Jerry Dunphy has Died at Age 80

NBC (4) Los Angeles | 05/20/2002 | NBC News

[DoughtyOne]

Jerry Dunphy of KCAL television, commentator since 1953, has died as a result of a heart attack that occurred last Wednesday.

[StopDemocratsDotCom]

rest in peace...

[DoughtyOne]

Dunphy at age 80 still anchored KCAL channel 9 News in Los Angeles up until last week. Even at 80 Dunphy was a very capable anchor and had a vast following. He will be greatly missed.

[bybybill]

...from the desert to the sea...

[StopDemocratsDotCom]

In 1989, KCAL was preparing to launch a new era in television journalism. The station naturally looked to Jerry Dunphy to head up the anchor teams on Prime 9 News, an unprecedented three hours of news in prime time. Dunphy's integrity along with his balanced, fair, and no-nonsense reporting made him the perfect choice, and he agreed to join what would soon become the nation's most honored local news operation.

Before joining Prime 9 News Dunphy spent many years at KABC, where he helped build a solid foundation for a news organization that is still a leader today.

His long and distinguished anchor role began in 1960 at KNXT (now KCBS). In 1995, KCBS celebrated a "homecoming" when it lured Dunphy back to where he started. In 1997, it was KCAL's turn to celebrate as the veteran anchorman returned to Prime 9 News.

With more than 50 years in broadcasting and nearly 40 years on Los Angeles television, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't recognize the silver-haired dean of L.A. anchors, or his familiar on-air greeting, "From the desert to the sea to all of Southern California, good evening".

[DoughtyOne]

Jerry Dunphy

[Russell Scott]

Yep, he was a Los Angeles icon, right along side George Putnam. I hope I see him in the Kingdom. I believe I will.

[DoughtyOne]

Refresh my memory Russell. Jerry was shot several times about fifteen to twenty years ago as he drove his convertable Rolls Royce nearby the KCAL studios. His wounds were quite serious, but he was a tough old coot and returned to work a short time later.

[the_Watchman]

I remember him from KNXT during the '60s in Los Angeles. He was a square shooter.

[Minutemen]

Sorry to learn of Jerry Dunphys' passing. I watched him way back in the 60's on Los Angeles television. He was a Fine man.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, he did have that same look right up until the end. He was made of hearty stock. Dunphy, Putnam, Fishman, Scully, Hearn, these guys are amazing folks. They continue to put out excellent product year after year.

[PRND21]

Sad news.
L.A. staple.

[DoughtyOne]

I believe you will too.

[Joe Hadenuf]

The wife and I have been commenting for the last two years that he ought to retire and go fishing, spend time with the family or whatever. Guess he was just a creature of habit and just couldn't let it go.

Real good guy. Will miss him.

[monkeyshine]

Very sad. God Bless him and his loved ones.

[Joe Hadenuf]

If my memory serves me correctly, it was a knife used as a weapon against them, not a firearm. I could be wrong. Knife comes to mind though.

[monkeyshine]

You have an excellent memory. You are correct about the shooting.

[Joe Hadenuf]

You bet. "From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California".

Jerry will always be remembered by those words.