Art Linkletter

Producer / Host - Children's Shows


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Art Linkletter (1912-2010) discusses his early years in radio and his business partnership with John Guedel, which resulted in many popular programs including Groucho Marx's You Bet Your Life. He talks about his first television series, Life with Linkletter. Linkletter then recounts some of his most memorable stories from the two television series he is most associated with, Art Linkletter's House Party and People Are Funny. Regarding these series, he talks about the shows' universal appeal and his humorous interviews with over 27,000 children. He also discusses his notable appearance as host at the opening of Disneyland (Walt Disney was a family friend) on the live televised broadcast in July of 1955. Sam Denoff conducted the interview on September 15, 1997 in Bel Air, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"It was a great experience to have a part in the lives of 27,000 kids who've grown up."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Art Linkletter on hosting various radio shows in the early 1950s, and on his first television show, Life with Linkletter
03:26
Art Linkletter on hosting "People Are Funny" on radio
04:08
Art Linkletter on the television version of People Are Funny
05:12
Art Linkletter on developing Art Linkletter's House Party (with producer John Guedel) and the kinds of segments that were featured on the show
04:02
Art Linkletter on what career he might have done without television and how he'd like to be remembered
02:39
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on moving to New York in 1929; on his first job in radio
On the World's Fair in San Diego and in San Francisco; on hosting "People Are Funny" on radio; on appearing in the feature film version of "People Are Funny"; on hosting various radio shows in the early 1950s and on his first television show, Life with Linkletter

Chapter 2

On developing House Party (with producer John Guedel) and the kinds of segments that were featured; on hosting Life With Linkletter, and on the methods of broadcasting live and on tape
On his duties as a commercial pitchman, and on filming an ad at Warner Bros. studios; on hosting Art Linkletter's House Party, and on working with children on the show
On the preparation that went into Art Linkletter's House Party; on the music and sponsors of Art Linkletter's House Party

Chapter 3

On winning an Emmy Award in 1954 and on the tragic death of his daughter Diane Linkletter; on interviewing children over the years on Art Linkletter's House Party; on how the format of Art Linkletter's House Party changed over the years, and on the writers of the show
On his son Jack Linkletter; on the cancellation of Art Linkletter's House Party
On the television version of People Are Funny; on the creative team of People Are Funny; on the music of the show

Chapter 4

On Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope; on the stunts of People Are Funny; on the cancellation of People Are Funny and the then-current state of television comedy
On his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland; on hosting Inside Beverly Hills, and on Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person; on appearing on The General Electric Theater; on hosting The Art Linkletter Show and Art Linkletter's Hollywood Talent Scouts

Chapter 5

On hosting Art Linkletter's Hollywood Talent Scouts; on serving as commissioner general of the U.S. exhibition at the International Exposition in Brisbane, Australia in 1988; on his column in "The National Enquirer"
On the then-current state of television hosts; on what represents the best of television and how television audiences changed over the years; on the then-future of television
On what career he might have done without television and how he'd like to be remembered; on various people with whom he has worked in his career

Chapter 6

On various people with whom he's worked in his career; on his son Jack and wife Lois; on his then-future plans
Shows

Art Linkletter's House Party

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Art Linkletter on developing House Party (with producer John Guedel) and the kinds of segments that were featured on the show
04:35
Art Linkletter on hosting Art Linkletter's House Party, and on working with children on the show
05:30
Art Linkletter on the preparation that went into Art Linkletter's House Party
03:30
Art Linkletter on the music and sponsors of Art Linkletter's House Party
04:07
Art Linkletter on interviewing children over the years on Art Linkletter's House Party
08:09
Art Linkletter on how the format of Art Linkletter's House Party changed over the years, and on the writers of the show
03:11
Art Linkletter on the cancellation of Art Linkletter's House Party by programmer Fred Silverman, and on his friendship with William S. Paley
02:47

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Art Linkletter on winning an Emmy in 1954 and on the tragic death of his daughter Diane Linkletter
01:56

General Electric Theater, The

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Art Linkletter on appearing on The General Electric Theater
02:02

Life With Linkletter

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Art Linkletter on hosting various radio shows in the early 1950s, and on his first television show, Life with Linkletter
02:34
Art Linkletter on hosting Life With Linkletter, and on the methods of broadcasting live and on tape
06:00

People Are Funny

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Art Linkletter on the television version of People Are Funny
05:12
Art Linkletter on the creative team of People Are Funny
01:25
Art Linkletter on the music of People Are Funny
03:51
Art Linkletter on the stunts of People Are Funny
06:30
Art Linkletter on the cancellation of People Are Funny and the then current state of television comedy
03:31

Person to Person

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Art Linkletter on hosting Inside Beverly Hills, and on Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person
02:16

Tonight Show, The (1962)

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Art Linkletter on being one of the interim hosts of The Tonight Show in 1962 between Jack Paar's departure and Johnny Carson's arrival, and on working with Steve Allen
02:52

Wonderful World of Disney, The aka Magical World of Disney, The

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Art Linkletter on his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland
07:11
Topics

Advertising and Sponsorship

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Art Linkletter on the music and sponsors of Art Linkletter's House Party
04:07

Classic TV series episodes

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Art Linkletter on his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland
07:11

Emmy Awards

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Art Linkletter on winning an Emmy in 1954 and on the tragic death of his daughter Diane Linkletter
01:56

Pop Culture

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Art Linkletter on his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland
07:11

Television Industry

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Art Linkletter on the music and sponsors of Art Linkletter's House Party
04:07
Art Linkletter on the then-current state of television hosts
02:46
Art Linkletter on the then-future of television
00:52
Genres

Children's Programming

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Art Linkletter on his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland
07:11

Classic Anthology Series

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Art Linkletter on appearing on The General Electric Theater
02:04

Comedy Series

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Art Linkletter on hosting People Are Funny
10:01

Talk Shows

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Art Linkletter on Art Linkletter's House Party
15:36
Art Linkletter on People Are Funny
10:35
Art Linkletter on being one of the interim hosts of The Tonight Show in 1962 between Jack Paar's departure and Johnny Carson's arrival, and on working with Steve Allen
02:52
People

Lucille Ball

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Art Linkletter on Lucille Ball
00:36

Jack Barry

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Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards
01:21

Dick Clark

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Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark
00:50

Perry Como

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Art Linkletter on Perry Como
01:01

Charles Correll

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Art Linkletter on Charles Correll
00:43

Bill Cosby

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Art Linkletter on Bill Cosby and Stu Phelps
01:03

Bob Cummings

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Art Linkletter on Bob Cummings and Norman Vincent Peale
01:29

Walt Disney

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Art Linkletter on his friendship with Walt Disney and on hosting the live broadcast of the opening of Disneyland
07:11
Art Linkletter on Walt Disney
00:10

Ralph Edwards

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Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards
01:21

John Frankenheimer

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Art Linkletter on John Frankenheimer
01:10

Jackie Gleason

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Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin
02:11

Merv Griffin

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Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin
02:11

John Guedel

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Art Linkletter on developing House Party (with producer John Guedel) and the kinds of segments that were featured on the show
04:33
Art Linkletter on John Guedel
00:15

Jack Haley, Jr.

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Art Linkletter on Jack Haley, Jr.
00:22

Monty Hall

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Art Linkletter on Monty Hall and Robert Kitner
01:34

Edith Head

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Art Linkletter on Edith Head
00:57

Bob Hope

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Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope
02:56

Dennis James

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Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark
00:50

Edward R. Murrow

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Art Linkletter on hosting Inside Beverly Hills, and on Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person
02:16

Ozzie Nelson

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Art Linkletter on Ozzie Nelson
01:00

Richard M. Nixon

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Art Linkletter on Richard M. Nixon
00:07

William S. Paley

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Art Linkletter on the cancellation of Art Linkletter's House Party by programmer Fred Silverman, and on his friendship with William S. Paley
02:47
Art Linkletter on Wiliam S. Paley
00:19

David Sarnoff

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Art Linkletter on David Sarnoff
00:24

Fred Silverman

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Art Linkletter on the cancellation of Art Linkletter's House Party by programmer Fred Silverman, and on his friendship with William S. Paley
02:47

Frank Sinatra

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Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope
02:56

Danny Thomas

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Art Linkletter on Danny Thomas
00:28

Rudy Vallee

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Art Linkletter on Rudy Vallee
00:46

Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

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Art Linkletter on Sylvester L. Weaver
00:39

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