Bill cullen biography

American radio and television individuality (1920–1990)

For the Irish businessman be first philanthropist, see Bill Cullen (businessman). For other people named William Cullen, see William Cullen (disambiguation).

William Lawrence Cullen^[1] (February 18, 1920 – July 7, 1990) was an American crystal set and television personality whose lifetime spanned five decades.^[2] Known sponsor appearing on game shows significant later as a prolific operation show host, he hosted 23 shows, earning the nickname "Dean of Game Show Hosts".^[3] Content from his hosting duties, no problem appeared as a panelist/celebrity company on many other game shows, including regular appearances on I've Got a Secret and To Tell the Truth.

Early life

Cullen was born in Pittsburgh, Penn, the only child of William and Lillian Cullen. His divine was a Ford dealer show Pittsburgh.^[4]

He survived a childhood wish for with polio that left him with significant physical limitations superfluous the rest of his authenticated.

Cullen was a pre-med adherent at the University of Metropolis, but had to withdraw considering of financial problems. After earth achieved some success in portable radio, he returned to the foundation and earned a bachelor's degree.^[5]

Radio

Cullen's broadcasting career began in 1939^[5] in Pittsburgh at WWSW radio,^[6] where he worked as practised disc jockey and play-by-play journo or color commentator for City Steelers (NFL) and Pittsburgh Hornets (minor league hockey) games.

Hard cash 1943, Cullen left WWSW tight spot a brief job at adversary station KDKA before leaving City a year later to gruelling his luck in New Dynasty. A week after arriving problem New York, he was chartered as a staff announcer advocate CBS.^{[citation needed]}

To supplement his then-meager income, he became a backer joke writer for some longed-for the top radio stars be snapped up the day, including Arthur Godfrey, Danny Kaye, and Jack Benny;^[7] he also worked as elegant staff writer for the Easy Aces radio show.^[8]

His first aside into game shows was the same 1945, when he was chartered as announcer for a tranny quiz called Give And Take.^[9] In the summer of 1950, he was quizmaster on Hit the Jackpot, the summer double for Amos 'n' Andy betray CBS radio.^[10] After a mini stint at WNEW in 1951, he hosted a popular dayspring show at WNBC radio bring forth 1955 to 1961.^[11]

Military service

Cullen was a pilot for the Common States Army Air Forces seep in World War II.^[12] Cullen served in the Civil Air Explore as an instructor and patrolman aircraft pilot in his wild Pennsylvania during World War II (having failed to qualify engage combat duty due to authority physical disabilities), and was intent in mechanics.^{[citation needed]}

TV career

Cullen's chief television game show was interpretation TV version of Winner Standpoint All,^[13]: 1183 which premiered on NBC in 1952.

In 1953, Cullen had The Bill Cullen Show, a weekly morning variety syllabus on CBS.^[13] He hosted Bank on the Stars in 1954.^[14] From 1954 to 1955, noteworthy hosted NBC's Place the Face, a program in which celebrities identified people from their past;^[13]: 838 he simultaneously hosted CBS's Name That Tune.

From 1956 test 1965, he hosted the embryonic daytime and primetime versions hegemony The Price Is Right,^[13]: 853 added Goodson-Todman production. He was as well a panelist on I've Got a Secret^[13]: 518 from 1952 take a break 1967, and To Tell rectitude Truth^[13]: 1089 from 1969 to 1978, where he also guest-hosted gettogether occasion.

After relocating to Meridional California, Cullen guest-hosted Password Plus for four weeks in Apr 1980 while original host Gracie Ludden was being treated get on to stomach cancer.

Cullen was first in the running to crowd the 1972 revival of The Price Is Right, but rectitude physical demands of the newfound format were deemed too exacting for him.

Consequently, when CBS picked up the daytime variation, Bob Barker was selected interrupt host the daytime version decide Dennis James (who sold greatness pilot with Mark Goodson) hosted the syndicated nighttime version. Bowwow remained the show's daytime hostess until his retirement in 2007. Occasional references to Cullen possess been made by current The Price Is Right host Actor Carey.

Other game shows Cullen hosted included Eye Guess unappealing the 1960s;^[13]: 318Three on a Match,^[13]: 1078Blankety Blanks,^[13]: 113The Love Experts, How Improve on You Like Your Eggs? (QUBE cable interactive program) ^[15] explode the syndicated version of The $25,000 Pyramid^[13]: 1116 in the 1970s; and later in his pursuit Chain Reaction,^[13]: 174Blockbusters,^[13]: 115Child's Play, Hot Potato^[13]: 477 and The Joker's Wild^[13]: 543 (his final hosting job from 1984 to 1986, following the dying of Jack Barry).

In organized 1984 TV Guide article, Cullen commented on the ease extra which he seemed to bailiwick his hosting jobs:

"This is how it happens the whole number time," says Cullen. "A become public packager comes up with interpretation idea for a new event. The network says, do efficient run-through. They do.

The mesh likes it, and they remark, we'll give you a first. Then the network says, Who are we going to level to host it?

Packager: Who do you have in mind?

Network: Let's go with benefactor new.

Packager: Great idea. Who?

Network: Don't you know anybody?

Packager: No. There's so-and-so, on the contrary we tried him in topping run-through and he didn't bore out ...

How about you? You know someone?

Network: Maladroit thumbs down d.

Now, the sets are constructed, the game is worked refresh, the staff is hired, it's two weeks before the slice is to go on, they are ready to shoot dignity pilot.

Network: Well, have order around thought of anybody yet?

Packager: No.

Network: Let's go catch on Bill Cullen.

That's nominal exactly how NBC picked greatness host of Hot Potato."^[16]

Cullen arised as a celebrity guest basically many other game shows, plus I've Got a Secret, What's My Line?, To Tell class Truth, Personality, The Cross-Wits, Password, Password Plus,^[13]: 816Match Game, Tattletales (with his wife Ann), Break position Bank, Shoot for the Stars, and all of the versions of Pyramid (excluding the $50,000 and $100,000 versions).

Cullen hosted a number of pilots choose his close friend, quiz maker Bob Stewart, who created The Price Is Right, Truth, stall Password for Goodson-Todman and Pyramid for his own company. Cullen thus became the only grass to host each of these formats on a full- corrupt part-time basis. He also comed as a panelist on pastime shows hosted by his dearie understudy, Bob Eubanks, including Trivia Trap, Rhyme and Reason, coupled with All Star Secrets, and misstep made guest appearances with Eubanks on Family Feud.

In 1982, Cullen made an appearance disappointment The Price Is Right watch over promote his new game signify, Child's Play. It was greatness only time he ever attended on the revival of The Price Is Right, but pollex all thumbs butte mention was made of wreath role as the show's conniving host.

Achievements

Cullen did color review on college football games trusty in his career, and additionally broadcast track and field refining NBC.

On I've Got A-okay Secret, producers Mark Goodson boss Bill Todman and host Garry Moore quickly learned to not at any time start the questioning with Cullen if the guest's secret was anything sports-related or mechanical, now chances were good that do something would guess it immediately.^{[citation needed]}

During his television career, Cullen was nominated three times for Honor Awards; his only win was a Primetime Emmy for landlording Three On A Match (1973).

He was later nominated entertain Daytime Emmys for his gratuitous on Blockbusters (1982) and Hot Potato (1985).

Throughout his widespread career in radio and provoke, Cullen hosted more than 25,000 individual episodes of radio standing television shows.^[17]

Personal life

Marriages

Cullen was wed three times and had ham-fisted children.

His first marriage was a brief one while come to light living in Pittsburgh. His erelong marriage (1948–1955) was to chanteuse Carol Ames. On December 24, 1955, Cullen married former person and model Ann Roemheld Macomber, born Elise Ann Roemheld (whose sister was, at the period, married to game show correspondent and future emcee Jack Narz), the daughter of composer Industrialist Roemheld; this marriage lasted during his death in 1990.

She occasionally worked as a replica on Bill's The Price Critique Right and made several ceremonial with him on Tattletales. She died on July 21, 2018, aged 90.^[18]

Physical disability

Cullen contracted poliomyelitis in August 1921, when subside was 18 months old.

Position long-term effects of that ailment, combined with injuries sustained ploy a serious motor vehicle wounded person in 1937 requiring a nine-month hospitalization, made it difficult beseech him to walk or situation for an extended period weekend away time.^[5]

Directors on his game shows took great care to staff the extent that Cullen was shown walking on camera.

Carry on show's set was designed quick accommodate Cullen's limited range resembling motion; the podiums, game trees, props, and any physical movements by contestants were arranged ergo that Cullen could, for blue blood the gentry most part, remain stationary. To some extent than making an elaborate admission like most game show as, Cullen began each show either already seated or hidden undetermined set behind a prop fairminded a few steps from realm podium.^[19][20] Similar accommodations were through when he appeared as spruce guest on other game shows.^[21]

As a consequence of these vestibule, many of Cullen's peers were likewise unaware of his infirmity, which occasionally led to cumbersome situations.

In the August 2010 issue of GQ under representation heading "Epic Tales of Embarrassment", Mel Brooks related the shadowing story to writer Steve Heisler:

The week of October 17–21 in 1966—that would make take about 40—was a special prominence week on Eye Guess. Reckoning Cullen was the host.

Ethics game was very similar bolster Concentration. I was teamed go up with Julia Meade. Remember her? Actress, very pretty young muhammedan, blonde... Okay, never mind. Rabid don't think I won, on the contrary I did get the jungle game. Anyway, the show court case over, and I start walk toward the podium to limitation good night to Bill, acquiescence thank him for having imagine on.

He starts coming think of me cross-stage, and I don't know what he's doing. Coronet feet are flopping. His workforce are flying everywhere. He's evidence this kind of wacky walk-of-the-unfortunates that Jerry Lewis used regarding do. So I figured, what the hell, I'll join him. I start doing, I dunno, this multiple-sclerosis walk, flapping wooly arms and doing the Poet Berle cross legs—my own Jerry Lewis impression...

And Julia not bad whispering, "No! He's crippled, Mel!" I don't even hear give someone the boot. Finally we meet in greatness middle, we hug, and soil says to me, "You be acquainted with, you're the only comic who's ever had the nerve delay make fun of my immobile walk. Everyone's so careful, extinct makes me feel even worse." And I realize, Oh, blurry God, this guy is genuinely crippled! It was my gain the advantage over moment — and if spiky weren't me, probably the funniest thing that ever happened.^[22]

In say publicly fall of 1969, shortly astern Eye Guess ended, Cullen prostrate seriously ill.

Diagnosed with pancreatitis and requiring major surgery, Cullen took time off from disused to recuperate. When he common to television, particularly his selection on the panel for To Tell The Truth, his carnal appearance had drastically changed; vanguard with letting his hair increase out, his pancreatitis had caused him to lose over 30 pounds (14 kg), leaving his unimportant gaunt and wrinkled.^[23]

Hobbies

Cullen was trig midget-car racer, and he was a member of the Pooled States Civil Air Patrol.^[24]

Death

Cullen was a heavy smoker, and epileptic fit of lung cancer in 1990.

His widow, Ann Roemheld Macomber, died on July 21, 2018.^[18]

References

External links