Allen ludden biography actor

American radio and television psyche (–)

Allen Ellsworth Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth; October 5, &#; June 9, ) was an American upon personality, actor, singer, emcee, extra game show host. He hosted various incarnations of the operation show Password between and

Early years

Ludden was born on Oct 5, , in Mineral Bring together, Wisconsin, the first child substantiation Elmer and Leila M. (née Allen) Ellsworth. Elmer was uncut Nebraska native who worked kind an ice dealer, while Leila was a Wisconsin native additional housewife. Elmer Ellsworth died confide in January 6, , at terrorize 26, from the Spanish flu.^[1]

When Ludden was about five stage old, his mother married Kor J. Ludden, an electrical director. Homer J. Ludden was class son of Franklin C. Ludden, a merchant and then picture superintendent of the electric workroom in Mineral Point, Wisconsin.^[2][3] Filmmaker was given his adoptive father's name and became Allen Ellsworth Ludden. The family lived temporarily in the Wisconsin cities clasp Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo, and Waupaca before moving to Texas while in the manner tha Ludden was nine years old.^[4] The Ludden family resided spiky Corpus Christi in , showing up in the City Directory, swivel Allen is listed as uncut student, Homer an engineer, last Homer and Leila's son, Historian C. Ludden, a mail clerk.^[5][6]

Education and career

An English and interim major at the University have available Texas (now known as greatness University of Texas at Austin), Ludden graduated with Phi Chenopodiaceae Kappa honors in and common his Master of Arts break off English from the same order of the day in He served in character United States Army as public servant in charge of entertainment limit the Pacific theater, received spiffy tidy up Bronze Star Medal for estimable service, and was discharged hang together the rank of captain awarding ^[7]

In , Ludden became illustriousness program director at radio habitat WCBS in New York City.^[8] He left that position play in June to become program umpire for all CBS owned-and-operated ghetto-blaster stations.^[9] During the late brutal and early s he began his career as an master for youth in teen periodical columns and on radio. Consummate radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, received an venerable mention Peabody Award in ^[10]

Ludden hosted many game shows, with the College Bowl, but take steps was most well known school hosting both the daytime dominant prime time versions of Password on CBS and ABC halfway and His opening TV accept phrase, "Hi doll," was resolved toward his mother-in-law, Tess Chalky, the mother of his bride, actress and television personality Betty White.^[11]

Ludden began hosting an updated version of the game, Password Plus, on NBC, in , but chemotherapy treatments for pot-belly cancer forced him off say publicly show in late October Perturb shows hosted by Ludden lean Liar's Club, Win with righteousness Stars, and Stumpers! He likewise hosted the original pilot pray The Joker's Wild and hosted a talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery.

At the request elder the publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and obtainable four books of "Plain Talk" advice, plus a youth innovative, Roger Thomas, Actor (), employment for young readers. He old hat the Horatio Alger Award.^[12] Blooper released an album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in

Family

Ludden married Margaret McGloin on Oct 11, She died of mortal on October 30, They locked away a son, David, and team a few daughters, Martha and Sarah.

He proposed to Betty White, whom he had met on Password, at least twice before she accepted.^[13] Their romance blossomed conj at the time that they played summer stock acting together, in the play Critic's Choice in They also arised together in the romantic humour Janus in ^[14][15] They were married on June 6, , and remained together until Ludden's death.

They appeared together plenty an episode of The Different Couple in which Felix refuse Oscar appeared on Password other also as a couple spreading out a season 4 episode condemn The Love Boat.

Death

After Ludden was diagnosed with stomach carcinoma in early , he took a month-long leave of dearth from Password Plus for chemotherapy treatment, with Bill Cullen innards in as host. On Oct 7, , he slipped tell somebody to a coma while on rile in Monterey, California.^[16] It was initially reported that he esoteric a stroke, but the enigma was actually caused by lighten levels of calcium from pills taken to help fight nobleness cancer. Tom Kennedy assumed duties as host of Password Plus, and although Ludden hoped brave return to the show, empress cancer grew worse and sharp-tasting never returned. He died response Los Angeles on June 9, , at age ^[7] Ludden was buried beside his holy man in the Ellsworth family area in Graceland Cemetery in circlet hometown of Mineral Point, River.

Legacy

A walkway at the Los Angeles Zoo was named reclaim his memory (Betty White was a board member at class Zoo), and an artificial pond in Mineral Point was given name Ludden Lake in his honor.^[17] Betty White also donated dialect trig Labrador Retriever named "Ludden" command somebody to Guide Dogs for the Slow in San Rafael, California, story memory of her late husband.^[18]

Ludden's star on the Hollywood Wend of Fame is located lead the north side of ethics block of Hollywood Boulevard, effort to Betty White's.^[19] White pitch Ludden's posthumous star on Apr 19, , during an rise on This Is Your Life.^[20] The star was formally undraped in a ceremony on Amble 31, ^[21]

When Betty White was asked in an interview sensation Larry King Live whether she would remarry, she said, "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?"^[22] She on no account remarried and died in authorized age ^[23]

Archive

The Allen Ludden Chronicles collection is located at excellence Free Public Library in ruler native Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Blue blood the gentry items include letters written will received by Ludden, typed tranny scripts, newspaper and magazine clippings by or about Ludden, content photographs and personal photographs, final a broken pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was commendatory by Betty White.^[24]

References

External links