A longtime voice here on KNX and a face on local television has passed away.
Tom Hatten is dead at the age of 92.
Tom Hatten was entertainment in Los Angeles from his early days just out of the Navy, to the Pasadena Playhouse, to acting gigs around the country.
If you grew up in LA, you know this man. RIP Tom Hatten, former @KNX1070 entertainment reporter, former @KTLA “Popeye” cartoons show host was 92. He was a very humble guy altho’ I kept thinking of him as LA media royalty. (Can I stop eating canned spinach now?) pic.twitter.com/r9jlEFb2p3
— Randy Kerdoon (@KNXRandyKerdoon)
March 18, 2019 You may remember his longtime stint as host of the Family Film Festival every weekend on KTLA or his daily entertainment reports and Oscar coverage on KNX.
His partner of 50 years, Pete Menifee, tells KNX he loved working at KNX but hated computer:
"The only thing he had a problem with at KNX was he was computer illiterate," Pete said.
That's something his KNX Oscar co-host Diane Thompson confirmed.
"Tom had an electric typewriter and he would write his script every day from his electric typewriter while the rest of us were using computers. He said that's the way he wanted to do it," she sai.d
Hatten died of natural causes in his sleep.
On a warm and beautiful day locally, perhaps it is only fitting that we learn of the passing of a warm and really beautiful man. Local media legend, and an actor with considerable credits, Tom Hatten has died. He was 92 years old. On @ktla he hosted the "Family Film Festival" pic.twitter.com/nYw320sGJg
— Sam Rubin (@SamOnTV)
March 16, 2019 He will be interred in his family plot in Idaho, but will always be remembered in Hollywood for his radio reports, his films and his TV roles too.
-KNX 1070
