The host of 'Pinky's Corner' was known as 'Mr. Atlantic City'
Seymour "Pinky" Kravitz, the Atlantic City radio personality who was a media fixture in the resort town for nearly 60 years, has died.
Kravitz, 88, longtime host of the WOND-AM program "Pinky's Corner," died on Saturday, The Press of Atlantic City reports.
The stalky radio mainstay, who stood 6 feet 5 inches, hosted the talk show from the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and wrote a column of the same name for The Press.
Kravitz, who lived in Margate and had hosted "Pinky's Corner" since 1958 from various Atlantic City locations, only recently left radio -- he officially retired in August, after undergoing heart surgery in May. The Press reported that May 15 was the first time Kravitz called in sick in his 56 years as host of the show.
The radio man, born in West Virginia, moved to Atlantic City with his family when he was 7. In 1988, the alumnus of Atlantic City High School told the New York Times that a class bully gave him his famous nickname.
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Kravitz, who won a basketball scholarship to New York University, joined the Merchant Marines after high school and later served in the Army, according to several reports. Working as a teacher, he began his career in radio in 1956 at Philadelphia's WLDB-AM. Earlier in his career he taught school during the day and hosted a radio show at night. For a time, Kravitz also hosted a talk show for NBC-TV's former Channel 40, which closed in 2014.
Kravitz, who could be seen at local events -- including the Miss America pageant -- wearing his signature sweaters, was a constant advocate for his hometown and the region. He was sometimes called "Mr. Atlantic City."
"All of his fans were his extended family," his son, Greg Kravitz, told The Press. "Hopefully somebody or a group of people will do the same thing he did and take the hard line to get things done and improve the area. He was dedicated to making an impact."
There will be a public memorial service for Kravitz at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Beth El Synagogue, 3133 N. Jerome Ave. in Margate.
Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.
