‘Hollywood Squares’ host and Broadway star Peter Marshall dies at 98

ABC News ^ | August 15, 2024 | Andrew Dalton

[OttawaFreeper]

Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” has died. He was 98.

He died Thursday of kidney failure at his home in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, publicist Harlan Boll said.

Marshall helped define the form of the smooth, professional, but never-too-serious modern game show host on more than 5,000 episodes of the series that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1981.

[OttawaFreeper]

RIP. Say hello to Alex, Monty, Richard, Gene, Bob, Bill, Bert, Dick, and of course Johnny (Olson).

[No name given]

Rest In Peace, Peter Marshall.

[LukeL]

I somehow knew every person in that list.

[Dr. Sivana]

RIP. Say hello to Alex, Monty, Richard, Gene, Bob, Bill, Bert, Dick, and of course Johnny (Olson).

You barely scratched the list. From memory, not Internet searches (except to confirm death):

Art Fleming
Jack Barry
Art James
Chuck Barris
Hugh Downs

The following are still with us:
Wink Martindale
Bob Eubanks

[OttawaFreeper]

Appreciated. I know there are many names, including Tom Kennedy and Allen Ludden.

[devere]

He was Joanne Dru’s younger brother. Rest in peace.

[virgil]

His son Pete LaCock played on the Chicago Cubs. RIP

[Dr. Sivana]

Appreciated. I know there are many names, including Tom Kennedy and Allen Ludden.

Thank you! "You Don't Say", Split Second", "Name That Tune" and Mr. Betty White hosting "Password". We both forgot Dennis James.

I was a big time game show fan as a kid. After getting sick of seeing the same cartoons, and having no use for soap operas, "The Magnificent Marble Machine", "Split Second", "The Gong Show", "Truth or Consequences" and "Eye Guess" were great ways to spend a half hour. I only regret that I was to young to see the original Supermarket Sweep.

[clintonh8r]

John Daly

[Olog-hai]

Good thing you didn’t put Paul Lynde on that list . . .

[clintonh8r]

Bud Collyer

[Dan in Wichita]

His son Pete LaCock played on the Chicago Cubs. RIP

Yes, I recall Curt Gowdy mentioning that quite a few times.

[Roadrunner383]

We’re retired. After lunch and supper my wife will go to the bedroom for an hour or so and turn on the TV as background while she plays on her iPad. A lot of times she has reruns of ‘70s game shows on the TV. All those C list ‘celebrities’, and hosts like Peter Marshall, Gene Rayburn etc ride again.

[Dr. Sivana]

John Daly was just before my time, but that jogs my memory for "To Tell the Truth's" Gary Moore.

We could almost have a thread just on people who are more known as being professional game show panelists than anything else these days:

Jaye P. Morgan
Arlene Francis
Soupy Sales
Kitty Carlisle

[clintonh8r]

Jack Bailey

We need an edit function

;^)

[Dr. Sivana]

Bud Collyer. Also before my time, though I knew he was also the voice of radio’s Superman.

[virgil]

I just remembered him as a kid watching the Cubs. He played 1st base as I recall.

[clintonh8r]

Bennet Cerf

Dorothy Kilgallen

[OttawaFreeper]

Speaking of John Daly, we could mention Wally Bruner and Larry Blyden as well.

[Dr. Sivana]

Jack Bailey

Wow. You know the real oldies. I only knew Jack Bailey from the "Truth or Consequences" credits, not knowing he was Bob Barker's predecessor.