Jerry Blavat was 82 years old at the time of his death.
Jerry Blavat was born on July 3, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States to a Jewish father and an Italian mother.
The American disc jockey Jerry Blavat, known as “The Geator with the Heater,” promoted oldies music on the radio.
In 1953, Blavat came into the limelight as a dancer on American Bandstand on WFIL-TV with Bob Horn.
In 1956, he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors and worked as Don Rickles’ valet between 1958 and 1959.
Blavat started his radio career with a talk show he hosted from the Venus Lounge in South Philly in 1960. By 1963, he was syndicated in Atlantic City, Trenton, Camden, Pottstown & Allentown Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware.
Blavat was a partner in the Crimson and Lost Nite record labels and was part owner of the Record Museum record stores.
From 1965 to 1967, Blavat produced and hosted the weekly television show The Discophonic Scene in Philadelphia.
In 1972, Blavat purchased a nightclub in Margate, New Jersey, and named it “Memories”.
His autobiography You Only Rock Once: My Life in Music was published in 2011.
Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Hall of Fame in 1993, recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and was honored on the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
At the time of Blavat’s demise, he was still heard regularly on his own Geator Gold Radio network, and on his weekly Saturday night show on WXPN-FM (88.5), The Geator’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Rhythm and Blues Express.
Jerry Blavat died of complications from myasthenia gravis and related health issues on January 20, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.