Kay Gardella

Kay Gardella (1923-April 14, 2005) worked at the New York Daily News for nearly sixty years. Born in Belleville, New Jersey, Gardella joined the News as a copygirl two years after graduating from the now-defunct Upsala College. Over the remainder of the century Gardella worked her way through the ranks, interviewing everyone from Frank Sinatra (one of the few female columnists he liked) to Edward R. Murrow. She was particularly close friends with Bob Hope and his wife Dolores. The paper named her radio and television editor in 1975, a critic in 1981 and finally a columnist in 1993. Gardella often mourned for the "golden age of Hollywood" and criticized declining values.

Gardella spent her final years battling cancer. Her last column appeared on March 19, 2005. On April 14 she passed away at Cabrini Medical Center. She was married to the late Daily News reporter Anthony Marino for many years, and left behind several nieces and nephews.