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Art Linkletter Founding San Diego State Student Radio Station

Canadian-born American TV personality

Fine art Linkletter

Art Linkletter in 1957.JPG

Linkletter in a promotional photo for People Are Funny in 1957

Born

Arthur Gordon Kelly


(1912-07-17)July 17, 1912

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada

Died May 26, 2010(2010-05-26) (aged 97)

Bel Air, Los Angeles, California

Occupation Radio and idiot box personality
Years active 1933–2010
Spouse(s)

Lois Foerster

(m. 1935; his death2010)

Children 5, including Jack Linkletter and Diane Linkletter
Signature
Art Linkletter (autograph).png

Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly [1] [2] [three] or Arthur Gordon Kelly;[iv] [2] [5] [6] sources differ, July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and idiot box personality. He was the host of Firm Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, which aired on NBC radio and boob tube for 19 years. He became a naturalized United States denizen in 1942.

Old clips from Linkletter'southward House Political party program were later featured equally segments on the first incarnation of Kids Say the Darndest Things. A serial of books followed which contained the humorous comments fabricated on-air by children. He appeared in four films.

Early life [edit]

Linkletter was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. In his autobiography, Confessions of a Happy Man (1960), he revealed that he had no contact with his natural parents or his sister or two brothers since he was abandoned when only a few weeks erstwhile. He was adopted by Mary (née Metzler) and Fulton John Linkletter, an evangelical preacher.[7] [8]

When he was 5 his family unit moved to San Diego, California, where he graduated from San Diego High School at age xvi. During the early on years of the Slap-up Depression he rode trains around the land doing odd jobs and meeting a wide diversity of people.[9] In 1934 he earned a bachelor's caste in teaching from San Diego State Teachers College (at present San Diego Land University), where he was a fellow member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. While attending San Diego Country he played for the basketball team and was a member of the swimming team. He had previously planned to attend Springfield Higher, simply did not for financial reasons.

In 1935 he met Lois Foerster. They were married at Grace Lutheran Church building in San Diego, November 28, 1935. Their marriage lasted until Linkletter'south death, 74 years later.

Career [edit]

From radio into television [edit]

After receiving his teaching caste Linkletter decided to go to work as a radio announcer at KGB in San Diego, because radio paid better than pedagogy. He directed radio programs for fairs and expositions in the mid-1930s. Afterwards, he moved to San Francisco and connected his radio career. In 1943 Linkletter pleaded guilty to falsely claiming United states of america citizenship;[10] he was fined $500 and permitted to utilize for citizenship.[eleven] In the 1940s Linkletter worked in Hollywood with John Guedel on their pioneering radio show, People Are Funny, which employed audience participation, contests and gags. The series served every bit a prototype for hereafter radio and television game shows.[nine] People Are Funny became a television show in 1954 and ran until 1961.[12]

Sam Berman's extravaganza of Linkletter for NBC's 1947 promotional volume

Early on tv set and motion picture appearances [edit]

Other early tv set shows Linkletter worked on included Life With Linkletter with his son Jack (1969–1970) and Hollywood Talent Scouts (1965–1966). He also acted in two movies, People Are Funny (1946) and Champagne for Caesar (1950). Following an appearance in No Greater Beloved (1960), Linkletter would cease to appear in feature films.

Linkletter declined the opportunity offered by his friend Walt Disney to invest in the Disneyland theme park project, forth with building and operating the Disneyland Hotel, due to Linkletter's doubts about the park's prospects. But, out of friendship for Disney, Linkletter volunteered his experience as a alive plan broadcaster to help organize ABC'south coverage of the Disneyland opening in 1955 on what was his 43rd birthday. Besides being an on-air host, he recruited his ii co-hosts: Ronald Reagan and Bob Cummings. The park opening experience convinced Linkletter that Disneyland was going to exist a huge success. When Disney asked what he could do to show his gratitude for the circulate's role in the successful launching of the park, Linkletter asked for Disneyland's camera and film concession for its commencement ten years, a request that was quickly granted. This turned out to be extremely lucrative.[xiii]

In the 1950s Linkletter hosted a 15-minute serial for syndication titled Art Linkletter and the Kids, seen locally on Sat mornings in some areas.[xiv] [15]

On February 23, 1961, Linkletter and his son, Jack Linkletter, appeared together in "The Bible Man," one of the last episodes of Dick Powell's Zane Greyness Theatre, which aired for v seasons on CBS. In the story line Linkletter is cast as the Reverend Albert Pierce, a traveling evangelist who is estranged from his grown son, Jimmy (Jack Linkletter), because he had tried to avoid telling Jimmy of the real circumstances of the death of Jimmy'southward mother. The son accused his begetter of causing the mother'south death past burning down her house. Notwithstanding, she was already dead earlier the burn down considering a paramour had beaten her to death. The episode ends with the reconciliation of male parent and son. "The Bible Homo" was Jack Linkletter's just dramatic acting appearance. Information technology was the outset of 2 dramatic tv appearances by Art Linkletter. His second appearance came in episode 15, season six of the series Wagon Train in 1962 alongside Nancy Reagan. When on television, he otherwise played himself.[ commendation needed ]

Linkletter appeared for two stints of ii weeks each every bit a invitee host of The Tonight Show in 1962 between Jack Paar'due south sudden departure and Johnny Carson'south arrival equally its new host.[16]

Toy and game promotions [edit]

In the 1950s Linkletter became a major investor in and promoter of the hula hoop.[17] [eighteen] In 1963, Linkletter became the endorser and spokesman for Milton Bradley'due south The Game of Life. His picture appeared on the game's $100,000 bills and likewise on the box, framed by the statement "I heartily endorse this game."[19]

Art Linkletter's Kids [edit]

Art Linkletter'south Kids was a 1963–64 gag cartoon console fatigued by the prolific cartoonist Stan Fine and distributed by Male monarch Features Syndicate.

Later on years [edit]

In the 1960s, Linkletter started a dance school, the Fine art Linkletter School of Jazz, Tap, and Ballet, in Pomona and Claremont, California.

After three public meetings in 1967, an eight-fellow member Los Angeles Urban center Council committee cleared Linkletter and City Quango Member Tom Shepard of charges that they were linked in a scheme to influence city purchase of the "financially troubled" Valley Music Theater in Woodland Hills.[20]

In 1988, he appeared as himself on the syndicated sitcom Small Wonder in the episode "Come Wing With Me." At i point he was a spokesman for National Home Life, an insurance company.

Activism [edit]

A registered Republican who campaigned for his old friend Ronald Reagan for President of the United States, Linkletter became a political organizer and a spokesman for the United Seniors Clan, now known equally USA Next, an alternative to the AARP. As part of this role, Linkletter was active in campaigning for more stringent restrictions on elderly motorists. He was besides a fellow member of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (which ended in November 2008).

In 1978, he wrote the foreword to the bestselling cocky-help book Release Your Brakes! past James W. Newman, in which he wrote, "I believe none of us should always terminate growing, learning, changing, and beingness curious well-nigh what's going to happen next. None of us is perfect, and then we should be eager to learn more and try to exist more constructive persons in every part of our lives."

In 2005, at the historic period of 93, he opened the Happiest Homecoming on Earth celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. Half a century earlier, he had been the commentator on the opening twenty-four hours celebrations in 1955. For this, he was named a Disney Legend.

Philanthropy [edit]

Linkletter invested wisely,[9] enabling his considerable philanthropy. A member of Pepperdine University's Board of Regents, Linkletter was also a long-term trustee at Springfield Higher, where he donated funds to build the swimming center named in his laurels, the Fine art Linkletter Natatorium.[21]

Awards and honors [edit]

Linkletter received a lifetime achievement Daytime Emmy award in 2003. He was inducted into the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame. He also received honorary degrees from several universities, including his alma mater, San Diego Land University; Pepperdine University; and the University of Prince Edward Isle. For his contribution to boob tube, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on 1560 Vine Street. Linkletter received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Accomplishment presented by Awards Quango member Lowell Thomas in 1975.[22]

Personal life [edit]

Linkletter had one of the longest marriages of any well-known person in America, at nearly 75 years. He married Lois Foerster on November 25, 1935, and they had v children: Arthur Jack, Dawn, Robert, Sharon and Diane. Lois Foerster Linkletter survived her married man by sixteen months, dying at the age of 95 on October 11, 2011. They outlived three of their five children.

On October four, 1969, 20-year-sometime Diane died afterwards jumping out of her sixth-floor kitchen window.[seven] Linkletter claimed that her death was drug related because she was on, or having a flashback from, an LSD trip (toxicology tests later determined there were no drugs in Diane's arrangement at the time of her death).[23] Subsequently Diane's death, Linkletter spoke out against drugs to prevent children from straying into a drug addiction. On October 24, 1969, he said "Anybody who has said anything which would encourage my daughter to take LSD was unwittingly a part of existence her murderer."[24] His record, "We Dearest You, Call Collect", recorded before her decease, featured a discussion about permissiveness in modern club, along with a rebuttal past Diane, titled "Dear Mom and Dad". The record won a 1970 Grammy Award for the "Best Spoken Word Recording".[23]

Son Robert Linkletter died in an automobile accident on September 12, 1980.[25] Another son, Arthur, died from lymphoma in 2007.[26]

In early on 2008, Linkletter suffered a mild stroke. He died on May 26, 2010 at age 97 at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California.[9] [12] [27] [28]

After his death, Phyllis Diller stated, "In a couple of months Fine art Linkletter would take been 98 years old, a full life of fun and goodness, an orphan who made it to the meridian. What a guy."[23] He was survived past his wife, Lois and daughters Dawn Griffin and Sharon Linkletter, as well as seven grandchildren and xv dandy-grandchildren. Alexis Linkletter, his oldest cracking grandchild, has pursued a career in broadcasting and hosts a number of pop criminal offence podcasts and produces documentary television.[ citation needed ]

Filmography [edit]

Moving-picture show [edit]

Year Title Office Notes
1946 People Are Funny Master of Ceremonies Motion-picture show debut
1950 Champagne for Caesar Happy Hogan
1957 The Snow Queen Himself - English language Prologue
1960 No Greater Love Final film

Television [edit]

Year Championship Role Notes
1942-1960 People are Funny Himself NBC Radio & Television Game Evidence
1945-1967 Firm Party Himself CBS Radio & Television
1950 Life with Linkletter Himself
1955 The Jack Benny Plan Himself Episode: "Peggy King & Fine art Linkletter"
The Christophers
1957 Mr. Broadway Television receiver Movie
1957-1962 Full general Electric Theater Various Roles
1961 Zane Grey Theatre Reverend Albert Pierce Episode: "The Bible Man"
1962 The Danny Thomas Testify Himself Episode: "A Hope Is a Promise"
Wagon Train Sam Darland Episode: "The Sam Darland Story"
1967 Batman Himself Episode: "Catwoman Goes to Higher"
1968 The Red Skelton Hour Hobo Episode: "Love Is an Crawling You Tin can't Scratch"
1970 Here's Lucy Himself Episode: "Lucy Loses Her Cool"
1998-present Kids Say the Darndest Things Executive Producer 1998-2000 Bill Cosby 1998-2000 CBS Host;

Tiffany Haddish 2019-2020

ABC Host & CBS 2021-

Works [edit]

  • Linkletter, Art (1957). Kids Say the Darndest Things!. Englewood Cliffs, Due north.J.: Prentice-Hall. OCLC 336428.
  • Linkletter, Art (1960). The Underground World of Kids. New York: Pocket Books. ASIN B0007FZ0X0.
  • Linkletter, Fine art (1962) [1960]. Confessions of a Happy Man . with Dean Jennings. New York: Pocket Books. OCLC 21491400.
  • Linkletter, Art (1962). Kids Sure Rite Funny!. Bernard Geis Acquaintance. ASIN B001KZ1FU8.
  • Linkletter, Art (1962). Kids STILL say the Darndest Things!. Pocket Books, Inc. ASIN B0007FZWBA.
  • Linkletter, Art (1965). A Child's Garden of Misinformation. Random House. ASIN B0007DSKPW.
  • Linkletter, Fine art (1968). I Wish I'd Said That! My Favorite Ad-Libs of All Time. Doubleday. ASIN B000MTRRQO.
  • Linkletter, Fine art (1968). Oops! Or, Life's Awful Moments. Pocket Books. ASIN B0007FBEFS.
  • Linkletter, Art (1968). Linkletter Down Under. Kaye Ward. ASIN B000KP2O3Q.
  • Linkletter, Art (Feb 1970). "Nosotros Must Fight the Epidemic of Drug Abuse!". Reader's Digest: 56–60.
  • Linkletter, Art (1973). Drugs at my Door Pace. Westward Publishing Group. ISBN0-87680-335-4.
  • Linkletter, Art (1974). Women are My Favorite People. Doubleday. ISBN0-385-05226-X.
  • Linkletter, Art (1974). How to be a Super Salesman: Linkletter's Art of Persuasion. Prentice-Hall. ISBN0-13-396606-2. [[]]
  • Linkletter, Art (1979). Aye, Y'all Tin can!: How to Succeed in Concern and Life. Spire. ASIN B000O8ZB8O.
  • Linkletter, Art (1980). I Didn't Do It Alone: The Autobiography of Fine art Linkletter equally Told to George Bishop. Ottawa, Illinois: Caroline House Publishers. ISBN0-89803-040-4. OCLC 6899386.
  • Linkletter, Art (1990). Old Historic period is Not for Sissies. Bookthrift Co. ISBN0-7917-1479-9.
  • Linkletter, Art (2006). How to Make the Rest of Your Life the All-time of Your Life. with Marking Victor Hansen. Thomas Nelson. ISBN0-7852-1890-4.

References [edit]

  1. ^ Art Linkletter; Dean Jennings (1960). Confessions of a Happy Man. Bernard Geis Associates. p. eleven. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly of Canada. They are my real parents, and I am their son, Gordon Arthur Kelly, better known in evidence business every bit Art Linkletter.
  2. ^ a b "Shifting styles after 22 years of banal fun" (PDF). Dissemination. October ii, 1967. p. 83.
  3. ^ "The Fine art of Fine art Linkletter". Cincinnati Enquirer. Feb 5, 1967. p. 170. My maiden proper noun was Kelly. I was born Gordon Arthur Kelly. I was adopted past a Baptist lay government minister named Fulton John Linkletter.
  4. ^ "Art Linkletter Confesses 'I've Never Met My Real Parents'". Deseret News and Telegram. Apr 17, 1961. They are my real parents and I am their son Arthur Gordon Kelly, improve known every bit Art Linkletter.
  5. ^ Ray Poindexter (1978). Golden throats and silver tongues: the radio announcers. River Road Press. p. 108.
  6. ^ Joseph F. Clarke (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 102.
  7. ^ a b Isle of man, Arnold (November xi, 2002). "Preacher'southward Kid". Time. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  8. ^ "Art Linkletter Biography (1912-)". Filmreference.com . Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d Grimes, William (May 26, 2010). "Art Linkletter, TV Host, Dies at 97". The New York Times . Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  10. ^ "Linkletter Pleads". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. Vol. 24, no. 4. January 25, 1943. p. 26.
  11. ^ "Linkletter Fined". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. Vol. 24, no. 5. Feb 1, 1943. p. 26.
  12. ^ a b Oliver, Myrna, Nelson, Valerie J. (May 27, 2010). "Art Linkletter dies at 97; broadcasting pioneer created 'Kids Say the Darndest Things'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  13. ^ The "Due east" Ticket #forty (2003)
  14. ^ Art Linkletter and the Kids 1 (1 of two), YouTube
  15. ^ Art Linkletter and the Kids 2 (2 of 2), YouTube
  16. ^ Here'southward…(not withal)…Johnny!
  17. ^ "1950s Hula Hoop vintage photograph Art LINKLETTER and kids | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr. September 25, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  18. ^ "Art Linkletter Discusses His Career in Television". Larry King Alive. CNN. June 30, 2000.
  19. ^ Zenobia, Jason (May 26, 2010). "The Flaming Chef: "I Heartily Endorse This Obituary"". Jasonzenobia.blogspot.com . Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  20. ^ Erwin Bakery, "Probe Clears Councilman and Linkletter". Los Angeles Times, August 5, 1967, folio 3.
  21. ^ Aquatics: Swim Lessons, Springfield College website
  22. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Accomplishment". world wide web.accomplishment.org. American University of Achievement.
  23. ^ a b c "Idiot box Show Host Art Linkletter Dies at 97". foxnews.com. May 26, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  24. ^ Gilliland, John. (1969). "Popular Chronicles Interviews #129 - Art Linkletter - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  25. ^ Obituary: "Robert Linkletter" The New York Times. September xiii, 1980
  26. ^ Obituary: "Jack Linkletter, Second-Generation TV Host, Dies at lxx", The New York Times, December 21, 2007.
  27. ^ Duke, Alan (May 27, 2010). "Legendary broadcaster Art Linkletter is dead at 97". CNN . Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  28. ^ "Television receiver Prove Host Art Linkletter Dies at 97". Fox News. Associated Press. May 26, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2010.

External links [edit]

  • Appearance On What's My Line nine/17/61 on YouTube
  • "Art Linkletter, dies age 97"
  • Art Linkletter at IMDb
  • Disney Legends profile
  • Retro Galaxy: Kids Say the Darndest Things!
  • Interview with Fine art Linkletter
  • Collection of quotes
  • 2000 interview with Larry Male monarch
  • Linkletter's view on federal drug policy
  • Art Linkletter biography
  • Art Linkletter: America'southward Fun Uncle, Life.com slideshow
  • Art Did the Darndest Things . . . to Your Jokes (Dick Cavett on writing for Linkletter)
  • Art Linkletter at Notice a Grave
  • Art Linkletter at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television

gregoryvist1985.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Linkletter