AH3RD
Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM
JUNE 9, 1981
One of the worst game show tragedies in history occurred: the untimely death of famed Password emcee Allen Ludden, at the age of 61.
Ludden was enjoying a spectacular comeback to NBC's Password+Plus, following a 4-week leave of absence to have surgery done on him for stomach cancer (Bill Cullen emceed in Ludden's stead), when suddenly, a massive stroke in October 1980 forced him off the show for good. Tom Kennedy suceeded him for the rest of Password+Plus' run. On the series' finale on March 26, 1982, Tom said a few kind words about Allen: "This is the last in our series of Password+Plus. Even though our dear friend Allen Ludden is not with us at this particular moment, as you well know he hosted this show as only as he could do for something like 18 years. I was very proud to have the last year and a half here at the helm. All I can say is you know the show is going to be back soon. . . ."
Ludden left behind a lovely, doting wife, Betty White, and several children (I am not sure how many). Aside from his work on Password, Ludden enceed the 1975-77 syndicated edition of Liars' Club, the ill-fated 1977 NBC game Stumpers, and, of course, his pre-Password game, the '50s favourite, GE College Bowl.
The charm, wit, friendliness, and neighbourly demeanor which had become Allen Ludden's trademark through out all of his shows would not soon be forgotten.
And it still isn't.
ALLEN LUDDEN
(1919-1981)
zachhoran
Jun 7 2004, 09:39 AM
| QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM) |
Ludden left behind a lovely, doting wife, Betty White, and several children (I am not sure how many |
He had three kids, but from his first marriage(he and Betty had no kids together). All Betty's kids are four-legged.
MyCapableAssistant
Jun 7 2004, 10:47 AM
| QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 08:31 AM) |
| Ludden left behind a lovely, doting wife, Betty White, and several children (I am not sure how many). |
During a recent taping of Password, Ludden himself mentioned he
had three kids. He had 1 son, David, and 2 daughters, Martha, and
Sarah.
tvwxman
Jun 7 2004, 10:50 AM
| QUOTE (MyCapableAssistant @ Jun 7 2004, 10:47 AM) |
During a recent taping of Password, Ludden himself mentioned he
had three kids. He had 1 son, David, and 2 daughters, Martha, and
Sarah. |
And which recent taping was this?
Brandon Brooks
Jun 7 2004, 10:50 AM
| QUOTE (MyCapableAssistant @ Jun 7 2004, 10:47 AM) |
During a recent taping of Password, Ludden himself mentioned he
had three kids. He had 1 son, David, and 2 daughters, Martha, and
Sarah. |
How recent was this taping? :-)
Brandon Brooks
MyCapableAssistant
Jun 7 2004, 10:58 AM
| QUOTE (Brandon Brooks @ Jun 7 2004, 09:50 AM) |
| QUOTE (MyCapableAssistant @ Jun 7 2004, 10:47 AM) | During a recent taping of Password, Ludden himself mentioned he
had three kids. He had 1 son, David, and 2 daughters, Martha, and
Sarah. |
How recent was this taping? :-)
Brandon Brooks
|
The Password is: "rerun."
In a previous GSN rerun, it was noted by
Mr. Ludden, that he has 3 children..."
Now Gentlemen, surely you don't want to tangle
with the wit of a female... ;-p
Hope I've answered your questions...
rugrats1
Jun 7 2004, 11:16 AM
| QUOTE |
| Ludden enceed the 1975-77 syndicated edition of Liars' Club... |
Actually, that run of Liar's Club ran from 1976 to 1979, with Ludden at the helm from 1977 to 1979 (Bill Armstrong (?) hosted the first season).
Jimmy Owen
Jun 7 2004, 11:22 AM
No mention of "Win With the Stars"?
HairMetalLives
Jun 8 2004, 01:19 AM
And then there's the "Joker's Wild" pilot from-- what 1969?
whampyl03
Jun 8 2004, 02:20 AM
| QUOTE |
| And then there's the "Joker's Wild" pilot from-- what 1969? |
According to
This website:| QUOTE |
| It is believed that Jack Barry came up with the idea of "The Joker's Wild" during his stint with Goodson-Todman in the 60's. So, in 1969, Barry produced a pilot at CBS TELEVISION CITY. Since he was black-balled from tv due to the scandals, popular PASSWORD host Allen Ludden was tapped as host to this pilot. |
Although I wasn't alive in the frame of time that Allen was hosting the various Passwords, from what I have seen from him, he's easily ranked by me forever as one of my favorite game show hosts of all time. Mr. Password was truly one of the best.
Don Howard
Jun 8 2004, 07:22 AM
| QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM) |
| the ill-fated 1977 NBC game Stumpers |
Stumpers ran for the final 13 weeks of 1976.
Allen also did a commercial for a bank and appeared with Betty White in an episode
of the Jack Webb production O'Hara, U.S. Treasury starring David Janssen as O'Hara, who worked for the U.S. Treasury.
zachhoran
Jun 8 2004, 08:02 AM
| QUOTE (HairMetalLives @ Jun 8 2004, 01:19 AM) |
| And then there's the "Joker's Wild" pilot from-- what 1969? |
Talking Pictures, Hatos-Hall celeb matching game pilot from c. 1969, and Smart Alecks, a show showcasing new inventors(a la Wink's Why DIdn't I THink of THat in the early 90s), are two more unsold Ludden pilots.
Jimmy Owen
Jun 8 2004, 08:47 AM
Allen was also in the movie "Futureworld" at the very beginning. He also hosted a syndicated 90-min talk show of the Mike Douglas-Merv Griffin type between Passwords.
Modor
Jun 8 2004, 08:38 PM
| QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM) |
One of the worst game show tragedies in history occurred: the untimely death of famed Password emcee Allen Ludden, at the age of 61.
|
In history? Not really.
Besides, a certain member of this board would surely disagree with these sentiments.
clemon79
Jun 8 2004, 08:55 PM
| QUOTE (Dsmith @ Jun 8 2004, 06:38 PM) |
| QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM) | One of the worst game show tragedies in history occurred: the untimely death of famed Password emcee Allen Ludden, at the age of 61.
|
In history? Not really.
Besides, a certain member of this board would surely disagree with these sentiments.
|
Or maybe not. You might not like someone, you might have difficulty working with them, but you don't wish DEATH on them. Painful rectal itch, maybe, but not death.
Modor
Jun 8 2004, 08:57 PM
| QUOTE (clemon79 @ Jun 8 2004, 08:55 PM) |
| QUOTE (Dsmith @ Jun 8 2004, 06:38 PM) | | QUOTE (AH3RD @ Jun 7 2004, 09:31 AM) | One of the worst game show tragedies in history occurred: the untimely death of famed Password emcee Allen Ludden, at the age of 61.
|
In history? Not really.
Besides, a certain member of this board would surely disagree with these sentiments.
|
Or maybe not. You might not like someone, you might have difficulty working with them, but you don't wish DEATH on them. Painful rectal itch, maybe, but not death.
|
Which wasn't what I was implying, or at least I hope not. I was just saying that Chris probably wouldn't agree with the "charming, witty"...etc. part of this post.
rugrats1
Jun 8 2004, 09:00 PM
| QUOTE |
| He also did a commercial for a bank |
I think Allen did several commercials for businesses nationwide -- when I was a kid, I think he was a voiceover in commercials for Federals, a defunct discounter in Michigan. I don't think he appeared, but I could rdcognise his voice.
Someone here mentioned that Allen also hosted a game show for the Massachusetts state lottery in 1976, after Password left ABC.
kurtinrod62
Jun 9 2004, 03:03 PM
Wasn't he also the announcer on Ms. White's 1971 syndicated show "The Pet Set"? I'm sure he also voiced the promos for it as well.
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