'People Are Funny' Host Art Linkletter Dies at Age 97

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted May 26th 2010 03:30PM

Art Linkletter, who hosted the popular TV shows 'People Are Funny' and 'House Party' in the 1950s and 1960s, has died. He was 97.

His son-in-law, Art Hershey, says Linkletter died Wednesday at his home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles.

'Art Linkletter's House Party,' one of television's longest-running variety shows, debuted on radio in 1944 and was seen on CBS-TV from 1952 to 1969.

Though it had many features, the best known was the daily interviews with schoolchildren.

"On 'House Party,' I would talk to you and bring out the fact that you had been letting your boss beat you at golf over a period of months as part of your campaign to get a raise," Linkletter wrote.

"All the while, without your knowledge, your boss would be sitting a few feet away listening, and at the appropriate moment, I would bring you together," he said. "Now, that's funny, because the laugh arises out of a real situation."

Linkletter collected sayings from the children into 'Kids Say The Darndest Things,' and it sold in the millions. The book '70 Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965' ranked 'Kids Say the Darndest Things' as the 15th top seller among nonfiction books in that period.

The primetime 'People Are Funny,' which began on radio in 1942 and ran on TV from 1954 to 1961, emphasized slapstick humor and audience participation -- things like throwing a pie in the face of a contestant who couldn't tell his Social Security number in five seconds, or asking him to go out and cash a check written on the side of a watermelon.

The down-to-earth charm of Linkletter's broadcast persona seemed to be mirrored by his private life with his wife of more than seventy years, Lois. They had five children, whom he wrote about in his books and called the "Links."

But in 1969, his 20-year-old daughter, Diane, jumped to her death from her sixth-floor Hollywood apartment. He blamed her death on LSD use, but toxicology tests found no LSD in her body after she died.

Still, the tragedy prompted him to become a crusader against drugs. A son, Robert, died in a car accident in 1980. Another son, Jack Linkletter, was 70 when he died of lymphoma in 2007.

Art Linkletter got his first taste of broadcasting with a part-time job while attending San Diego State College in the early 1930s. He graduated in 1934.

"I was studying to be an English professor," Linkletter once said. "But as they say, life is what happens to you while you're making other plans."

He held a series of radio and promotion jobs in California and Texas, experimenting with audience participation and remote broadcasts, before forming his own production company in the 1940s and striking it big with 'People Are Funny' and 'House Party.'

Linkletter was born Arthur Gordon Kelly on July 17, 1912, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. His unwed mother put him up for adoption when he was a baby; when he was about 7, he and his adoptive parents moved to the United States, eventually settling in San Diego.

He recalled his preacher-father forced him to take odd jobs to help the family. So Linkletter left and became a hobo, hopping trains across the West, working where he could. He recalled later that he felt the religious faith instilled by his father had been a great gift.

After leaving daily broadcasting in 1969, Linkletter continued to write, lecture and appear in television commercials.

Among his other books, were 'Old Age is Not for Sissies,' 'How To Be a Supersalesman,' 'Confessions of a Happy Man,' 'Hobo on the Way to Heaven' and his autobiography, 'I Didn't Do It Alone.'

A recording Linkletter made with his daughter Diane not long before she died, 'We Love You, Call Collect,' was issued after her death and won a Grammy award for best spoken word recording.

"Life is not fair ... not easy," Linkletter said in a 1990 interview by The Associated Press. "Outside, peer pressure can wreak havoc with the nicest families. So that's the part that's a gamble.

"But I'm an optimist. Even though I've had tragedies in my life, and I've seen a lot of difficult things, I still am an optimist."

Linkletter is survived by his wife, Lois, whom he married in 1935, and daughters Dawn and Sharon.

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Comments

(101)

Wednesday 26 May

By Al

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I used to watch him and my parents had his book "Kids say the darndest things"... I used to read it once a year till I was out of the house... He was so good at getting kids to admit to what their parents told them not to say...

By Sandra Brown

I remember watching his show while growing up. Then later on,
Mr. Linkletter wrote a book called A Hobo On My Way To Heaven.
I think that was the title. I loved that book. I also read his book on Kids Say The Darnest Things. The book was hilarious.

Rest in peace Mr. Linkletter

Thursday 27 May

By JZ

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I read his books as a child and they always made me laugh. I recall watching his TV show with my grandmother. Those are pleasant memories.
As an adult I was living in West Hollywood and went to the Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Blvd. And there was Mr Linkletter. I didn't want to bother him. It was enough just to see him and see that he made so many people around him happy. Our waitress said what a nice man he was and a good tipper. Just as I thought he would be. The world is a little less nicer without people like him. Thank you for all the joy you brough Mr. Linletter.

By gandlaf073

I meet the man over thirty five years ago. He came to my high school to give an anti drug talk and I interviewed him for our school newspaper. A very genuine, nice and funny guy. A great representitive of the greatest generation. RIP Art.

By royboy

I grew up with a lot of wonderful people, people we all loved.Now we lost another wonderful person we all loved and enjoyed. i hope i live a happy life like he did.we will miss you art!GOD BLESS YOU.

By Rudy

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! Thank you sir for all the good....Great times!

By Leigh

I remember this man from my childhood. A very kind and good man! Lots of wonderful memories! Rest in Peace, Mr. Linkletter. You are among the angels now. Oh, how I wish our world was the same as it was then!

By Jim

RIP brother.

By nchamlong2

I remember meeting him in person at a charity dinner when I was in high school. I asked him to sign my autograph book, and he did so graciously. He was as warm and loving in person as he was on TV. He shall be surely missed!

By laurie

j-if you couldn't stand the man,then why post? You are a disgrace.
I remember "Kids say the darndest things" on tv.It was great.He was a nice man. Rest in peace and bless your family.

By d81840

I had no idea that he was still alive.

He sure brought a lot of laughs into this boys life. I remember my mom making me read his "Kids Say the darnedest Things". We all laughed at those darn kids, our whole family, even my dad.

It was a treat to see him interact with the little kids on his show. I really miss his good clean fun.

I wish his family and loved ones sympathy and warm thoughts.

By Piedmont Pete

Art didn't just think outside the box.
He refused to get in the box!!!
Will never forget the night his "Kids say the darnedest things" went to pre-recorded status for good about the time TV was all black and white.
Beautiful little, sweet-faced pre-school girl advised him she knew a knock-knock joke.
Immediately Art said "O.K."
Little girl replied "Knock, knock."
Art dutifully6 responded, "Who's There?"
"Bisquick

By Ralph

Hello! Anybody there? Where's my e-mail confirmation?

By Don

A more wonderful and kinder man never existed. His rapport with all the kids was the greatest. There was never any bad written about him or spoken about him. He was a great man who lived a long and happy life and brought joy to millions of people. Rest in piece Art, you did good.

By T. Jones

I have never enjoyed a good belly laugh since Mr Linkletter and his kids left the air.
My prayers are with Mrs Linkletter and her family as they continue in their earthly journey without Mr Linkletter.

By ead17

Awkward moment when Timothy Leary at a gala was sat at the same table as Linkletter, who wouldn't look at him. There are people in the world who have been hurt by the unintended side effects of drug use, which may have been the case regarding Linkletter's daughter. That happened so long ago, I remember a teacher saying that she was on LSD and jumped out a window. I guess he's finding the answers to those questions now. Nice guy, though, he had a show on daytime TV and I used to get set down in front of the tube to be baby sat by old Art Linkletter, I still remember that. So long Art, you were a happy face for zillions of kids across this crazy country. Letterman made the best joke: Art Linkletter just released a new book: Skinheads Say The Darndest Things.

By ralph

What the h