Thomas Leahy, 64; Former CBS President, Started Cable Venture

Thomas Leahy, 64, a former CBS president who helped develop one of the company’s first cable ventures during a 30-year career with the network, died Friday of cancer at a hospital in New York City.

A native of the city, Leahy earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Manhattan College.

He joined CBS in 1962, working in a number of sales positions before being named vice president of sales for CBS Television Stations in 1971. He became general manager of the network’s flagship station, WCBS-TV New York, in 1973.

Leahy was named president of the CBS Television Stations division in 1977, and in 1986 rose to president of the CBS Television Network, where he remained until 1989. He left CBS, now a unit of Viacom Inc., in 1992.

After retiring from CBS, Leahy served as president of the Theatre Development Fund in New York City. He also served as dean of Queens College’s school of journalism, media and information studies.