'The View' Cast Mourns Show Co-Creator and Longtime Executive Producer's 'Sudden Death'
Family, friends and colleagues are mourning the death of Bill Geddie, the co-creator of “The View,” who died Thursday from coronary issues.
Geddie, 68, passed away at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, Geddie’s daughter Allison confirmed to People magazine on Friday.
Allison remembered her father as “the greatest man I knew” and described him as “an upbeat guy who was always cracking a joke.”
“When he had an opinion everyone wanted to hear it and they trusted what he had to say. Everything he touched turned to gold. He was kind, supportive, and had impeccable integrity,” she told People. “We are devastated by this loss but are so grateful that we got this incredible man in our lives for as long as we did.”
Geddie is best known for co-creating and producing “The View” alongside Barbara Walters, who died last year at the age of 93. He left the talk show in 2014.
The show launched in 1997 with co-hosts that included Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar and Debbie Matenopoulos. Of the original panelists, Behar is the only one who still remains on the show.
Several of the show’s current co-hosts have mourned his death on social media, with “The View” also releasing a statement through its Twitter account.
It’s with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of ‘The View’ co-creator and one of television’s most well-respected producers, Bill Geddie. pic.twitter.com/7PdPTFF4aW
— The View (@TheView) July 21, 2023
“We are saddened by the sudden death of Bill Geddie,” Behar posted to Twitter. “As a producer, he kept us together and was very loyal to his staff. Bill loved comedy and plenty of laughs not to mention a good cigar. I’m forever grateful to him and Barbara for the opportunity to be on the View. RIP ‘VIEWMASTER.'”
Show co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin both also took to Twitter to offer their condolences:
My friend & mentor Bill Geddie has transitioned at 68. Bill was the 1st person to believe that I could be a national talk show host. He told me after an audition for The View “you were sitting there watching the show instead of being on the show. Lean in like I know you can.” 💔
— Sunny Hostin (@sunny) July 21, 2023
So very sad to hear of Bill Geddie’s passing. I never had the privilege of working with him, but I knew of him as a brilliant producer & TV man. My prayers are with his family, loved ones, & the View team as we mourn his passing. https://t.co/jpRy4bbrT3
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) July 21, 2023
“The View” was not Geddie’s only project, however. He also notably worked as a producer on ABC News program “Good Morning America” and for “Tamron Hall,” and even wrote the script for the 1996 thriller “Unforgettable.”
Born in San Antonio, Texas, Geddie graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in communications and film.
According to Variety, he got his start in the TV industry by getting a job polishing floors at a local news station. He eventually convinced the news director to give him a job as a cameraman. There, he met his wife Barbara, who was working as an on-air reporter at the time. Geddie eventually got his first position as a producer for “PM Magazine.”
“He was a big deal in TV, but at home he was an even ‘bigger than life’ husband and dad,” Geddie’s family said in a statement to Variety. “He had a genuine love for television and entertainment. He would try everything and did it well — screenwriting, recording podcasts, playing guitar, writing songs, and loved a wide range of music from country to jazz.”
“His favorite band was The Beatles, and he never thought he would have the opportunity to meet one of personal heroes Paul McCartney in person, but his dream came true. The question wasn’t who did he meet, but rather who didn’t he meet?” they told the outlet. “He enjoyed connecting with people, and we know we are not the only ones who will miss his encouraging way of positive guidance.
“He did so with enthusiasm mixed with sarcasm. His special style of humor was filled with puns. He believed in honesty. He was a kind man of integrity and always wanted to do the right thing. He lived by example.
“The small things made him happy too. He enjoyed a great game of golf, his peppermint ice cream, and relaxing with a Bombay gin on the rocks with jalapeno & garlic stuffed olives. We are devastated to lose him yet are grateful we had him in our lives.”
Geddie’s family revealed to Variety that his death was brought on by “coronary-related issues.”
He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their two daughters, Allison and Lauren.
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