Game Show Hosts
Here are the top 25 game show hosts of all time
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- Producer
- Actor
For 35 years, Bob Barker had been the host of The Price is Right (1972) game show. Not only is it the highest-rated daytime program, it is also the longest-running game show in TV history, surpassing the prime-time hit What's My Line? (1950), which ran for 18 years. He also served as the executive producer of the program, since 1988, until his retirement in 2007. Named the most popular game show host of all time in a national poll, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Daytime Television in 1999. Although he has graced our television screens for more than four decades, his career continued at full circle, until he left the show, in 2007, only to be replaced by comedian Drew Carey.
In 1996, he made his motion picture debut in Universal Pictures' Happy Gilmore (1996), in which he played himself with Adam Sandler. His real acting debut, however, came when he was asked to play Mel Harris' father in NBC's Something So Right (1996). Another honor came when one of the most historic sites in the history of television, Stage 33 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, was re-dedicated as the Bob Barker Studio in ceremonies following the taping of the 5,000th episode of "The Price is Right", on March 11, 1998. Barker was the first performer to whom CBS has ever dedicated a stage.
Barker was born in Darrington, Washington, and spent most of his youth on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where his mother was a schoolteacher. His family eventually moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he attended high school and Drury College on a basketball scholarship. World War II interrupted his studies and he joined the US Navy, becoming a fighter pilot, but the war ended before he was assigned to a seagoing squadron.
Following his discharge, Barker returned to Drury and took a job at a local radio station to help finance his studies. It was there he discovered what he did best being to host audience participation shows. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in economics, he went to work for a radio station in Palm Beach, Florida. A year later he moved to Los Angeles, and within a week he was the host of his own radio program, "The Bob Barker Show". He made his debut, at the end of 1956 on national television as the host of the popular The All New Truth or Consequences (1950). Ralph Edwards, the show's originator, had sold the show to NBC as a daytime strip, but he had not chosen a host. He auditioned other hosts in Hollywood and New York for weeks, but when he heard "The Bob Barker Show" on his car radio, he knew he had found the man for the job. Proving that Edwards had chosen him wisely, Barker hosted "Truth or Consequences" for an unbelievable 18 years, until the show ended in 1975, and he and Edwards remained close friends, until Edwards's death in 2005. They drank a toast at lunch every December 21st to celebrate the day in 1956, when Edwards notified him he was going to become the host of "Truth or Consequences".
Barker had been twice named in the Guinness Book of World Records as Television's "Most Durable Performer," at 3,524 shows, and "Most Generous Host in Television history" for awarding $55 million in prizes on his various shows. During the ensuing years, the $55-million figure had increased to more than $200 million. He had won 11 Emmys as a Game Show Host, more than any other performer, and 2 more as Executive Producer of "The Price is Right". He also was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, for a total of 14, and won 2 additional awards, for a total of 16 Emmys. He had also received the coveted Carbon Mike Award of the Pioneer of Broadcasters.
In 1978, he developed "The Bob Barker Fun & Games Show", a series of personal appearances that attracted record-breaking audiences throughout the US and Canada. He also established the DJ&T Foundation in Beverly Hills, California, the purpose of which is to help control the dog and cat population. He was funding the foundation through his own resources to support low-cost or free spay/neuter clinics. This foundation is named in memory of his late wife, Dorothy Jo, and his mother, Matilda (Tilly) Valandra, both of whom loved animals. Barker's work on behalf of animals has garnered him a long list of awards from prestigious humane organizations across the country. In fact, a columnist wrote Bob had become a part-time television host and a full-time animal rights activist. However, he assured his audiences there was room in his busy life for both television and animals.
After his retirement, Barker had made 3 more appearances, on "The Price is Right", the first being to promote his autobiography, " Priceless Memories :, then, on his 90th birthday, in 2013 he briefly replaced Drew Carey, at the show's intro, for an April Fools' Day joke, which was his last appearance. In 2010, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society announced it had purchased and outfitted a ship to interdict with Japanese whaling operations in the Southern Ocean using $5 million dollars, provided by him, the same year, he donated $2.5 million, toward the purchase of office space for the organization in Los Angeles. The "Bob Barker Building" opened in 2012.
Bob Barker passed away on August 26, 2023, in Hollywood Hills, California, after a long battle against Alzheimer's disease. He was 99.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Richard Dawson was born Colin Lionel Emm on November 20, 1932 in Gosport, Hampshire, England. When he was 14, he joined the Merchant Navy and served for three years. During that time, he made money boxing. He had to lie about his age and remain tough so the older guys would not hassle him. In the late 1950s, Richard met a British actress named Diana Dors. On April 12, 1959, while in New York for an appearance on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1956), they were married. Richard and Diana's first child, a son named Mark Dawson, was born in 1960, and a second son, Gary Dawson, was born in 1962. Richard and Diana separated in 1964 and eventually divorced in 1967. When Richard moved to the United States, he began acting on the well-known series, Hogan's Heroes (1965), in 1965. Richard played the lovable British Corporal Peter Newkirk. The show ended in 1971. Not long after that, in 1973, he became a panelist on Match Game (1973) and remained there until 1978.
While still on "Match Game", he hosted his own show called Family Feud (1976). , which he is most remembered for by his trademark of kissing all the female contestants. Those kisses made the show a warm and friendly program, along with his quick wit, subtle jokes, and ability to make people feel at ease with being on camera. In 1987, Richard co-starred withArnold Schwarzenegger in the science fiction action movie The Running Man (1987). Richard portrayed an egotistical game show host, Damon Killian, whom many say was a mirror image of himself at one time or another, during his real-life career.
When Richard was 61, he hosted the third incarnation of "Family Feud" in 1994, but had only a short run. On April 6, 1981, the Johnson family appeared on "Family Feud" and Richard was introduced to 27-year-old Gretchen Johnson. They had a daughter, Shannon Dawson (Shannon Nicole Dawson), in 1990, and were married in 1991. They were still married and reside in Beverly Hills, California. Richard narrated TV's Funniest Game Show Moments (1984) on Fox in early 2000. On Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd, 2000, he hosted a "Family Feud" marathon, which was filmed in 1995. Some people hear the name Richard Dawson and may not recognize the name. But say his name, followed by his famous quote "Survey says...!" or mention "Newkirk on Hogan's Heroes (1965)", and they're sure to know who you mean. Richard Dawson died at age 79 of complications from esophageal cancer on June 2, 2012.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Allen Ludden was born on 5 October 1917 in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Password (1961), It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975) and Futureworld (1976). He was married to Betty White and Margaret Frances McGloin. He died on 9 June 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Jim Perry is a former television game show host, singer and performer in the 1970s and 1980s. He has had success on both Canadian and American television.
He started out as a singer in special services, working on Armed Forces Radio during the Korean war, and then replaced Eddie Fisher as the staff vocalist at Grossingers in the Catskill Mountains in New York and later did comedy working with Sid Caesar as his straight man for several years (which included a three-year stint with Caesar in Las Vegas and appearing on the short lived TV series "As Caesar Sees It"). These were under his birth name of Jim Dooley. Due to a name conflict with AFTRA, he took his mothers maiden name of Perry when he began his TV work.
Jim Perry became a popular game show host in Canada in the early 1970s after a stint as an overnight announcer and DJ fill in on radio station WABC in New York. His first effort in Canada was the popular game show Fractured Phrases, and afterwords presided over several other game shows, including Eye Bet and Money Makers -- the latter also airing on syndicated television in some markets across the United States.
Jim also served as an announcer for The Joan Rivers Show, a short-lived two month series that aired in 1969 on syndicated television.
In 1973, Perry became host of the CTV game show Definition (replacing original host Bob McLean), a pun based game which was the longest running game show in Canadian Television history, lasting until 1990. (the show was never cancelled - instead, Perry and the Producers agreed it was time to retire the show). Perry also hosted another long-running game show, Headline Hunters, which lasted from 1972 until 1981, with a year of repeats the following year.
In addition, Jim presided as emcee of the annual "Miss Canada" Pageant, a job he held from 1967 until 1990, about the same length of time his U.S. counterpart Bob Barker presided over the Miss USA Pageant on CBS. Like Bert Parks in the United States, Perry would sing the pageant's closing song, The fairest girl in Canada soon after the new Miss Canada was crowned.
In the 1970's, during the filming of the live broadcast of the Miss Canada pageant, a female protester broke into the studio. She threw something at Perry and contestants, while shouting that the pageant was sexist. Perry' instincts were to protect the female contestants and subsequently, he was hit with the flour. Amazingly, he continued on with the broadcast as if nothing happened.
Perry's first major American network hosting tenure came in 1967, with a short-lived charades-type game called "It's Your Move". The series, however, was produced in Canada for ABC television in the United States. Another game show also produced in Canada for syndicated TV in the U.S., "Money Makers" (a game based on Bingo), aired in 1969, originally titled Bingo at Home, in which contestants and home viewers had a chance to win money (albeit less than $100).
His biggest break in his native United States came in 1978 when NBC and Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions casted him for their new show Card Sharks. Perry hosted the entire NBC version and the two pilots that preceded the series, airing from April 24, 1978 until October 23, 1981.
Jim also hosted two game show pilots that never made it to television: Casino in 1981 (from Heatter-Quigley Productions), a game show combining elements of High Rollers, Gambit and The Joker's Wild; and Twisters in 1982, which was similar in format to Jackpot and was produced by Bob Stewart Productions.
In 1982, NBC named Perry host of $ale of the Century, a revived version of the 1969 - 1973 series, airing from January 3, 1983 until March 24, 1989 (the same day Super Password ended its run), including the syndicated version which aired from January 1985 until September 1986. For more than six seasons, he presided over the fast-paced Q&A game.
His style and sensational salesmanship helped to make the show a big hit for the network in the last golden era of game shows, and made Perry one of the top game show personalities of the 1980s in the United States. Not forgetting the time he spent with Sid Caesar, Perry would often tell jokes related to some of the questions asked on $ale.
As the result of his successful work in both the United States and Canada, Jim spent over a decade commuting between Southern California and Toronto, Ontario (except between late-1981 and late-1982). By hosting Card Sharks in the United States and Definition and Headline Hunters in Canada, Perry in 1978 became the first game show host in the industry to emcee game shows concurrently on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.
Perry and Trebek also hold the distinction of hosting three different game shows simultaneously. As noted before, Perry pulled the Card Sharks/Definition/Headline Hunters triple hosting duty, while Trebek hosting Jeopardy!, Classic Concentration, and the 1990 revival of To Tell the Truth at one point in 1991. Jim also appeared as a celebrity player on Wheel of Fortune, Password Plus and Family Feud and was the guest host of various morning talk shows in Canada (ie The Alan Thicke show)
In total, Jim Perry hosted approximately ten different game shows (including unsold pilots) in a career that spanned about 25 years. He was also involved in charitable causes and was a regular host of the annual Telemiracle telethon in Saskatchewan for many years in support of the Kinsmen Clubs in that province. His daughter Erin also appeared on several of these telethons, and on each occasion, performed a song together.
Jim is retired from the game show industry and lives with his wife, June, in Florida and North Carolina. In recent years he authored two self-awareness books, and hosted one infomercial (produced by his daughter Erin for In-Finn-Ity Productions). His last television appearance was on CNBC in the late-1990s to discuss one of his books.
Perry is attended the University of Pennsylvania and was at one time an outstanding basketball player in high school thanks in part to his height (at 6' 4"). He was often nicknamed Big Jim because of his height. - Actor
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Chuck Woolery originally set his sights on a career in the music industry but had a change of heart when he joined the U.S. Navy instead. After two years military service, he attended college in his home state of Kentucky and afterward held various jobs including a stint as a sales rep at Pillsbury. He later moved to Nashville where he formed the rock band "Avant Garde". He has one daughter and an adopted son from his first marriage, and one daughter from his second marriage and two boys from his third marriage.- Actor
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Peter Marshall was born on 30 March 1926 in Huntington, West Virginia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965), Annie (1982) and Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue (1977). He has been married to Laurie Marshall since 19 August 1989. He was previously married to Sally Carter-Ihnat and Nadene Rita Teaford.- Actor
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Gene Rayburn was born on December 22, 1917, in Christopher, Illinois. After his father died at a very young age, his mother moved to Chicago and married Milan Rubessa, and Gene adopted his stepfather's name. As Gene Rubessa, he acted in high school plays and hoped to follow an acting career. He moved to New York City in the 1930s where he was a page for NBC, later working as an usher for the NBC symphony orchestra. Before World War Two, he went to announcers school and worked with various radio personalities around New York City. He married Helen Tricknor, in 1940, with whom he had one child, Lynn, in 1942. Soon afterwards, he was called to Military Service and joined the U.S. Air Corps. After the war, Gene worked on the "Rayburn and Finch Show" and, later, the "Gene Rayburn Show" in the early fifties. During the 50s, Rayburn was instrumental in highlighting corruption on radio, by playing an older song so many times that it became a hit. This was alleged to have proved that record promoters could pay DJs to play records on stations for bribes, making the songs very popular, albeit for a price. His breakthrough came in the mid-50s as the announcer on The Tonight Show (1953), with Steve Allen. Rayburn and Allen were associated on The Tonight Show (1953) Show for three years and Rayburn became a household name for many years after that. In 1955, he hosted his first game show called The Sky's the Limit (1954). Subsequent game shows included The Match Game (1962), Make the Connection (1955), Musical Chairs (1954), Play Your Hunch (1958), Tic Tac Dough (1956) and Dough Re Mi (1960). He always flew by jet from his home in Massachusetts to host his various shows. Rayburn was also a Broadway performer, and appeared in plays such as "Bye, Bye Birdie"- Charles Nelson Reilly was his understudy. He also had a small part in the movie, It Happened to Jane (1959).- Additional Crew
- Actor
Tom Kennedy was born on 26 February 1927 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. He was an actor, known for Witness (1985), You Don't Say (1963) and Hardcastle and McCormick (1983). He was married to Betty Jane Gevedon. He died on 7 October 2020 in Oxnard, California, USA.- Actor
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Wink Martindale was born on 4 December 1933 in Jackson, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Second Honeymoon (1987), Bumper Stumpers (1987) and The Lively Set (1964). He has been married to Sandy Ferra since 2 August 1975. They have four children. He was previously married to Madelyn Leech.- Producer
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Dick Clark was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York on November 30, 1929, to Julia Fuller (Barnard) and Richard Augustus Clark. He had one older brother, Bradley, who was killed in World War II. At the age of 16, Clark got his first job in the mailroom of WRUN, a radio station in Utica, New York, which was owned by his uncle and managed by his father. He worked his way up the ranks and was promoted to weatherman before becoming a radio announcer. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in business administration, Clark began working at several radio and television stations before landing at WFIL radio in 1952. While working at the station, Clark became a substitute host for Bob Horn's Bandstand, an afternoon program where teenagers danced to popular music, broadcast by WFIL's affiliated television station. In 1956, Horn was arrested for drunk driving, giving Clark the perfect opportunity to step in as the full-time host.
After acquiring nationwide distribution the newly reformatted program, now titled "American Bandstand", premiered on ABC on August 5, 1957. In addition to the name change, Clark added interviews with artists (starting with Elvis Presley), lip-sync performances, and "Rate-a-Record," allowing teens to judge the songs on the show - and giving birth to the popular phrase, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it." Clark also established a formal dress code, mandating dresses and skirts for the women and a coat and tie for the men. But perhaps the most impactful change that Clark made to the show was ending "American Bandstand's" all-white policy, allowing African American artists to perform on the show.
Under Clark's influence, "Bandstand" became one of the most successful and longest-running musical programs, featuring artists including Chuck Berry, the Doors, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Smokey Robinson. Sonny and Cher, The Jackson 5, Prince, and Aerosmith were among the influential artists and bands that made their television debuts on "Bandstand", which is also credited with helping to make America more accepting of rock 'n' roll.
With the success of "American Bandstand", Clark became more invested in the music publishing and recording businesses, and began managing artists, hosting live sock hops, and arranging concert tours. But in 1960, when the United States Senate began investigating "payola", the practice in which music producing companies paid broadcasting companies to favor their products, Clark became caught up in the scandal. The investigation found he had partial copyrights to over 150 songs, many of which were featured on his show. Clark denied he was involved in any way, but admitted to accepting a fur and jewelry from a record company president. In the end, the Senate could not find any illegal actions by Clark, but ABC asked Clark to either sell his shares in these companies or leave the network so there was no conflict of interest. He chose to sell and continue on as host of "American Bandstand", which was unaffected by the scandal.
In 1964, Clark moved Bandstand from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and became more involved in television production. Under his company Dick Clark Productions, he produced such shows as "Where the Action Is", "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes", and more recently, "So You Think You Can Dance", as well as made-for-television movies including "Elvis", "The Birth of the Beatles", "Wild Streets", and "The Savage Seven". Clark also hosted television's "$10,000 Pyramid", "TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes" (with co-host Ed McMahon), "Scattergories", and "The Other Half". Clark also had several radio programs, including "The Dick Clark National Music Survey", "Countdown America", and "Rock, Roll & Remember".
In 1972, he produced and hosted the very first edition of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve", a musical program where Clark counted down until the New Year ball dropped in Times Square, featuring taped performances from musical artists. "New Year's Rockin' Eve" soon became a cultural tradition, airing on ABC every year with Clark as host (except in 1999 when ABC aired "ABC 2000: Today", a news milestone program hosted by Peter Jennings). In December 2004, Clark suffered a minor stroke and was unable to host, so Regis Philbin stepped in as a substitute. The following year, Clark returned as co-host alongside primary host Ryan Seacrest. Many were worried about Clark due to his slurred and breathless speech, and he admitted on-air he was still recovering but that he wouldn't have missed the broadcast for the world. The following year, Seacrest became "New Year's Rockin' Eve's" primary host, but Clark always returned for the countdown.
Clark has received several notable awards including four Emmy Awards, the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and the Peabody Award in 1999. He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1976, The Radio Hall of Fame in 1990, Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. Clark had been in St. John's hospital in Los Angeles after undergoing an outpatient procedure the night of April 17, 2012. Clark suffered a massive heart attack following the procedure. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he died the next morning of April 18, 2012.- Producer
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Born in Indianapolis, he paid his dues as a magician, disc jockey, comedian and studio page in Los Angeles during the 1970s. When Jack Barry's announcer fell sick on The Joker's Wild (1972), 1973, Marc (then a 22-year-old page) filled in. That was his break. He began warming up audiences for network programs like Soap (1977), Star Search (1983) and Alice (1976), gaining exposure that finally led to his "organic" misadventures on Nickelodeon's Double Dare (1986) (which he hosted from 1986 to 1994) and What Would You Do? (1991).- Producer
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Just before J.D. Roth hosted a series of game shows (between children and adults) for 14 years, (including Fox's Fun House (1988), which ran from 1988 to 1991 and Animal Planet ZOOventure (1997), which ran from 1997 to 1998), he was a contestant on Star Search (1983), and (as an actor), he made numerous guest appearances on The Equalizer (1985), As the World Turns (1956) and Charles in Charge (1984). After hosting "Fun House", he then founded "Slam Dunk Productions", on which he served as the executive producer of the short-lived Double Up (1992), Mad Libs & Moolah Beach (2001). In October 2000, he hosted his first adult game show, Sex Wars (2000), with Jennifer Cole, after hosting a lot of kids game shows, and what he knew was that a lot of kids, who grew up watching the shows J.D. had hosted, should enjoy watching an adult game show, but it lasted for only a year.- Producer
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Drew Carey was born on 23 May 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for The Drew Carey Show (1995), Robots (2005) and Jack and Jill (2011).- Producer
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Wayne Brady was born in Columbus, Georgia and lived in Orlando, Florida. At 16, Brady had already decided on a career in the military. Little did he know that a chance performance in a high school play would garner him not only rave reviews but also permanently alter his long-range plans. Soon, he was heavily involved in the central Florida theater community, performing in numerous stage productions including "A Chorus Line", "Fences", "A Raisin in the Sun", "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "I'm Not Rappaport". Brady moved to Las Vegas and then to Los Angeles in 1996, where he began working in theater and television. He performed at the prestigious Mark Taper Forum in its production of "Blade to the Heat". He also garnered guest starring roles in such television series as NBC's I'll Fly Away (1991) and The Home Court (1995) and In the Heat of the Night (1988) for CBS. Currently, Brady is busy hosting the VH-1 series, Vinyl Justice (1998), which premieres in August. Brady has also been honored with several nominations for his work in theater, including Best Actor in a Musical for "Cotton Patch Gospel" at the distinguished Edyth Bush Theatre. He was named Sak Theatre's 1992 Rookie of the Year for TheatreSports/Improv.- Producer
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Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Alex Trebek graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Philosophy. After his first decision to become a newscaster, he joined the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company), Canada's premier network in 1961. As he was working, he helped organize national news and covered a variety of special events for CBC's radio and television divisions, receiving high praise as a broadcaster who retained his poise and composure in the toughest places. Then, in 1966, he became a Canadian game show host on Reach for the Top (1965), and stayed there for the first seven years until he migrated to the United States to host his very first game show in that country, The Wizard of Odds (1973), for NBC.
Prior to being selected as the host of Jeopardy! (1984), for syndication, he came back to NBC and hosted the revamped version of Classic Concentration (1987), which was also his second hit in his then-almost 30 year career. On this show, he received 4 Emmy nominations, but didn't win. It was canceled in 1991, when the network stopped making game show for daytime TV.
On May 17, 2002, Jeopardy! (1984) celebrated a milestone, with its 4000th episode and at the same time, received another Daytime Emmy for "Outstanding Game Show/Audience Participation," making it its 21st Emmy. Like Bob Barker, Alex Trebek broke the world record as host of TV's #1 quiz show in the country, won seven Outstanding Game Show Host Emmy Awards, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was often described as one of the Top 10 Canadians on U.S. Television. Trebek passed away, after a long battle against pancreatic cancer on November 8, 2020, at age 80.- Producer
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Pat Sajak was born on 26 October 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Wheel of Fortune (1983), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) and The A-Team (1983). He has been married to Lesly Brown since 31 December 1989. They have two children. He was previously married to Sherrill.- Producer
- Actor
Tom Bergeron was born on 6 May 1955 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Hollywood Squares (1998), Dancing with the Stars (2005) and Star Trek: Enterprise (2001). He has been married to Lois Harmon since 22 May 1982. They have two children.- Actor
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Peter Tomarken was born on 7 December 1942 in Olean, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Heaven Can Wait (1978), Haunted (1998) and The Secret Empire (1979). He was married to Dana Jones and Kathleen Abigail Eastman. He died on 13 March 2006 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Actor
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Bert Convy was born on 23 July 1933 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for The Cannonball Run (1981), Hero at Large (1980) and Weekend Warriors (1986). He was married to Catherine Hall and Anne Anderson. He died on 15 July 1991 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Jack Barry was born on March 20, 1918 in Lindenhurst, New York, the son of Cecelia (Hepner) and Max Solomon Barasch. In his adult years, he did saloon work until Dan Enright said they should go into television game shows. He hosted Winky Dink and You, the first example of interactive TV. He later went on to host Juvenile Jury and Life Begins at 80. In 1956, he hosted Twenty-One, Tic Tac Dough and the first four episodes of Concentration. Barry was involved in the quiz show scandals which brought down Barry & Enright productions. During the 1960s, he hosted the unsuccessful Reel Game, and in 1972, he hosted The Joker's Wild. In 1976, he produced a revival of Break the Bank, with former You Don't Say! host Tom Kennedy as emcee. Even though the show was successful, it was canceled after only 15 weeks, after which Barry hosted a syndicated version which also was proven to be unsuccessful. In 1975, he created the short-lived game show Blank Check. In 1980, he created Play the Percentages, and in 1984, he made his final creation, Hot Potato, with game show king Bill Cullen as emcee. Barry died that same year in May from a cardiac arrest while morning jogging in Central Park and was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. After his death, Bill Cullen took over and Kline and Friends was formed by Richard Kline.
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Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Finn continues to become the most popular on-camera TV host who was willing enough to find a job that pays him to have fun. He also dreamed of becoming a game show host, that would last a long time, and more than likely to have a lot than a little bit of "abracadabra" within his measure. Finn's first game show was, The Joker's Wild (1972), which first aired in syndication in 1990, and on the USA network, in reruns. When the show was cancelled around the same time, he began hosting Shop 'Til You Drop (1991). He has been hosting the game show since its July 1991 debut on Lifetime Television, where it became an immediate hit, after the immensely popular, "Supermarket Sweep", which aired the night before. Pat also hosted the California Lottery, "Big Spin 2000", game show, which airs throughout the state every Saturday night. He began his career in broadcasting at various radio stations as the voice of the station, writer and director rolled into one. He was also a talk-show host in Phoenix, before he decided to pay attention to more of his on-camera role. Also in Phoenix at NBC's KPNX-TV, he served as host and the executive producer of "Finn & Friends," which became the highly-rated daily talk show. In San Francisco, at NBC's KRON-TV, he was working as a weatherman, news anchor, correspondent, among many others. He also owns In-Finn-ity Productions, Inc., a television company specializing in reality-based television development and production and is now working on a game show for the Game Show Network, called, National Lampoon's Funny Money (2003). When not hosting, he spends most of his time producing and giving money to other charities.- Actor
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Born in San Diego, California, on October 10th, 1973, to Mario and Elvira, Mario Lopez's first professional role was on the series, a.k.a. Pablo (1984). Mario is probably best known to youngsters, however, as A.C. Slater from NBC's popular 1980s teen comedy series Saved by the Bell (1989). Among Mario's other credits are several other popular television series, such as Pacific Blue (1996) and the movies Colors (1988), Depraved (1996) and Eastside (1999). Mario has proven himself as a talented and prolific presenter, having hosted such series as Name Your Adventure (1992), The Other Half (2001) and Pet Star (2002).- Bill Cullen was born on 18 February 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Three on a Match (1971), It Happened to Jane (1959) and Hot Potato (1984). He was married to Ann Cullen, Carol Ames and Ruth Elizabeth Harrington. He died on 7 July 1990 in Bel Air, California, USA.
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Bob Eubanks was born on 8 January 1938 in Flint, Michigan, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Payback (1990) and Roger & Me (1989). He has been married to Debbie James since 2004. They have one child. He was previously married to Irma Brown.- Producer
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Broderick Stephen Harvey, Sr. is an American television host, actor, writer, producer, and comedian. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, the Miss Universe competition, Family Feud Africa, and the arbitration-based court comedy Judge Steve Harvey.
Harvey began his career as a comedian. He performed stand-up comedy in the early 1980s and hosted Showtime at the Apollo and The Steve Harvey Show on The WB. He was later featured in The Original Kings of Comedy after starring in the Kings of Comedy Tour. His last stand-up show was in 2012.
Harvey is the host of both Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, holding this role since 2010. He also hosted Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots Forever Young, and Steve Harvey's Funderdome. As an author, he has written four books, including his bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, which was published in March 2009.
In 2017, Harvey founded Steve Harvey Global, an entertainment company that houses his production company East 112 and various other ventures. He launched an African version of Family Feud and also invested in the HDNet takeover along with Anthem Sports and Entertainment. He and his wife Marjorie are the founders of The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on youth education.
He is a seven-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, two-time Marconi Award winner, and a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner in various categories.