Peter Marshall, host of “The Hollywood Squares,” has died. He was 98 years old.
Peter worked for a long time on the NBC game show and also sang and acted on Broadway.
According to his publicist, Harlan Boll, his family said that the 98-year-old died of kidney failure.
The man who used to host game shows passed away early Thursday morning at his home in Encino, Los Angeles.
The singer Peter Marshall became famous after being born Ralph Pierre LaCock in West Virginia.
“I’ve always wanted to be a singer.” He said on TV, “I always remember how important music was in my life.”
But the musician quickly became famous as the host of The Hollywood Squares from 1966 to 1981, for which he won four Emmy Awards.
Peter said that he only worked once a week for 16 years when he talked about his job.
There was no practice for Peter’s 2010 interview with the Archive of American Television. He said, “It was the easiest job I’ve ever had.”
As I walked in, I said, “Hello, stars.” I laughed as I read the questions.
“And it paid very well.”
Peter was the lead actor in the Broadway musical Skyscraper with Julie Harris before he became the host that everyone knew and loved.
When Peter became the host of a game show, he didn’t think it would last forever.
He told the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington in 2013 that it “was just a freak chance.”
“I had been on Broadway with Julie Harris and was going back to Broadway when I did the audition, and I thought it was a few weeks but that turned into 16 years.”
Peter went back to a remake of The Hollywood Squares in 2002 as a panelist.
Laurie Stewart, Peter’s wife, and their four children survive him. One of them, Pete LaCock, played first base for the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals.
SHARING TRIBUTES
Fans quickly took to social media to share their sadness when they heard the game show host had died.
Someone wrote, “Aww… another thread of life fabric unraveled,” and they added, “Rest well Mr. Marshall.” Such a brilliant and well-behaved man.”
Symbol of a game show!!! Awesome, he lived a long time. Have peace, Peter Marshall,” wrote someone else.
An emotional tribute was written by author Morgan Evans for X.
It started with, “Rest in peace to my friend Peter Marshall.”
Peter was a great person to know over the last six years, and I will miss him a lot.
He also said that he is dating Peter’s granddaughter and that the popular host “embraced me like family.”
“Incredibly grateful that I was able to spend time with such a legend.”