Art Linkletter Dies at 97

Hosted “People Are Funny,” “House Party,” more during long television career

Art LinkletterArt Linkletter, host of TV’s "People Are Funny" and "House Party," has died at the age of 97.

His son-in-law Art Hershey told the Los Angeles Times that Linkletter died Wednesday at his home in Bel-Air.

Linkletter is the only person in TV history to have five shows concurrently on network television.

Born Arthur Gordon Kelly in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, he was given up for adoption by his birth family as a baby and adopted by evangelical preacher Fulton John Linkletter and his wife, Mary. He graduated from San Diego State University, where he competed on the swim and basketball teams.

He hosted two of the longest-running shows on U.S. broadcast television. Variety show "Art Linkletter’s House Party" launched on CBS radio in 1944 and was seen on CBS TV from 1952 to 1969. The primetime "People Are Funny," a blend of slapstick humor and audience participation, got its start on NBC radio in 1942 and then ran on TV from 1954 to 1961.

Art Linkletter"House Party" had a popular segment that involved Linkletter interviewing children, who would answer with unabashed honesty. That gave birth to books and specials called "Kids Say the Darndest Things."

Linkletter was good friends with Walt Disney, and shared his birthday with Disneyland. He hosted the theme park’s grand opening TV special, "Dateline: Disneyland," in 1955, although Disney could only afford to pay him scale for the job. In return, Linkletter asked for the park’s camera and film concessions for 10 years, a smart move that paid off significantly.

Linkletter returned to Disneyland 50 years later to help host the celebration on July 17, 2005.

In a statement, Disney president-CEO Bob Iger said, “Throughout Art’s 60 years in show business, he remained one of the most respected and beloved media personalities in America. Art had forged a great friendship with our founder Walt Disney, which led him to host Disneyland’s ground-breaking live opening day broadcast on ABC in 1955. Art had remained a good friend to the company ever since, and we honored him with the prestigious Disney Legends Award in 2005. On behalf of everyone at Disney, we are saddened by Art’s passing and extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.”

Linkletter retired from daily broadcasting in 1969, but he continued to write, lecture and do commercials.

Among his other books were "Old Age Is Not for Sissies," "Confessions of a Happy Man" and autobiography ”I Didn’t Do It Alone."

He is survived by his wife, the former Lois Foerster, whom he wed in 1935, making theirs likely Hollywood’s longest-lasting marriages. They had five children, Arthur Jack (known as Jack and also a TV host), Dawn, Robert, Sharon and Diane. Jack died in 2007 of lymphoma; Robert died in a car accident and Diane leaped out of a sixth-story window in an incident her father said was related to LSD use, although that was never proved.

A recording Linkletter made with Diane, "We Love You, Call Collect," was issued after her death and won a Grammy for spoken word recording.

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