Art Linkletter

Producer / Host - Children's Shows

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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

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

Topics

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

Genres

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

People

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

Bob Hope

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Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope

02:56

Charles Correll

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Art Linkletter on Charles Correll

00:43

Danny Thomas

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Art Linkletter on Danny Thomas

00:28

David Sarnoff

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Art Linkletter on David Sarnoff

00:24

Dennis James

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Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark

00:50

Dick Clark

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Art Linkletter on Dennis James and Dick Clark

00:50

Edith Head

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Art Linkletter on Edith Head

00:57

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

Frank Sinatra

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Art Linkletter on Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope

02:56

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

Jack Barry

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Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards

01:21

Jack Haley, Jr.

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Art Linkletter on Jack Haley, Jr.

00:22

Jackie Gleason

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Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin

02:11

John Frankenheimer

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Art Linkletter on John Frankenheimer

01:10

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

Lucille Ball

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Art Linkletter on Lucille Ball

00:36

Merv Griffin

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Art Linkletter on Jackie Gleason and Merv Griffin

02:11

Monty Hall

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Art Linkletter on Monty Hall and Robert Kitner

01:34

Ozzie Nelson

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Art Linkletter on Ozzie Nelson

01:00

Perry Como

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Art Linkletter on Perry Como

01:01

Ralph Edwards

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Art Linkletter on Jack Barry and Ralph Edwards

01:21

Richard M. Nixon

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Art Linkletter on Richard M. Nixon

00:07

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

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

William S. Paley

View Person Page

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