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

    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.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Art Linkletter

    Art Linkletter on hosting various radio shows in the early 1950s, and on his first television show, Life with Linkletter

    03:26
    Thumbnail of Art Linkletter

    Art Linkletter on hosting "People Are Funny" on radio

    04:08
    Thumbnail of Art Linkletter

    Art Linkletter on the television version of People Are Funny

    05:12
    Thumbnail of Art Linkletter

    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
    Thumbnail of Art Linkletter

    Art Linkletter on what career he might have done without television and how he'd like to be remembered

    02:39
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on moving to New York in 1929; on his first job in radio

    12:24

    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

    15:12

    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

    12:49

    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

    07:44

    On the preparation that went into Art Linkletter's House Party; on the music and sponsors of Art Linkletter's House Party

    07:37

    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

    13:23

    On his son Jack Linkletter; on the cancellation of Art Linkletter's House Party

    04:14

    On the television version of People Are Funny; on the creative team of People Are Funny; on the music of the show

    10:35

    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

    12:58

    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

    15:31

    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"

    07:24

    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

    06:10

    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

    14:25

    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

    08:40

    Art Linkletter's House Party

    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)

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

    01:56

    General Electric Theater, The

    Art Linkletter on appearing on The General Electric Theater

    02:02

    Life With Linkletter

    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

    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

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

    02:16

    Tonight Show, The (1962)

    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

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

    07:11

    Advertising and Sponsorship

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

    04:07

    Classic TV Series Episodes

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

    07:11

    Emmy Awards

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

    01:56

    Pop Culture

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

    07:11

    Television Industry

    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

    Children's Programming

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

    07:11

    Classic Anthology Series

    Art Linkletter on appearing on The General Electric Theater

    02:04

    Comedy Series

    Art Linkletter on hosting People Are Funny

    10:01

    Talk Shows

    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

    Lucille Ball

    Art Linkletter on Lucille Ball

    00:36

    Jack Barry

    Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards

    01:21

    Dick Clark

    Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark

    00:50

    Perry Como

    Art Linkletter on Perry Como

    01:01

    Charles Correll

    Art Linkletter on Charles Correll

    00:43

    Bill Cosby

    Art Linkletter on Bill Cosby and Stu Phelps

    01:03

    Bob Cummings

    Art Linkletter on Bob Cummings and Norman Vincent Peale

    01:29

    Walt Disney

    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

    Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards

    01:21

    John Frankenheimer

    Art Linkletter on John Frankenheimer

    01:10

    Jackie Gleason

    Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin

    02:11

    Merv Griffin

    Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin

    02:11

    John Guedel

    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

    Monty Hall

    Art Linkletter on Monty Hall and Robert Kitner

    01:34

    Edith Head

    Art Linkletter on Edith Head

    00:57

    Bob Hope

    Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope

    02:56

    Dennis James

    Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark

    00:50

    Jack Haley, Jr.

    Art Linkletter on Jack Haley, Jr.

    00:22

    Edward R. Murrow

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

    02:16

    Ozzie Nelson

    Art Linkletter on Ozzie Nelson

    01:00

    Richard M. Nixon

    Art Linkletter on Richard M. Nixon

    00:07

    William S. Paley

    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

    Art Linkletter on David Sarnoff

    00:24

    Fred Silverman

    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

    Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope

    02:56

    Danny Thomas

    Art Linkletter on Danny Thomas

    00:28

    Rudy Vallee

    Art Linkletter on Rudy Vallee

    00:46

    Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

    Art Linkletter on Sylvester L. Weaver

    00:39

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