Art Linkletter, a legendary star of radio and television who served as Master of Ceremonies for the opening day of Disneyland in 1955, died peacefully at home with his family on Wednesday, May 26. He was 97 years old.
On July 17, 1955, Art announced to an eager television audience, “Well, this job in the next hour and a half’s gonna be a delight. And then the show opened, and history was made,” he said.
Born in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan in 1912, Art was abandoned as an orphan and later adopted by a traveling minister and his wife. Fully intent on becoming a college professor, Art majored in English and Psychology and graduated from San Diego State College in 1934 with a B.A. degree. However during his last year in college, Art was offered a job as a radio announcer at Station KGB — a CBS outlet in San Diego. By the time he graduated, he was promoted to chief announcer and decided to remain in broadcasting.
Art was a star in show business for more than 75 years. His best-known shows established records for longevity. People Are Funny ran on NBC-TV and Radio for 19 years and was rated in the Top 10 for more than 11 years. House Party ran on CBS-TV and Radio for 26 years and was one of the top daytime shows from the day of its first broadcast in 1945. It won two Emmy Awards®, as well as numerous other nominations for awards. In addition, Art starred in and co-produced many television specials, as well as acting in half a dozen dramatic shows and motion pictures. Art also performed as the Master of Ceremonies for the opening day of Disneyland in 1955. He returned decades later to officiate at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Park on his 93rd birthday.
“Throughout Art’s 60 years in show business, he remained one of the most respected and beloved media personalities in America,”
said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger. “Art had forged a great friendship with our founder Walt Disney, which led him to host Disneyland’s groundbreaking live opening day broadcast on ABC in 1955. Art had remained a good friend to the company ever since, and we honored him with the prestigious Disney Legends Award in 2005. On behalf of everyone at Disney, we are saddened by Art’s passing and extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones”
Linkletter later recalled events surrounding that historic day on July 17, 1955. “I went out to the Disneyland site with Walt one time,” he recalled. “I didn’t want to spoil his enthusiasm. But after we had driven for about an hour south of Los Angeles, into the country and the orange groves, I thought ‘Geez! Who’s gonna come down here?'”
Luckily, Art’s initial doubts proved unfounded, and on July 17, 1955, he announced to an eager television audience, “Well, this job in the next hour and a half’s gonna be a delight. And then the show opened, and history was made,” he said.
He was a well-known author who wrote 16 books. His best-known book was one of the top non-fiction bestsellers in the history of publishing — Kids Say the Darndest Things. The book led all sellers for two years and is No. 14 on the list of all non-fiction published in the United States. The format of amusing anecdotes for this book was taken from interviewing more than 25,000 children on his program House Party. His latest book How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, with Mark Victor Hansen, was published in 2006.
Art was as well known for being a businessman as he was a TV personality. Owning several million acres of land “down under,” his pioneering work in sheep and cattle stations in Australia is well known. He was Chairman of the Board of Linkletter Enterprises, which built and managed public storage houses, office buildings, cow-calf operations and ranches in Montana, New Mexico and California. He held interests in a large number of oil and gas wells. He was instrumental in bringing such products as the Hula Hoop and The Game of Life to the marketplace and most recently he became involved in a cutting-edge company developing solar energy.
Charitable projects were always a passion for Art. Over the years he was very generous in sharing his wealth but in the last thirty years he also had the time to sit on as many as 28 boards of directors of a large variety of Foundations and Universities. The Center on Aging at UCLA, Pepperdine University, The John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation and The Children’s Bureau of Southern California were of particular interest. The family has requested that contributions to any of the above would be appreciated in lieu of flowers. His family will gather in a private setting to share their love and loss of this amazing, respected and cherished man.
“I first met Art at the celebration for the 35th anniversary of Disneyland, then worked with him off and on for the ensuing two decades,” remembers Disney Chief Archivist Dave Smith. “Even in recent years, he seemed awfully spry for a nonagenarian and enjoyed coming to Disney events. As one of Walt’s close friends, Art recalled being one of the first to whom Walt explained what he wanted to do with Disneyland, and besides getting Art to help emcee the opening of the park, he let him have the photography concession. Art got his Disney Legend award in 2005, and two years later when I got mine, Art and I were among the special guests on a Vacation Club cruise on the Disney Wonder. It was such fun to sit and reminisce with Art. He was a genuinely funny man, and the stories he told of his career were hilarious. I remember his quote when he served as the ambassador for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary — Art said, ‘It’s my 50th anniversary too — the 50th anniversary of my 43rd birthday.’ How fortunate we were to have known him and to have had him as a part of the extended Disney family.”
Art humbly gave Walt a lot of credit for his fulfilling life and career. “He really gave me my idea of what success is, in life, for myself, watching him. And that is, doing what you love to do, with people you enjoy being with. That’s more important than anything else, ’cause life’s not a rehearsal.”
Mr. Linkletter is survived by Lois, his wife of 75 years, and two daughters, Dawn Griffin and Sharon Linkletter. He was predeceased by three other children, Jack, Robert and Diane. He will also be lovingly remembered by his seven grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.