Researching Tom Kennedy

Born in St. John's, Newfoundland, Kennedy was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and at Ryerson University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism. He began working at The Globe and Mail as an editor and reporter. He then moved on to CBC News in 1976 where he spent the next twenty-five years.

He was one of the few Canadian journalists present when the crisis in Tiananmen Square hit in Beijing, in June 1989. He won the Gemini Award for Best News Reportage at the 4th Gemini Awards, for his coverage of Tiananmen Square. He later won a second Gemini Award for Best News Reportage at the 14th Gemini Awards in 1999.

In 2001, he became the CTV News bureau chief in London, England and spent the next dozen years covering major international events. Beginning in 2012, he was based out of Toronto, doing documentaries for CTV's newsmagazine series W5, for which he won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Host or Interviewer in a News or Information Program or Series at the 3rd Canadian Screen Awards in 2015. He left CTV in 2015, following a round of staffing cutbacks.

He was formerly married to Global National anchor Dawna Friesen, and is now divorced.

Tom Kennedy is the son of a professional trumpet player. He began playing acoustic bass at the age of nine on a double-bass brought home by his older brother, jazz pianist Ray Kennedy. Soon he began to perform with many nationally recognized artists passing through the Midwest. By his 18th birthday, he had performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Stan Kenton, James Moody, Barney Kessel, Eddie Harris, George Russell, Nat Adderley, Peter Erskine, Bill Watrous and Freddie Hubbard.

Kennedy specialized in acoustic jazz until his introduction to the electric bass at the age of 17. Soon he was dividing his time between mainstream jazz and progressive jazz fusion. He moved to New York City in 1984. He has performed and recorded with Dave Weckl, Don Grolnick, Steve Khan, Randy Brecker, Benny Green, Bucky Pizzarelli, Bill Connors, Al Di Meola, Mike Stern, Steve Ferrone, and Junior Cook.

Kennedy was raised in the Bronx, New York City, and graduated from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he studied film.

Kennedy worked as an editor for the PBS children's show, Big Blue Marble, during his early career. In 1977, he moved from New York City to Los Angeles. He soon became a project director, editor and writer for became the Kaleidoscope Films, one of Hollywood's major creators of film trailers. Kennedy oversaw the audiovisual creative advertising for the clients of Kaleidoscope Film and worked on the advertising campaigns for numerous films during the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. His portfolio at Kaleidoscope included The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Terminator, The Year of Living Dangerously, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Kennedy directed one feature film, Time Walker, a low budget movie released in 1982 by New World Entertainment, which was owned by Roger Corman.

Kennedy left Kaleidoscope in 1992 and joined Cimarron/Bacon/O'Brien that same year as a partner and executive producer in the firm. Kennedy oversaw the audiovisual advertising and film trailer campaigns at Cimarron/Bacon/O'Brien for the 1990s major studio films Basic Instinct, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Unforgiven, The Mask, Get Shorty, True Lies and Broken Arrow.

Kennedy became the senior Vice President of creative advertising at MGM/UA in 1997. He oversaw the relaunch of the James Bond film franchise, beginning with Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997. He further established his own production studio, Technical Knock Out Pictures, in 2000.

Additionally, Kennedy performed voice over work for numerous film trailers and promos for television networks, including Showtime and ABC.

Tom Kennedy died in West Hills, California, on December 7, 2011, at the age of 63. He was survived by his three children: Jesse Kennedy, a film producer; Shane Kennedy, a musician; and Samantha Kennedy, an actress; and three grandchildren.