
Kenny Morse (born Kenny Morse Schaffel in New York City, the name Morse coming from his Uncle Morris Silverman, father of the famed opera singer BEVERLY SILLS) literally grew up in show business as the son of noted New York production executive HAL SCHAFFEL (who brought us such television classics as "HOWDY DOODY", "NAKED CITY" and "THE DEFENDERS" and movies such as "MIDNIGHT COWBOY" and "THE MAIN EVENT"). Kenny's brother BOB works as a senior program manager in the computer field.
As a child actor, Kenny had many parts on episodic television shows, commercials and was one of the original "Sonny"'s in the National Tour of the Broadway show "GREASE" and "Pilate" in the Los Angeles company of "JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR". He Associate Produced the Broadway show "THE HEIRESS" with Jane Alexander and Richard Kiley. A graduate of Boston University School of The Arts, he gained production management experience through the '80's as an Assistant Production Manager or Location Manager on many television movies. Kenny took a staff position in television development at 20th Century Fox in the late '80's.
Kenny was offered an opportunity in 1987 to take his show business and management experience to help make better drivers at LETTUCE AMUSE U/WEST COAST TRAFFIC SCHOOL, then, the largest in California, overseeing a stable of 40 teachers. He started teaching these classes himself which garnered him worldwide publicity.
In 1990, Kenny created "ASK MR. TRAFFIC" as a Los Angeles television and talk radio show. As a regular contributor on KFI Radio in LA, Kenny made the “Mr. Traffic” name an LA Icon and he was honored with the Southern California Cable Association's "DIAMOND AWARD" for "Best Live Call-in Show on Southern California Cable." The show ran from 1990-2008 as the longest running LIVE CALL-IN SHOW on Southern California Cable Time Warner.
Stories have been written in major Los Angeles papers and magazines as well as international television shows and newspapers about his traffic school classes and he has been featured on all major networks, PBS, Toronto, London and Paris television shows about driving in California. The latest profile done in the AUGUST 31, 2009 issue of THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE.
Mr. Traffic has appeared on many local and national television shows ranging from "Good Morning America," "Talk Soup," "The Home & Family Show" (on The Family Channel), "Mike & Maty," on ABC, "Great Day America (on PAX TV) and "EXTRA".
Kenny hosted his own radio show "THE DRIVING SHOW with Mr. Traffic", on KRLA in Los Angeles, and was a fill-in host on TalkRadio 790, KABC in addition to contributing to many other local, national and international TV & Radio shows. He now hosts DRIVETIME WITH MR. TRAFFIC on the Sirius/XM stations programmed by Premiere Radio Networks.
As a member of the California State Drunk Driving Task Force, Kenny helped shape new laws against the #1 most committed violent crime in America....Drunk Driving.
A lecturer on all the issues related to driving, Kenny's approach and commitment to making people safer on our has been the keynote speaker at huge corporations like EXXON and many smaller corporations like VONS, countless civic groups and the U.S. Government. He even appeared at the Paris Auto Show as "Monsieur Traffic." His speaking page can be found at http://www.mrtraffic.com/speaking.htm.
As a television Producer, in addition to "Mr. Traffic", Kenny has produced over 400 hours of programming in the past 23 years with his other two cable TV shows, "IN THE BIZ" and "A CONVERSATION WITH...", both educational ventures aimed at helping people be informed about issues in the Los Angeles community.
In the summer of 1995, Kenny created his worldwide public service resource on the Internet with his ASK MR. TRAFFIC website, the BEST drivers resource on the web where approximately 30,000 unique users visit daily.
Not forgetting his acting roots, his talents have ranged
from many TV/commercial/series and live musical theatre. Visit Kenny's SHOW
BIZ page to see more.
Kenny has been hosting the most popular singing show in Los
Angeles for the past 20 years, check it out…
www.karaokewithkenny.com
Kenny has the most requested traffic school class in California, based in Los Angeles and Orange County for THE IMPROV TRAFFIC SCHOOL, an offshoot of the famous comedy club THE IMPROV.