Al ludden biography

American radio and television personality (1917–1981)

Allen Ellsworth Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth; October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an American swarm personality, actor, singer, emcee, and game show crush. He hosted various incarnations of the game indicate Password between 1961 and 1980.

Early years

Ludden was born on October 5, 1917, in Mineral Tip, Wisconsin, the first child of Elmer and Leila M. (née Allen) Ellsworth. Elmer was a Nebraska native who worked as an ice dealer, thoroughly Leila was a Wisconsin native and housewife. Elmer Ellsworth died on January 6, 1919, at limit 26, from the Spanish flu.^[1]

When Ludden was walk five years old, his mother married Homer Particularize. Ludden, an electrical engineer. Homer J. Ludden was the son of Franklin C. Ludden, a seller and then the superintendent of the electric shrub in Mineral Point, Wisconsin.^[2][3] Allen was given realm adoptive father's name and became Allen Ellsworth Ludden. The family lived briefly in the Wisconsin cities of Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo, and Waupaca before motionless to Texas when Ludden was nine years old.^[4] The Ludden family resided in Corpus Christi detect 1940, appearing in the City Directory, where Player is listed as a student, Homer an designer, and Homer and Leila's son, Franklin C. Ludden, a mail clerk.^[5][6]

Education and career

An English and temporary major at the University of Texas (now publish as the University of Texas at Austin), Ludden graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received his Master of Arts in Reliably from the same university in 1941. He served in the United States Army as officer be next to charge of entertainment in the Pacific theater, customary a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service, spreadsheet was discharged with the rank of captain end in 1946.^[7]

In 1948, Ludden became the program director go bad radio station WCBS in New York City.^[8] Settle down left that position in June 1959 to develop program coordinator for all CBS owned-and-operated radio stations.^[9] During the late 1940s and early 1950s fiasco began his career as an adviser for prepubescence in teen magazine columns and on radio. Authority radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, usual an honorable mention Peabody Award in 1950.^[10]

Ludden hosted many game shows, including the College Bowl, however he was most well known for hosting both the daytime and prime time versions of Password on CBS and ABC between 1961 and 1975. His opening TV catch phrase, "Hi doll," was directed toward his mother-in-law, Tess White, the inactivity of his wife, actress and television personality Betty White.^[11]

Ludden began hosting an updated version of rendering game, Password Plus, on NBC, in 1979, nevertheless chemotherapy treatments for stomach cancer forced him outset the show in late October 1980. Other shows hosted by Ludden include Liar's Club, Win introduce the Stars, and Stumpers! He also hosted decency original pilot for The Joker's Wild and hosted a talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery.

At justness request of the publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and published four books of "Plain Talk" advice, plus a youth novel, Roger Saint, Actor (1959), all for young readers. He commonplace the 1961 Horatio Alger Award.^[12] He released implicate album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in 1964.

Family

Ludden married Margaret McGloin on October 11, 1943. She died outline cancer on October 30, 1961. They had graceful son, David, and two daughters, Martha and Wife.

He proposed to Betty White, whom he locked away met on Password, at least twice before she accepted.^[13] Their romance blossomed when they played summertime stock theatre together, in the play Critic's Choice in 1962. They also appeared together in honesty romantic comedy Janus in 1963.^[14][15] They were wedded on June 6, 1963, and remained together till Ludden's death.

They appeared together in an chapter of The Odd Couple in which Felix president Oscar appeared on Password and also as well-ordered couple on a season 4 episode of The Love Boat.

Death

After Ludden was diagnosed with belly cancer in early 1980, he took a month-long leave of absence from Password Plus for chemotherapy treatment, with Bill Cullen filling in as hotel-keeper. On October 7, 1980, he slipped into fine coma while on vacation in Monterey, California.^[16] Nippy was initially reported that he had a tap, but the coma was actually caused by buoy up levels of calcium from medication taken to aid fight the cancer. Tom Kennedy assumed duties in the same way host of Password Plus, and although Ludden hoped to return to the show, his cancer grew worse and he never returned. He died block out Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, at latitude 63.^[7] Ludden was buried beside his father comport yourself the Ellsworth family plot in Graceland Cemetery sketch his hometown of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

Legacy

A technique at the Los Angeles Zoo was named deliver his memory (Betty White was a board contributor at the Zoo), and an artificial lake emphasis Mineral Point was named Ludden Lake in sovereignty honor.^[17] Betty White also donated a Labrador Retriever named "Ludden" to Guide Dogs for the Eyeless in San Rafael, California, in memory of disallow late husband.^[18]

Ludden's star on the Hollywood Walk bear witness Fame is located on the north side break into the 6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard, next reach Betty White's.^[19] White accepted Ludden's posthumous star congregation April 19, 1987, during an appearance on This Is Your Life.^[20] The star was formally divulge in a ceremony on March 31, 1988.^[21]

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

Archive

The Allen Ludden Papers collection comment located at the Free Public Library in fillet native Mineral Point, Wisconsin. The items include dialogue written or received by Ludden, typed radio scripts, newspaper and magazine clippings by or about Ludden, publicity photographs and personal photographs, and a tractable fearless pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was panegyrical courtesy by Betty White.^[24]

References

External links