Former Radio Nova favourite and American broadcaster Bob Gallico has passed away at the age of 83 near his home in Salem Massachusetts where he had retired.
Bob left Ireland in 2004 following a highly celebrated broadcasting and acting career that spanned six decades on two continents. He’s known for his time at the original Radio Nova and was more recently making content for BondiTunes.
He was known as the man with the golden voice thanks to his deep American tones and is the grandson of Italian Composer Paolo Gallico and the son of American Novelist Paul Gallico.
He is survived by his daughter Janine, son Michael, Granddaughter Gemma, Grandson Ronan, and Great Grandson Jack.
DJ Henry O’Donovan said: “I met Bob in 1984 on the great Radio Nova in Ireland and he has been a close friend ever since. Bob has done hundreds of hours of content for BondiTunes since it started three years ago. a consummate professional and a dear, dear man. I will miss him so much.”
Seán McCarthy: Bob leaves behind a body of work online and in umpteen audio recordings that are not stored in a private archive, but held in collections maintained by many of his fellow broadcasters, radio anoraks,
and avid fans, a body of work that any broadcaster would learn an enormous amount from, and then some. Bob Gallico’s infectious adventurous ‘get up and do it’ spirit lives on. It’s the same spirit that saw Bob recording material in his home-based studio in Salem Massachusetts right up until only recently. Quitting was not on Bob’s table, and he never resigned to working on what he loved to do most in life. Farewell Bob my old friend. You were a Giant among Lilliputians.
Tamar Simon Hoffs, Hollywood Director: “It’s a sad day for all of us who loved Bob. His was a unique voice. Booming, yet intimate, and always important. A voice you listened to when you heard it. Bob was a good friend who can never be replaced. God love him. Condolences to all who loved Bob. Tammy.”
Eric Lawlor: “Thanks for all the good times in the 80 on Nova a true gent may you. R.I.P”
Enda Calwell: “Rest In Peace my dear friend. I have just found out the news of his passing in the last few minutes… never got to say goodbye properly. Used to Skype with him regularly and in 2009 we recorded his life story so watch this space. Meantime, let’s prepare to say goodbye to one of the greatest men to have graced Ireland’s airwaves. Chris Cary told me at Radiodag 2007 that on hearing his demo in Nova in 1981 he said to Sybil “GET HIM ON NNOOOWWWW!!!!!!!!!” God Bless you Bob, from Enda.”