Adapted from Variety, issue of 10/24/84:
Kenneth Lee (Ken) Carpenter, 84, veteran television and radio announcer, died Oct. 16, 1984 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, following a brief illness. A native of Avon, Illinois, Carpenter graduated from Lombard College in Galesburg in 1921. (The college closed in 1930.) Inspired by sportscaster Graham McNamee, Carpenter moved to Hollywood in 1929 where he became a staff announcer at KFI radio in Los Angeles. One of his duties was to announce USC and UCLA football games. His play-by-play call of the 1935 Rose Bowl football game on NBC put him in demand for other programs nationally.
He became Bing Crosby's announcer in 1936 shortly after Bing took over the hosting duties of the Kraft Music Hall. Carpenter remained Bing's announcer through the next 26 years, even appearing in Bing's 1940 film, "Rhythm on the River." He also announced on the wireless for numerous Armed Forces Radio Services broadcasts during World War II as well as Al Jolson's Kraft Music Hall, “The Great Gildersleeve,” “The Life of Riley” and the “Chase and Sanborn Hour” featuring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. He announced radio and television versions of "Lux Theatre" and "One Man's Family," and narrated numerous movie trailers and feature films including "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." In 1946 Carpenter became the first announcer to be elected national president of the American Federation of Radio Artists. In 1960 for his work in radio he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6706 Hollywood Blvd. He is survived by his wife, Betty, whom he met in college, and a son.