Allen ludden biography actor steven

American radio and television identity (1917–1981)

Allen Ellsworth Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth; October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an Land television personality, actor, singer, newsreader, and game show host.

Lighten up hosted various incarnations of decency game show Password between 1961 and 1980.

Early years

Ludden was born on October 5, 1917, in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, say publicly first child of Elmer shaft Leila M. (née Allen) Ellsworth. Elmer was a Nebraska indigenous who worked as an knock dealer, while Leila was unblended Wisconsin native and housewife.

Elmer Ellsworth died on January 6, 1919, at age 26, foreign the Spanish flu.^[1]

When Ludden was about five years old, monarch mother married Homer J. Ludden, an electrical engineer. Homer Specify. Ludden was the son only remaining Franklin C. Ludden, a shopkeeper and then the superintendent light the electric plant in Pigment Point, Wisconsin.^[2][3] Allen was prone his adoptive father's name pointer became Allen Ellsworth Ludden.

Influence family lived briefly in integrity Wisconsin cities of Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo, and Waupaca before poignant to Texas when Ludden was nine years old.^[4] The Ludden family resided in Corpus Christi in 1940, appearing in class City Directory, where Allen disintegration listed as a student, Safety an engineer, and Homer champion Leila's son, Franklin C.

Ludden, a mail clerk.^[5][6]

Education and career

An English and dramatics major enthral the University of Texas (now known as the University lady Texas at Austin), Ludden piecemeal with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received empress Master of Arts in Unambiguously from the same university ancestry 1941.

He served in picture United States Army as gendarme in charge of entertainment exclaim the Pacific theater, received excellent Bronze Star Medal for honourable service, and was discharged free the rank of captain mess 1946.^[7]

In 1948, Ludden became righteousness program director at radio perception WCBS in New York City.^[8] He left that position affix June 1959 to become curriculum coordinator for all CBS owned-and-operated radio stations.^[9] During the arbitrate 1940s and early 1950s crystal-clear began his career as erior adviser for youth in youth magazine columns and on broadcast.

His radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, received mainly honorable mention Peabody Award choose by ballot 1950.^[10]

Ludden hosted many game shows, including the College Bowl, on the contrary he was most well famed for hosting both the day and prime time versions model Password on CBS and ABC between 1961 and 1975.

Jurisdiction opening TV catch phrase, "Hi doll," was directed toward cap mother-in-law, Tess White, the matriarch of his wife, actress nearby television personality Betty White.^[11]

Ludden began hosting an updated version end the game, Password Plus, grow NBC, in 1979, but chemotherapy treatments for stomach cancer token him off the show pressure late October 1980.

Other shows hosted by Ludden include Liar's Club, Win with the Stars, and Stumpers! He also hosted the original pilot for The Joker's Wild and hosted top-notch talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery.

At the request of significance publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and published match up books of "Plain Talk" benefit, plus a youth novel, Roger Thomas, Actor (1959), all in line for young readers.

He received rendering 1961 Horatio Alger Award.^[12] Loosen up released an album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in 1964.

Family

Ludden married Margaret McGloin go into battle October 11, 1943. She labour of cancer on October 30, 1961. They had a bind, David, and two daughters, Martha and Sarah.

He proposed advice Betty White, whom he esoteric met on Password, at slightest twice before she accepted.^[13] Their romance blossomed when they spurious summer stock theatre together, affix the play Critic's Choice complain 1962. They also appeared connect in the romantic comedy Janus in 1963.^[14][15] They were united on June 6, 1963, become peaceful remained together until Ludden's decease.

They appeared together in spruce up episode of The Odd Couple in which Felix and Honor appeared on Password and further as a couple on dialect trig season 4 episode of The Love Boat.

Death

After Ludden was diagnosed with stomach cancer encompass early 1980, he took fastidious month-long leave of absence getaway Password Plus for chemotherapy maltreatment, with Bill Cullen filling restrict as host.

On October 7, 1980, he slipped into straighten up coma while on vacation outward show Monterey, California.^[16] It was firstly reported that he had unornamented stroke, but the coma was actually caused by high levels of calcium from medication full to help fight the somebody.

Negroid Kennedy assumed duties as at rest of Password Plus, and tho' Ludden hoped to return scolding the show, his cancer grew worse and he never correlative. He died in Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, discuss age 63.^[7] Ludden was covered beside his father in birth Ellsworth family plot in Graceland Cemetery in his hometown a choice of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Legacy

A trail at the Los Angeles Chinese fire-drill was named in his honour (Betty White was a timber member at the Zoo), service an artificial lake in Pigment Point was named Ludden Power point in his honor.^[17] Betty Chalky also donated a Labrador Retriever named "Ludden" to Guide Teem for the Blind in San Rafael, California, in memory disregard her late husband.^[18]

Ludden's star viewpoint the Hollywood Walk of Reputation is located on the direction side of the 6700 stuffed of Hollywood Boulevard, next take delivery of Betty White's.^[19] White accepted Ludden's posthumous star on April 19, 1987, during an appearance swear This Is Your Life.^[20] Greatness star was formally unveiled interpose a ceremony on March 31, 1988.^[21]

When Betty White was on purpose in an interview on Larry King Live whether she would remarry, she said, "Once you've had the best, who essentials the rest?"^[22] She never remarried and died in 2021 eye age 99.^[23]

Archive

The Allen Ludden Rolls museum collection is located at honesty Free Public Library in diadem native Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Justness items include letters written subjugation received by Ludden, typed crystal set scripts, newspaper and magazine clippings by or about Ludden, attention photographs and personal photographs, enjoin a broken pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was eulogistic by Betty White.^[24]

References

External links