'A Giant In Every Sense': Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneer, Temple Icon Lew Klein Dies At 91
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia TV pioneer and longtime educators Lew Klein passed away Wednesday at the age of 91. Temple University confirmed Klein's death Thursday via a press release on their website.
The Temple community and the Philadelphia community will be feeling the loss of Klein for some time. Klein dedicated more than six decades of his life to teaching at Temple and mentored hundreds of professionals, including Bob Saget, throughout his career.
Klein was a broadcast pioneer, and educator and a philanthropist. He was everything and more to Philadelphia.
"I think the loss is extraordinary. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I think his presence will be felt here a long time," General Manager of Temple University TV Paul Gluck said.
A six decade teaching career at Temple University coincided with being a television executive in the city, forging a new path in media at a time when television had yet to be defined.
"He started in the business in the beginning. He started at WFIL when no one had the guts to put those things on the air," Temple Senior Vice Provost Betsy Leebron Tutelman.
Klein convinced Richie Ashburn to go into the broadcast booth. He groomed Bob Saget, Dick Clark and others.
"He was there at the birth of television when it was an empty screen. Immense hours of time to be filled and he and industrious people like him, designed what television is today," Gluck said.
Klein leaves a profound legacy as a leader in Philadelphia.
"There is no way to overstate, truly a giant in every sense of the term. And his legacy will live on," Temple President Richard Englert said.
Klein truly touched a lot of lives.
CBS3 reporter Dan Koob reports.
