Jeff Kaye, Voice Of NFL Films, Dead At 75
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - You may not know the name, but if you grew up in the Delaware Valley, you undoubtedly recognize his voice. Jeff Kaye, the man who replaced the legendary John Facenda as the "voice" of NFL Films for so many years passed away Friday of cancer at the age of 75.
Award Winning sports writer, reporter and KYW Newsradio contributor Ray Didinger worked closely with Jeff Kaye for the 12 years he held a Producer position at NFL Films. Didinger says Kaye had a tough act to follow.
"It was sort of like being the coach who followed Lombardi in Green Bay -- it was that daunting a task. But Jeff was very good. First of all, he had a great voice. He had a quality of a natural story teller, he was a real football fan. He understood the game. To be frank, he understood the game more than John did!"
Didinger says Kaye knew how to take the words of a script and bring them to life, most of the time in one take.
"He would take your script and almost without exception he would make it better than you ever thought it was going to be coming out of your typewriter."
Didinger says that same determination was what helped Kaye triumph and retain his voice after cancer appeared on one of his vocal cords.
