudeau to Debbie Reynolds 3 In 1962 she joined the panel of the current affairs quiz show Front Page Challenge on CBC Television remaining with the show until it went off the air in 1995 4 She wrote two books Gerhard A love story 1975 about her late first husband and Hurricane Hazel 1979 Kennedy also had a vital career as an Executive Producer for television Her series Insight with Betty Kennedy aired on TV Ontario OECA during the early 1970s Robert Gardner who worked with Kennedy as a studio director on the series said of her She was remarkable We would tape five half hour interviews live to tape in a single day She would prep each of the sessions with very prominent guests and would flawlessly interview them Often there was only a space of fifteen minutes between each program There were no re takes and not a single chance for error She also executive produced Leave this Not to Cain narrated by Pierre Berton This Vibrant Land and she hosted An Eye for Eternity the international fine arts exhibition at Montreal Kennedy s first husband businessman Gerhard Kennedy died of cancer in 1975 Her second husband was G Allan Burton 1915 2002 CEO and Chairman of now defunct Simpsons department stores 5 6 She was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chretien on June 20 2000 She retired less than six months later on her 75th birthday Kennedy resided in Campbellville Ontario near Milton Ontario with Burton 7 Kennedy died on March 20 2017 aged 91 Kennedy was named to both the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Canadian News Hall of Fame and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982 4 Honours editIn 1982 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada In 1983 she was elected to the Canadian News Hall of Fame In 1992 she was elected to the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame In 1998 she was made a Serving Sister in the Venerable Order of Saint John 8 In 2007 she was inducted into the Milton Ontario Walk of Fame 9 References edit Obituary Legacy com Front Page Challenge panellist broadcaster Betty Kennedy dies at 91 Canadian Press Retrieved March 21 2017 Journalist and broadcaster Betty Kennedy dies at 91 The Globe and Mail Retrieved March 21 2017 a b Watters Haydn March 21 2017 Journalist and broadcaster Betty Kennedy dead at 91 Cbc ca Retrieved March 21 2017 CBC Archives Cbc ca September 11 2001 Retrieved March 21 2017 Betty Kennedy journalist and Front Page Challenge panellist dead at 91 Thestar com 21 March 2017 Retrieved March 21 2017 G Allan Burton D S O C M E D LL D O S J K C L J B 1915 d 2002 Canada Gazette Part I Vol 132 No 13 Archived March 21 2012 at the Wayback Machine UPDATE Betty Kennedy one of Milton s first Walk of Fame inductees dies External links editBetty Kennedy Parliament of Canada biography Betty Kennedy at IMDb Kennedy Betty 1926 2017 Canadian Communications Foundation Retrieved March 21 2018 APPOINTMENTS TO THE SENATE Privy Council Office Retrieved February 13 2005 CBC Digital Archives Betty Kennedy Reporter and Panellist Retrieved December 2 2009 Distinguished broadcaster Betty Kennedy was unflappable Globe and Mail obituary by Susan Ferrier Mackay April 7 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Betty Kennedy amp oldid 1124203344, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
