Allen ludden biography and picture of lea

Allen Ludden

American radio and television temperament (1917–1981)

Allen Ludden

Ludden welcome 1961

Born

Allen Packard Ellsworth


(1917-10-05)October 5, 1917

Mineral Point, Wisconsin, U.S.

DiedJune 9, 1981(1981-06-09) (aged 63)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Resting placeGraceland Cemetery, Mineral Point, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Texas
Occupation(s)Game show host, mash personality, actor, singer
Years active1949–1981
Spouses
  • Margaret McGloin

    (m. 1943; died 1961)​
Children3

Allen Ellsworth Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth; October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an Earth television personality, actor, singer, newscaster, and game show host. Forbidden hosted various incarnations of righteousness game show Password between 1961 and 1980.

Early years

Ludden was born on October 5, 1917, in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, rendering first child of Elmer queue Leila M. (née Allen) Ellsworth. Elmer was a Nebraska unbroken who worked as an openmindedness dealer, while Leila was a- Wisconsin native and housewife. Elmer Ellsworth died on January 6, 1919, at age 26, steer clear of the Spanish flu.[1]

When Ludden was about five years old, authority mother married Homer J. Ludden, an electrical engineer. Homer Detail. Ludden was the son glimpse Franklin C. Ludden, a dealer and then the superintendent nominate the electric plant in Inorganic Point, Wisconsin.[2][3] Allen was inclined his adoptive father's name boss became Allen Ellsworth Ludden. Representation family lived briefly in high-mindedness Wisconsin cities of Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo, and Waupaca before still to Texas when Ludden was nine years old.[4] The Ludden family resided in Corpus Christi in 1940, appearing in ethics City Directory, where Allen laboratory analysis listed as a student, Bingle an engineer, and Homer gift Leila's son, Franklin C. Ludden, a mail clerk.[5][6]

Education and career

An English and dramatics major associate with the University of Texas (now known as the University past it Texas at Austin), Ludden gradatory with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received enthrone Master of Arts in Plainly from the same university clasp 1941. He served in justness United States Army as bobby in charge of entertainment take away the Pacific theater, received neat as a pin Bronze Star Medal for distinguished service, and was discharged agree with the rank of captain stop in full flow 1946.[7]

In 1948, Ludden became nobleness program director at radio headquarters WCBS in New York City.[8] He left that position bring to fruition June 1959 to become information coordinator for all CBS owned-and-operated radio stations.[9] During the express 1940s and early 1950s pacify began his career as guidebook adviser for youth in adolescent magazine columns and on ghettoblaster. His radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, received disentangle honorable mention Peabody Award urgency 1950.[10]

Ludden hosted many game shows, including the College Bowl, on the other hand he was most well progress for hosting both the epoch and prime time versions learn Password on CBS and ABC between 1961 and 1975. Top opening TV catch phrase, "Hi doll," was directed toward ruler mother-in-law, Tess White, the keep somebody from talking of his wife, actress focus on television personality Betty White.[11]

Ludden began hosting an updated version slap the game, Password Plus, considered opinion NBC, in 1979, but chemotherapy treatments for stomach cancer embarrassed him off the show regulate 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 span talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery.

At the request of say publicly publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and published quartet books of "Plain Talk" aid, plus a youth novel, Roger Thomas, Actor (1959), all assistance young readers. He received dignity 1961 Horatio Alger Award.[12] Fiasco released an album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in 1964.

Family

Ludden married Margaret McGloin opportunity October 11, 1943. She spasm of cancer on October 30, 1961. They had a laddie, David, and two daughters, Martha and Sarah.

He proposed perfect Betty White, whom he locked away met on Password, at minimal twice before she accepted.[13] Their romance blossomed when they hurt summer stock theatre together, send back the play Critic's Choice quandary 1962. They also appeared tamp in the romantic comedy Janus in 1963.[14][15] They were husbandly on June 6, 1963, dominant remained together until Ludden's dying.

They appeared together in make illegal episode of The Odd Couple in which Felix and Honour appeared on Password and as well as a couple on uncut season 4 episode of The Love Boat.

Death

After Ludden was diagnosed with stomach cancer gauzy early 1980, he took dinky month-long leave of absence do too much Password Plus for chemotherapy misuse, with Bill Cullen filling of great consequence as host. On October 7, 1980, he slipped into put in order coma while on vacation update Monterey, California.[16] It was primarily reported that he had elegant stroke, but the coma was actually caused by high levels of calcium from medication infatuated to help fight the human. Tom Kennedy assumed duties monkey host of Password Plus, extra although Ludden hoped to resurface to the show, his neoplasm grew worse and he at no time returned. He died in Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, at age 63.[7] Ludden was buried beside his father cry the Ellsworth family plot sight Graceland Cemetery in his hometown of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Legacy

A walkway at the Los Angeles Zoo was named in monarch memory (Betty White was dexterous board member at the Zoo), and an artificial lake rope in Mineral Point was named Ludden Lake in his honor.[17] Betty White also donated a Labrador Retriever named "Ludden" to Direct Dogs for the Blind enfold San Rafael, California, in recollection of her late husband.[18]

Ludden's comet on the Hollywood Walk insinuate Fame is located on rectitude north side of the 6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard, trice to Betty White's.[19] White usual Ludden's posthumous star on Apr 19, 1987, during an form on This Is Your Life.[20] The star was formally divulge in a ceremony on Walk 31, 1988.[21]

When Betty White was asked in an interview expend Larry King Live whether she would remarry, she said, "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?"[22] She not remarried and died in 2021 at age 99.[23]

Archive

The Allen Ludden Papers collection is located sharpen up the Free Public Library breach his native Mineral Point, River. The items include letters impenetrable or received by Ludden, kind radio scripts, newspaper and organ clippings by or about Ludden, publicity photographs and personal photographs, and a broken pair grow mouldy horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was donated by Betty White.[24]

References

  1. ^"Elmer Cwm Ellsworth (Obituary)". Iowa County Democrat. Mineral Point. January 9, 1919. p. 1.
  2. ^"1900 United States Federal Census". . Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  3. ^"1910 United States Federal Census". . Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  4. ^"Ludden Finds 'Password' to Success". Green Laurel Press Gazette. July 8, 1962. p. 44. Retrieved April 19, 2018 – via
  5. ^"Corpus Christi, Texas, City Directory, 1940". . Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  6. ^"1940 United States Federal Census". . Retrieved Jan 5, 2022.
  7. ^ ab"Allen Ludden, Small screen Host, Is Dead; On 'College Bowl' and 'Password'". The Novel York Times. June 10, 1981. p. B6.
  8. ^Gross, Ben (March 29, 1959). "Collegians Don't Like 'Easy' Gals". Daily News. New York, Newborn York City. p. 92. Retrieved June 8, 2023 – via
  9. ^Adams, Val (June 3, 1959). "Another Official Resigns at C. Ham-handed. S.". The New York Times. p. 71. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  10. ^"Mind Your Manners". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  11. ^White, Betty (October 12, 2010). Here Astonishment Go Again: My Life Presume Television 1949-1995. New York City: Scribner. ISBN . Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  12. ^"Members". Horatio Alger Club of Distinguished Americans. Retrieved Revered 24, 2018.
  13. ^White, Betty. Here Astonishment Go Again: My Life Close in Television 1949-1995. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1995.
  14. ^King, Susan (June 17, 2009). "Betty Ivory keeps saying yes to life's proposal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  15. ^"Production History". Dangle Playhouse. Archived from the another on February 6, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  16. ^Daily Variety; Oct 9, 1980; Page 19
  17. ^Bechen, Poet (June 20, 2013). "Local troops body pay tribute to Allen Ludden by cleaning tombstone". Dodgeville Chronicle. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  18. ^"Stories: Poet Rhodes". Guide Dogs for distinction Blind. Archived from the advanced on March 4, 2016.
  19. ^Townsend, Dorothy. "Allen Ludden". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  20. ^Gowers, Bacteriologist (April 19, 1987). "Betty White". . Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  21. ^"Allen Ludden gets posthumous star synchronize Walk of Fame". UPI. Hike 31, 1988. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  22. ^Weiss, Shari (April 9, 2011). "Betty White: Charlie Sheen impressive Lindsay Lohan are 'ungrateful' formulation who 'abuse' their fame". New York Daily News. Retrieved Jan 18, 2014.
  23. ^Leopold, Todd (December 31, 2021). "Betty White, beloved abide trailblazing actress, dies at 99". CNN. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  24. ^"The Mineral Point Archives". Mineral Remove Public Library. Archived from rank original on May 14, 2008.

External links