Stu Nahan

Stu Nahan (June 23, 1926 – December 26, 2007) was a Canadian American sportscaster best known for his television broadcasting career in Los Angeles from the 1950s through the 1990s. He is also remembered for his role as a boxing commentator in the first five Rocky films. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6549 Hollywood Blvd. on May 25, 2007.

Early life and career

A native of Los Angeles, Nahan moved at age 2 with his mother to Canada, where he grew up playing ice hockey.

A star goalie at McGill University in Montreal, he signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League in 1946. He was assigned to the minor-league Los Angeles Monarchs, who through the early 1950s played at the Pan Pacific Auditorium.

Nahan originally began working on a children's television program, appearing as "Skipper Stu" in Sacramento in the 1950s. He worked for KCRA in Sacramento as a sportscaster. Nahan later moved to Haddonfield, NJ (near Philadelphia) where he hosted his own children's show as Captain Philadelphia, dressed in an astronaut outfit, on the now defunct WKBS-TV. During this stint, Nahan also provided the play-by-play commentary for the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers at WTAF, working alongside Gene Hart.

Film career

In the mid-to-late 1970s, Nahan began working in the movie industry. He always played a sports commentator, usually appearing as himself. Aside from the Rocky series, Nahan is also remembered for a brief appearance in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), in which he interviews the character Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) in a dream sequence; this scene was parodied in "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer" with a fictional "Stu Brewster" (portrayed by Bill Lewis). Nahan also had a bit part in the 1971 TV movie, Brian's Song, as the speaker who introduced Gale Sayers at the awards banquet where Sayers was named Rookie of the Year. He played a small but vital role in the Rocky films as the play-by-play commentator who called all of the fictional boxer's title bouts. Nahan's voice was used for the play-by-play in the computer boxing game that helped spark the title character's comeback in the sixth film of the series, Rocky Balboa. Additionally, he had a small role as an announcer in "The A-Team" episode, "Quarterback Sneak."

Los Angeles television market

Nahan was a sports anchor in the Los Angeles television market for roughly 30 years, with KABC-TV (1968–77), KNBC (1977–86) and KTLA (1988–99). He also spent time with radio stations KABC, KXTA, and KFWB. He was involved with the Los Angeles Dodgers' pregame show, from which he retired after the 2004 season.

Death

Nahan had battled lymphoma since being diagnosed in January 2006. He died at his home in Studio City, California, aged 81.

His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6549 Hollywood Blvd.