Bill Kimble(1930-2012)
- Actor
William L. Kimble was born on Dec. 23 1930 in the little town of
Sunbury, PA. After four years in the Air Force he returned home to
Sunbury where he first broke into radio as a DJ in the mid 50s.
He later moved to Binghamton, New York where he hosted the morning show and began working in local television for WNBF. He starred in the kid's TV program "Barnacle Bill" in the late 50s and early 60s with his puppet sidekick "Iggy".
While Dick Clark was hosting ABC's Bandstand in Philadelphia, Bill was hosting Bandstand at ABC's affiliate station in Binghamton. On one occasion he was even called to fill in for an ailing Mr. Clark. He later worked as a radio personality and program director at stations in Buffalo NY, Joliet IL, and Scranton PA before settling down in Philadelphia, PA.
While in Philly, he became the evening voice of WPEN "Station of the Stars" where he worked from 1984 to 1998. Bill invited his listeners to allow him to "Kimble-ize" them with his deep, resonant voice. Bill had quite a following and helped to make WPEN the highest rated "Nostalga" format of any big city in the country (Philadelphia Inquirer 1988).
During his time in Philly, Bill did modeling work for print as well as appearing in two locally filmed movies: "Mannequin" and "Blades".
Bill retired from "the business" in 1998 and lived quietly with his wife Valerie in Jeffersonville, Pennsylvania. Bill passed away at home on March 6, 2012 at the age of 81.
He later moved to Binghamton, New York where he hosted the morning show and began working in local television for WNBF. He starred in the kid's TV program "Barnacle Bill" in the late 50s and early 60s with his puppet sidekick "Iggy".
While Dick Clark was hosting ABC's Bandstand in Philadelphia, Bill was hosting Bandstand at ABC's affiliate station in Binghamton. On one occasion he was even called to fill in for an ailing Mr. Clark. He later worked as a radio personality and program director at stations in Buffalo NY, Joliet IL, and Scranton PA before settling down in Philadelphia, PA.
While in Philly, he became the evening voice of WPEN "Station of the Stars" where he worked from 1984 to 1998. Bill invited his listeners to allow him to "Kimble-ize" them with his deep, resonant voice. Bill had quite a following and helped to make WPEN the highest rated "Nostalga" format of any big city in the country (Philadelphia Inquirer 1988).
During his time in Philly, Bill did modeling work for print as well as appearing in two locally filmed movies: "Mannequin" and "Blades".
Bill retired from "the business" in 1998 and lived quietly with his wife Valerie in Jeffersonville, Pennsylvania. Bill passed away at home on March 6, 2012 at the age of 81.
