Indiana Broadcast History Archive

Durward Kirby was a versatile television personality best known for his roles as a sidekick to Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show and co-host with Allen Funt on Candid Camera. His career spanned radio and television, where he gained a reputation for his laid-back humor and ability to transition seamlessly between comedy, sales, and hosting. Recognized for his smooth on-screen presence, he became a household name in the early days of television and was later inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Broadcast Hall of Fame. 

Kirby was born Homer Durward Kirby in Covington, Kentucky, on August 24, 1911, but moved to Indianapolis as a teenager. He studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University but stumbled into broadcasting when he was asked to fill in as a radio announcer. This moment led him to drop out and pursue a career in radio, working in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Chicago. During his time at WLW in Cincinnati, he gained recognition for his coverage of the devastating 1937 flood. 

Kirby’s television career began after World War II, during which he served in the U.S. Navy. He hosted the Club Matinee Show with Garry Moore on the NBC Blue radio network before transitioning to television in 1949. However, he was a regular on Moore's television shows from 1950 to 1968. Kirby also played a key role in The Garry Moore Show as Moore’s sidekick and later co-hosted Candid Camera from 1961 to 1966. He also became a prominent announcer, performing in the first-ever color TV commercial on CBS. 

Beyond television, Kirby authored three books, My Life, Those Wonderful Years, Bits and Pieces of This and That, and a children’s book called Dooley Wilson. His name was also spoofed in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon series when the characters were looking for the “Kirward Derby”.  

He retired from broadcasting in 1973 and passed away in 2000 at the age of 88.  

March 2025

Katherine Maners

Indiana Broadcast Pioneers