NEWS

Long-time radio personality dies at 92

STOMPING GROUNDS: Wally Crouter Walkway is in the busy Yonge Street hub near the station where the radio personality worked for decades.
STOMPING GROUNDS: Wally Crouter Walkway is in the busy Yonge Street area near the station where the late radio personality ruled the air waves for decades.

Wally Crouter, the voice of Toronto’s morning radio for 50 years, has died at age 92.

Crouter died peacefully in his sleep at Sunnybrook Hospital on Monday morning, NEWSTALK 1010 announced.

Walter Crouter was born on Aug. 5, 1923, in Lindsay, Ont. He began his career in Peterborough at CHEX. On Nov. 1, 1946, he started at CFRB — now NEWSTALK 1010 — and quickly elevated becoming the stations highest-rated and most famous morning host, working out of the CFRB studios at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue.

He retired on Nov. 1, 1996, 50 years to the day after starting at the old CFRB.

Following his retirement Crouter was inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. Crouter was honored by the City of Toronto with a midtown walkway in his name, off Yonge just north of St. Clair.