CLEVELAND — 3News is mourning the loss of a member of our family who later became a huge player in the broadcast industry.
Bill Geddie, a former photographer and editor at WKYC who gained fame as co-creator of the daytime talk show "The View," has died at the age of 68. His family confirmed the news Friday afternoon, writing on Facebook that his passing was related to "sudden" coronary issues and that he "went quickly and didn't suffer."
"This loss is so big and we know it will take a long time for us all to heal from this," the post read, in part. "We loved him so much and we are so grateful that he was in our lives."
A native of San Antonio, one of Geddie's earliest jobs came at 3News here in Cleveland during the early 1980s, where besides his duties as a cameraman he also helped edit pieces for our special projects unit. Longtime WKYC assignment editor Lisa Lowry interned for Bill during that time while going to school at John Carroll University.
"He was kind, funny and a great mentor!" Lisa said of his death. "Gone too soon."
Working his way up the ranks, Geddie eventually formed a long-lasting partnership with television icon Barbara Walters, producing many of the legendary broadcaster's on-air specials including the annual "10 Most Fascinating People." In 1997, the pair launched "The View" on ABC, breaking new ground with an all-female cast of hosts and a willingness to discuss a wide range of hot-button issues.
Geddie earned a Daytime Emmy Award in 2003 for his work executive producing "The View," and nine years later was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, with National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chairman Malachy Wallace calling him "an icon in the television industry." He left the show in 2014 following Walters' retirement.
Geddie is survived by his wife Barbara and their two daughters, Allison and Lauren. Tributes have poured in from figures across the entertainment industry, including current and former co-hosts of "The View."