Jack Dennett (May 30, 1916 – August 27, 1975) was a Canadian

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

and

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

announcer An announcer is a voice artist who relays information to the audience of a broadcast media programme or live event. Television and other media Some announcers work in television production, radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, ...

. He began his career in radio at the age of sixteen at

CFAC :''CFAC also stands for Commander Fleet Activities Chinhae'' CFAC is an AM radio station serving Calgary, Alberta. Owned by Rogers Sports & Media, the station broadcasts a sports format branded as ''Sportsnet 960 The Fan'', co-branded with the ...

in Calgary, beginning with various odd jobs such as filing, then began filling in for the regular news announcer when he did not appear for work. In 1935, Dennett began conducting hockey interviews of players in the Regina Senior Hockey League. He enlisted in the

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

in 1940 although was soon

discharged Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...

due to suffering from

stomach ulcers Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines ...

. He returned to radio in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

at CKRC then shortly moved to Toronto in 1943 to take over

newscasts News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or televis ...

CFRB CFRB (1010 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is owned by Bell Media and carries a News/Talk radio format. Its studios and offices are in the Entertainment District at 250 Richmond Street West. CFRB is a clea ...

and eventually took over full-time slots in 1949. He became a regular on the radio and television broadcasts for the ''Saturday Night Imperial Esso Hockey'', later ''

Hockey Night in Canada CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...

''. He stopped broadcasting NHL radio games in 1962, continuing on in television. He was diagnosed with

bowel cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel m ...

and had surgery in January 1975 and returned to work, leaving just a month before his death. That same month, he was inducted into

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (french: Panthéon des sports canadiens; sometimes referred to as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame) is a Canadian sports hall of fame and museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Dedicated to the history of sports in Canad ...

. He died at the age of 59 in Scarborough General Hospital on August 27, 1975. Veteran broadcaster built up Canada's largest radio audience Dennett, Jack The Globe and Mail (1936-Current); Aug 28, 1975; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Globe and Mail pg. 13 He is also notable for having interviewed every

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

from

R.B. Bennett Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, (July 3, 1870 – June 26, 1947), was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935. Bennett was born in ...

Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau ( , ; October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000), also referred to by his initials PET, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada The prime mini ...

. He was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

References

External links

*
Canada Sports Hall of Fame

Canadian Communications Foundation biography
* 1916 births 1975 deaths Canadian radio news anchors Canadian sports announcers Deaths from cancer in Ontario National Hockey League broadcasters Canadian television sportscasters CBC Television people Burials at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto Canadian military personnel from Alberta Canadian military personnel of World War II Canadian television hosts {{Canada-radio-bio-stub