Art Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly on July 17, 1912 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada) was the host of two of the longest-running shows in United States broadcast history: House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years. Linkletter was famous for interviewing children on House Party and Kids Say the Darndest Things, which led to a successful series of books quoting children.
In his autobiography, Confessions of a Happy Man (1960), Linkletter revealed that he had had no contact with his natural parents or his sister or two brothers since he was abandoned when only a few weeks old. He was adopted by Mary and John Linkletter, an evangelical preacher. Later moving to the United States, he graduated from San Diego State University (SDSU) where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He had previously planned to attend Springfield College, but did not for financial reasons. He later served for many years as a trustee at Springfield College, and donated money to build the swim center named in his honor.
He has had one of the longest marriages of any celebrity in America. He married Lois Foerster on November 25, 1935 and they had five children: Arthur Jack (known as Jack Linkletter, a TV host), Dawn, Robert, Sharon, and Diane. He was a good friend of Walt Disney. It might be coincidence, but Walt Disney's children, who arrived first, were also named Sharon and Diane.
He lost two of his children to violent deaths. His 20-year-old daughter, Diane Linkletter, died on October 4, 1969 by jumping out of her sixth floor kitchen window. Art Linkletter claimed that she committed suicide because she was on, or having a flashback from, an LSD trip. However, toxicology tests done after the incident detected no signs of LSD use, and it is quite likely that the drug played no part in her suicide. Linkletter speaks out against drugs to prevent children from straying into a drug habit. His record, We Love You Call Collect, recorded before her death, featured a discussion about permissiveness in modern society. It featured a rebuttal by Diane, called "Dear Mom and Dad." The record won a 1970 Grammy award for the "Best Spoken Word Recording".
His son Robert died in an automobile accident.
His son (Arthur) Jack Linkletter, born November 20, 1937(1937-11-20), died on December 18, 2007 (aged 70) of lymphoma.
In 1963 Art Linkletter became the spokesman for Milton Bradley's Game of Life. His picture appeared on the box and on the $100,000 bills.
He recently opened the Happiest Homecoming on Earth celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of Disneyland, when aged 93. Half a century earlier, he commentated on the opening day celebrations in 1955. For this, he was named a Disney Legend in 2005.
Linkletter was once a spokesperson for National Home Life, an insurance company. In recent years, Linkletter, a conservative Republican, has become a political organizer and a spokesman for the United Seniors Association, now known as USA Next, a conservative alternative to the AARP. He is also a member of Pepperdine University's Board of Regents. He received a lifetime achievement Daytime Emmy award in 2003. Also, he is currently a member of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. In early 2008, Art Linkletter suffered a mild stroke.
References
^ Snopes
External links
Art Linkletter at the Internet Movie Database
Disney Legends profile
Retro Galaxy - Kids Say the Darndest Things!
Interview with Art Linkletter
Collection of quotes
2000 interview with Larry King
Critical article about Linkletter's view on federal drug policy
2004 Saturday Evening Post article, "Catching up with Art Linkletter"
Fansite biography
Linkletter calls Timothy Leary an idiot when on the phone during a Leary TV interview
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Linkletter"
Categories: 1912 births | American television personalities | American adoptees | Daytime Emmy Award winners | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Living people | People from Moose Jaw | San Diego State University alumni | Grammy Award winners | Canadian game show hosts
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