Larry Kane, known as the dean of Philadelphia television news anchors, will mark 55 years in Philadelphia broadcasting in September 2021. He’s been in broadcasting since the age of 15 in Miami radio in 1957. After his anchoring career ended, Kane hosted the Voice of Reason program on The Comcast Network through 2014. Kane is currently a special contributor for Audacy’s (formerly CBS) KYW News radio, and was a consultant for NBC Sports Group, including NBC’S regional sports networks and the Golf Channel, where he worked developing broadcaster’s careers and advising management. . Larry has also worked with The Comcast Corporation in a management advisory role, mentoring and advising managers and executive at different levels. In a “different role” Kane has a major part in Ron Howard’s film “Eight Days A Week”, The Touring Years., produced by White Horse pictures. He was featured as an honored guest September 15, 2016 in London at the film’s premier alongside Howard, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Larry owns the largest collection of personal interviews of the Beatles in the world. He is currently helping behind the scenes with New Zealand ‘s famous director Peter Jackson on a new Beatles film titled “Get Back”.
This veteran of 23 political conventions since 1968 (including the historic. 1968, 2008 and 2012 and 2016 conventions) Kane is perhaps most well known for his insight on American politics and government. He has travelled on several national campaigns: Joe Biden in 1987, Michael Dukakis in 1988, and three New Hampshire primaries. Inside political stories were featured in 2000 in his first book “Larry Kane’s Philadelphia’ (Temple Press, Foreword by Dan Rather and cover blurb by Governor Tom Ridge)), a regional best seller. As the only broadcast journalist to travel to every stop on the Beatle’s 1964 and 1965 tours, Kane authored “Ticket to Ride” in 2003 (Running Press, Penguin Paperback, Foreword by Dick Clark) and Lennon Revealed (Running Press), a New York Times and Los Angeles Times Bestseller in 2005. Recently, he released his first novel, “Death By Deadline”, a cautionary mystery about the dangers of bad information, and the risks of out-of-control local TV News operations. The Publisher is Dynamic Images Inc. Kane’s book, “When They Were Boys, the True Story of the Rise of the Beatles” was released in 2014. Ticket To Ride, his first book on his travels with the Beatles became an e-book on all platforms several years ago. Ironically, in 1968, it was the Beatles who brought him to London, where, quite by accident, he witnessed the arrest of James Earl Ray, in a London airport. Ray would later be convicted for the killing of Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. That was part of a month long journey to Paris to cover the student riots, to Berlin to cover the Russian stranglehold in the Berlin Blockade, and back to London for the arraignment of the accused King assassin. Back in Philadelphia he covered the dramatic rise of Frank Rizzo as Mayor, and the ascent of Wilson Goode as the first African-American Mayor. Statewide he was the first reporter to interview Governor Bob Casey after his life saving heart and liver transplants.
The Emmy Award-winning newsman was honored by the Mid-Atlantic Emmy organization with their Governor’s Award in 2005, recognizing Lifetime Achievement. In the annals of broadcast history, Kane is best known for the success of Action News at WPVI in Philadelphia, where, with some of the most innovate minds in broadcasting, he helped propel the station in one year, from 1970 to 1971, to first place in the news ratings. The Action News format changed the face of contemporary broadcasting in the early 1970’s, placing the emphasis on local news connected to extraordinary community involvement by stations across the country. His success brought him to New York and ABC News and WABC TV. After 18 months, he returned to Philadelphia and completed his unique trifecta, working for the NBC and CBS stations. Kane is the only news anchor to anchor a total of 39 years at all three Philadelphia owned and operated TV stations.
His assignments have included the Middle East peace talks; the return of the American hostages from Iran to Wiesbaden, West Germany; the devastating earthquake in Naples, Italy; the 1987 Superpower Summit between Reagan and Gorbachev, seven visits to the Middle East and an in-depth interview in Poland with Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa. In 1985 he and his colleagues at WCAU TV were honored with the prestigious Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for their coverage of the confrontation between Philadelphia Police and the radical group MOVE. In 1961, as a young radio News Director, Kane broke the story of the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, a development that occurred after months of creating relationships with the Miami-based Cuban exile underground. Kane has covered the administrations of eight Philadelphia Mayors. His interviews have included a Vatican chat with Pope John Paul , in 1986, and the very first LIVE LOCAL in person interview with a President with Gerald Ford in 1976.
Kane has interviewed a virtual who’s who of newsmakers, including every President from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump before he became President, in 1965 and 1966. Kane conducted groundbreaking radio interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. During his time as a radio broadcaster in 1963 in St. Louis. Kane had landmark interviews with the minister who would be known as Malcolm X. In the spring of 1963, he covered the first civil rights march in a protest led by Comedian Dick Gregory at the Jefferson Bank in St. Louis..
Recognized as a leading proponent of the rights of the disabled, Kane was campaign chairman of the Delaware Valley Multiple Sclerosis Society for 42 years the National MS Society named a medical fellowship for Larry Kane, after his tenure on the MS Board,. His connection to MS was a calling he assumed after the death of his mother, because of MS, at the age of 40. For 45 years, Kane has broadcast weekly features on radio and TV in connection with the National Adoption Center to find homes for waiting children, along with many other non-profit endeavors. He resides in suburban Philadelphia with his wife, Donna. They have two children and six grandchildren.