Peter Marshall was a television entertainer and game-show star best known for his 16-year, 5,000-episode run as the host of “Hollywood Squares” from 1966 to 1981.
- Died: August 15, 2024 (Who else died on August 15?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles of kidney failure at the age of 98.
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Peter Marshall’s legacy
Born Ralph Pierre LaCock in West Virginia but better known by his stage name, Peter Marshall took the job that made him famous not because he wanted the gig, but in order to undermine someone. He had a bad view of comic Dan Rowan due to Rowan’s alleged poor treatment of a close friend, so when he heard that Rowan was on the short list to host “Hollywood Squares,” Marshall took the job to prevent him from getting it. He remained there for the next 16 years.
From 1966 to 1981, Marshall hosted over 5,000 episodes of the comedic game show, setting up Hollywood stars for funny one-liners and sometimes using the opportunity to ask them revealing questions. The show was a hit, and it made Marshall a household name.
His first loves, however, were music and theater. Marshall was a singer, performing on Broadway and London’s West End, and he appeared in stage productions of “La Cage aux Folles,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Music Man,” “Guys and Dolls,” and many others. After his time on “Hollywood Squares,” he served as a host on the Music of Your Life radio network.
Marshall won four Emmy Awards for his work on “Hollywood Squares.” In 2007, he was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, and the year prior received the Bill Cullen Award for Lifetime Achievement from the organization Game Show Congress. He is also in the West Virginia Hall of Fame.
On taking the Hollywood Square hosting spot to undercut a rival comic
“I’ve only disliked two people in my life; Dan Rowan was one of them.” — interview with the Archive of American Television, 2010
Tributes to Peter Marshall
Full obituary: The New York Times
