Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 6

6A DLTROIT FREE PRESSTUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1997 Dueling speeches Archer and Engler both scheduled to give annual addresses toniglit TO TUNE IN File photo For 27 years, Bill Kennedy, once a B-movie actor, hosted TV shows and interviewed guests such as actress Debbie Reynolds. "I le was a master showman from a bygone era," said Paul Prange of Channel 50. Archer's speech, Maldonado said. "We were juggling a variety of schedules." Gerald Faverman, a Lansing political analyst, scoffed at the explanation, "If WDIV sets the political agenda for the City of Detroit, Mr. Archer should run for head of WDIV," Faverman said, adding that by going on the same night as Engler Archer missed an opportunity to use his speech to score points outside the Detroit area.

He said coverage of Archer's speech outstate will be overshadowed by Engler's speech. Engler's speech date was announced in early December and Archer's was set later in the month. Truscott said Engler avoids conflicts with the State of the Union message, which Clinton will deliver Feb. 4. Truscott siid it's up to mayors to work around the State of the State address.

Archer's press secretary, Anthony Neely, said the date conflict was not contrived. He said Archer approached Engler about possibly changing his speech date, but was rejected. Adolph Mongo, a Detroit political consultant, said the average person doesn't care whether Engler gives his speech the same night as Archer. "Engler has his own agenda and Archer has his own agenda," Mongo said. The mayor's top aides and advisers wouldn't divulge the content of tonight's speech.

By Chris ciiristoff And Lekan oguntoyimjo Fire Press SlaI Writers It's supposed to be Gov. John Engler's big night with the media, but is Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer crashing the party? Engler's State of the State address will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. from the state Capitol on public television statewide. And for the first time, he'll compete for the spotlight with Archer's State of the City seech, which airs live on WDIV-TV (Channel 4) at 8 p.m. Archer will pre-empt the half-hour NBC comedy "Mad About You." But "mad at you" might more aptly describe Engler's political camp.

"It seems a little strange," Engler spokesman John Truscott said Monday, with a hint of irritation. "I guess it was an oversight on their Archer's speech was scheduled for tonight in part because that's what worked best for WDIV-TV. He couldn't do it last week because he attended President Bill Clinton's inauguration. Tonight worked for WDIV because the station's only and often-booked vehicle for remote broadcasts was available, said Henry Maldonado, WDrV-TV vice president of programming and promotion. The vehicle will relay the live segment to the station from the City-County Building in Detroit, where Archer delivers his address.

"We would have loved to move" Engler wants to Project Zero, from Page 1A sites had a higher percentage of working recipients than the average for other state welfare offices. "Some were significantly above average," said Parks, referring parti-culary to Ottawa County, near Grand Rapids. Before the state spends more money, she advises a look at what's working best. Right now, it's too early to tell. Project Zero began July 1 in west Detroit's Tireman district, western Wayne County's Romulus district and State Of The State By Gov.

John Engler When: 7 p.m. Where: House of Representatives chamber in the Capitol building in Lansing. Broadcast: Live on WTVS-TV (Channel 56) in Detroit, and all other public TV stations in Michigan. Live on WDET-FM (101.9), and by tape at midnight on WWJ-AM (950). State Of The City By Mayor Dennis Archer When: 8 p.m.

Where: 13th-fioor auditorium of the City-County Building in downtown Detroit. Broadcast: Live on WDIV-TV (Channel 4). WCHB-AM (1200) and WXYT-AM (1270). Taped broadcasts: Today WJR-AM (760) 9:30 p.m.; WWJ-AM (950), 11 p.m.; WWJ-TV (Channel 62). midnight; WJBK-TV (Channel 2), midnight.

Wednesday WXYZ-TV (Channel 7), 1:30 a.m.; WKBD-TV (Channel 50). 3 a.m.; WDET-FM (101.9). 6:30 a.m., 8:30 am program office could get jobs. Ross Innovative Educational Services provides the job preparation and placement for many of these recipients. The recipients earn $5.65 an hour, and after 90 days of being on the job, about 65 to 70 percent still have it, said Paul Mitchell, who runs the program.

The question, of course, is what happened to others," Mitchell said, adding that after 90 days some get better jobs, some lose their jobs, and some lose their jobs on purpose. Those that do could lose their youth. The stock market crash of 1929 got in the way. He also drove a milk truck. It was the dulcet tone of Kennedy's voice that led him toward a career in show business.

First in radio, then movies, finally television. His rocky, mostly downbeat 15-year movie career, which spanned bit parts and supporting roles in 60 films, even included brief spotlight moments opposite Bette Davis Voyageri and Cary Grant Hankering for a starring role, Kennedy sank $80,000 of his money into his own production, The People's Choice," in 1945. The movie bombed and Kennedy was bankrupt. Kennedy portrayed the slug who set fire to Ingrid Bergman in "Joan of Arc." He also supplied the voice to the unforgettable opening of the original "Superman" TV series, starring George Reeves. "Faster than a spading bullet," intoned Kennedy, "able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.

During his final years in Hollywood, Kennedy played a string of bad guys in early TV Westerns like The Cisco Kid" and The Gene Autry Show." "I don't think I ever had a chance to be myself except in those Westerns." Kennedy recalled during a 1981 interview with the Free Press. There was none of that Actors' Studio motivation crap about Why do open the They didn't have time for that. All the director was interested in was 'Can you ride a and 'Can you The last thing they asked was if you could act" During his long run on "Bill Kennedy at the Movies," the host frequently talked of his modest Holly TV host known as a natural showman KknnKDY, from Pafje 1A Ioiik battle with emphysema. He was 8. "I le was a master showman from a byjjone era," said Paul Prangc, program director at WKBD-TV (Channel 50).

That era, csxcially the 1950s, '60s and early 70s, also included signature Detroit TV personalities such as Soupy Sales. Rita Bell, Milky the Clown, Sir Craves Ghastly and wisecracking weathercaster Eliot, who replaced Kennedy as Channel 50's weekday movie host in 1981. (Kennedy hosted Sunday movies until he retired in 1983.) "Bill was unique," said Eliot. "He had this acerbic sense of humor. And he knew more about how Hollywood operated, especially in the old days, than any other person I knew.

"When he was doing his show, he had this haughty, almost arrogant and larger-than-life personality, but he was so knowledgeable. And you always had the sense that it was all tongue-in-cheek, that Bill was just playing another role." It was a role Detroit area TV viewers obviously loved. Beginning in 19., "Bill Kennedy at the Movies" aired for 13 years on Channel 9 in Windsor (then CKLW-TV. now CBET-TV). Kennedy switched to Channel 50 in 1969 and kept going for 14 years.

"Bill Kennedy at the Movies" was an entertaining mix of old, often classic movies, silver screen trivia and celebrity interview segments. "It was our own little piece of Hollywood right here in Detroit," said Channel 50's Ken Bryant, who was Kennedy's director-producer in 1976- On Kennedy's final show, which was taped at his home in Palm Beach, he sat poolside, looked into the camera, said "sayonora" and tossed a champagne glass into the pool. Kennedy was born in Cleveland IL'mWts, Ohio, on June 27. 1908. He bombed out as a stockbroker in his A NAME YOU CAN TRUST Oj ka EDR 30 EOR65 EDR 63 299 '349 359 Li Mm I double welfare-work A GcqciDdsCd EMPIRE BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME Doora Include Locks A Installation wood career.

And he interviewed everyone from Debbie Reynolds to Ricardo Montalban, with celebrities regularly making visits to the Kennedy set when they were in Detroit. His favorite interviews were with George Raft and Clint Eastwood. His least favorite interview subject? "Frank Sinatra Kennedy recalled in 1981. "He's a no-talent kid with the temperament of someone who has some." There are those who might have said the same about Kennedy. But they didn't know the man behind the bluster and bombast of his on-air persona.

Behind the scenes, Kennedy treated his coworkers, camera crew and staff with an engaging good cheer. He even remembered to bring doughnuts every Sunday morning. "On the air, Bill would give you that big, larger-than-life character," producer Bryant said. "But he was a down-to-earth person. He was a gentle soul." When Kennedy was hospitalized in Palm Beach in the mid '80s, the Free Press printed the address of the hospital and he was inundated with 2,500 cards and letters.

Kennedy, who had resided full-time in Florida since the early 1980s, is survived by his wife, Suzanne; two sons, Michael of Ft. Lauderdale and Bartley of West Palm Beach; a daughter, Patty, of Santa Cruz. two stepdaughters, Susan of Ft. Lauderdale and Leslie King of St. Clair Shores; a sister, Helen Kennedy, of San Pedro, and four grandchildren.

A funeral mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Edward's Church in Palm Beach. Donations may be tent to Hospice of Palm Beach County, 5300 East West Palm Beach, Fla. 33407.

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Project Zero sites have more room to experiment with welfare-to-work policies. Some provide transportation for clients who don't have it. Some match welfare recipients with volunteer mentors. All provide child care. One figure Engler often touts as an example of success is Detroit's Tire-man district.

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