LOS ANGELES — Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” has died. He was 98.
He died Thursday of kidney failure at his home in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, publicist Harlan Boll said.
Marshall helped define the form of the smooth, professional, but never-too-serious modern game show host on more than 5,000 episodes of the series that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1981.
But he was often closer to a talk show host, and the tic-tac-toe game the contestants played, while real, was all an excuse for a good time. The questions Marshall posed to regulars like Paul Lynde, George Gobel and Joan Rivers were designed to be set-ups for joke answers before the real ones followed.
“It was the easiest thing I’ve ever done in show business,” Marshall said in a 2010 interview for the Archive of American Television. “I walked in, said ‘Hello stars,’ I read questions and laughed. And it paid very well.”
“The Hollywood Squares” would become an American cultural institution and make Marshall a household name. It would win four Daytime Emmys for outstanding game show during his run and spawned dozens of international versions and several U.S. reboots. Not only was it a forum for such character actors as Charlie Weaver (the stage name of Cliff Arquette) and Wally Cox, but the show attracted a range of top stars as occasional guests, including Aretha Franklin, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Ed Asner and Janet Leigh.
Marshall had a warm rapport with Weaver, Lynde and others, but said that Gobel, the wry comedian, actor and variety show host, held a special place, tweeting in 2021 that it’s “no secret he was my closest friend on Hollywood Squares and my absolute all-time favorite Square!”
Marshall had lived nearly an entire show business life before he took the “Squares” podium at age 40.
He had toured with big bands starting as a teenager, had been a part of two comedy teams that appeared in nightclubs and on television, appeared in movies as a contract player for Twentieth Century Fox, and had sung in several Broadway musicals when the opportunity came up after Bert Parks, who hosted the pilot, bowed out.
“I am a singer first I am not a game show host,” Marshall told his hometown paper, the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, West Virginia in 2013, “that was just a freak opportunity. 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.”
“The Hollywood Squares” was more strait-laced when it began, but early in its run a producer suggested they write jokes for Lynde, the ever-snarky comic actor who occupied the center square and would become as identified as Marshall with the show.
The first joke would set the template for the years that followed:
Marshall: “Paul, why do motorcyclists wear leather?”
Lynde: “Because chiffon wrinkles.”
“That changed the whole thing,” Marshall told the TV archive. “I had been a straight man. So working with comics was easy for me.”
Born Ralph Pierre LaCock in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Marshall would move around the state as a child, living in Wheeling and Huntington.
His father died when Marshall was 10, and he would live with his grandparents as his mother and sister, the actress Joanne Dru, moved to New York to pursue her career in show business. Marshall would soon join them.
At 15, he toured as a singer with the Bob Chester Orchestra. He also worked as an NBC Radio page and an usher at the Paramount Theater. He was drafted during World War II and stationed in Italy, where he made his first forays onto the airways as a DJ for Armed Forces Radio. In 1949 he formed a comedy duo with Tommy Noonan, appearing in nightclubs, in theaters and on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
He became a movie contract player in the 1950s at Twentieth Century Fox, appearing in films including 1959’s “The Rookie” and 1961’s “Swingin’ Along.”
Major starring roles eluded him in Hollywood, but he would find them in musical theater.
He starred opposite Chita Rivera in “Bye Bye Birdie” in London’s West End in 1962 — Lynde had played a major role in the Broadway version that he would reprise in the film — and played his first starring role on Broadway in “Skyscraper” with Julie Harris in 1965.
He would also appear in Broadway versions of “High Button Shoes,” “The Music Man” and “42nd Street.”
After “The Hollywood Squares,” Marshall would host a few other short-lived game shows, but mostly resumed his career as a singing actor, starring in more than 800 performances of “La Cage Aux Folles” on Broadway and on tour, and singing in the 1983 film version of “Annie.”
He was married three times, the last to Laurie Stewart in 1989.
The couple survived a bout with COVID-19 early in 2021. He was hospitalized for several weeks.
His four kids include son Pete LaCock, a professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. Marshall is also survived by daughters Suzanne and Jaime, son David, 12 grandchildren, and nine great-great grandchildren.
Peter Marshall, the beloved Broadway star and former host of the popular game show “Hollywood Squares,” has passed away at the age of 98. Marshall, whose real name was Ralph Pierre LaCock, was known for his quick wit, charming personality, and impressive singing voice.
Marshall began his career in show business as a singer and actor on Broadway, where he appeared in numerous musicals and plays. He gained national recognition when he was cast as the host of “Hollywood Squares” in 1966, a role he held for over a decade. Marshall’s sharp sense of humor and ability to keep the show moving made him a fan favorite, and he became a household name during his time on the show.
In addition to his work on “Hollywood Squares,” Marshall also had a successful career as a recording artist, releasing several albums of popular standards and show tunes. He continued to perform in concerts and stage productions well into his later years, delighting audiences with his timeless charm and talent.
Marshall’s passing has been met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans and colleagues alike. Many have fond memories of watching him on “Hollywood Squares” and admiring his talent as a performer. His legacy as a Broadway star and television host will live on for years to come, as he inspired countless individuals with his talent and charisma.
As we mourn the loss of Peter Marshall, we can take comfort in the fact that his contributions to the world of entertainment will never be forgotten. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of performers and entertainers, reminding us of the power of laughter, music, and joy in bringing people together. Rest in peace, Peter Marshall. You will be dearly missed.
