Obit: Art Linkletter

Subject: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 May 10 - 03:53 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Art Linkletter, who hosted the popular TV shows "People Are Funny" and "House Party" in the 1950s and 1960s, has died. He was 97. His son-in-law Art Hershey says Linkletter died Wednesday at his home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: gnu
Date: 26 May 10 - 03:55 PM

RIP and thanks... a lot.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Willie-O
Date: 26 May 10 - 03:56 PM

Wow, still alive and died at home...couldn't ask for much better. A beloved figure through the crazy times.

W-O

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: pdq
Date: 26 May 10 - 03:56 PM

He and his wife probably had the longest marriage in show biz history, being married in the mid 1930s.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:00 PM

He probablly outlived a lot of the kids that said the darnest things.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: fretless
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:01 PM

And if anyone is thinking of questioning why this appears in the music section, remember that one of the key components of Art's act was his ukulele.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: pdq
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:05 PM

"... remember that one of the key components of Art's act was his ukulele."

Are you thinking of Arthur Godfrey?

Andy Griffith also played a ukulele.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:23 PM

And his son Jack Linkletter hosted "Hootenanny".

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:53 PM

His son passed away about a year ago.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:57 PM

oops... Jack actually died in 2007. Time flies.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Ebbie
Date: 26 May 10 - 05:03 PM

I must admit I had no idea he was still alive but I have many fond memories of what he gave us. RIP, Art Linkletter. (No ukelele though)

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 May 10 - 05:14 PM

His own life had many ups and downs with a daughter who committed suicide and a son killed in an auto accident but he had a strong marriage and the love he shared with his wife got them through some of those tough times.

He is an icon of the Golden Age of Television doing several shows with most famous being House Party and Kids Say the Darndest Things. The latter is a testament to the way of life in the 50's. Art primed the kids to say those darndest things and the show was soooo cute and sooooo naughty and we were soooo stupid that we tittered and giggled in our tight-assed way.

For whatever it was, Art was the man and his personality and ability made him an important thread in the warp and weave of the country.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Bobert
Date: 26 May 10 - 05:36 PM

Only 97??? I thought he was in his 90s back in the 60s...

B~

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Bill D
Date: 26 May 10 - 05:46 PM

I grew up with Art's programs...both on radio and TV...and I had a book he wrote on the "People Are Funny" theme as a metaphor for his career. I laughed for years at some of the stories.

He was amazing with kids.. His favorite question was "Is there anything your parents told you not to talk about today?"
It always got 'interesting' results.

...bye, Art...thanks

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Beer
Date: 26 May 10 - 06:38 PM

I recall not wanting to miss his kids program. Great laughs.
Condolences to his love ones.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 May 10 - 06:46 PM

I just read his obit in the New York Times and discovered a LOT I hadn't known about him -- and I watched and enjoyed both "House Party" and "People Are Funny" in the '50s and '60s.

Here 'tis -- New York Times Obit

Linn

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 26 May 10 - 07:57 PM

His daughter wrote an article for the Free Press that blasted Linkletter
for the "explotation of children."

For a short-film flashback to the era (WARNING -view at your own risk - the tender minded
might be offended) you might want to see "Devine" in The Dianne Linkletter Story.

http://www.strimoo.com/video/13169377/The-Dianne-Linkletter-Story-Veoh.html

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Janie
Date: 26 May 10 - 08:25 PM

R.I.P.

Funny, I know we watched his shows regularly, but while I remember very little of the visuals or the shows themselves, at any mention of him, I have always vividly recall the sound of his voice.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Genie
Date: 26 May 10 - 10:28 PM

Clickifying Gargoyle's link

I knew Art was still alive (unless somehow I'd missed his obit recently) and am happy to know he lived such a long and fruitful life. I didn't know about Jack's death or about the other family losses, but I will always have a fond place in my heart for Art's down-home humor and how he would bring out those hilarious quips (even if prompted) from the kids who said the darndest things.   Those days of radio and TV were still under the thumb of the Hays (sp?) Commission and you had to really rely on double entendre to get much 'risque' humor past the censors.   

Art was very conservative, politically, I understand -- though that may not have meant a lot of what so many people incorporate into that term in the US today -- but I know I shared a lot of his appreciation for just plain folks and simple humor.

Thanks for bringing so much laughter into our lives, Mr. Linkletter.

Subject: RE: Obit: Art Linkletter
From: Bill D
Date: 26 May 10 - 10:36 PM

Yes, Art was quite conservative...especially in his older years. I pondered many years ago if his family troubles had affected his views....but shrugged and decided to just remember him for his humor and gifts.