Peter Marshall, the host of the iconic ’70s game show Hollywood Squares and multiple Emmy Award winner, sadly passed away Thursday. He was 98.
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He died of kidney failure at his Encino home, his family announced, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Renowned for hosting over 5,000 episodes of the original Hollywood Squares throughout a remarkable 15-year run, he had an illustrious eight-decade career as a singer, actor, and emcee. With a characteristic wit, he once quipped that he wished his official cause of death to be listed as “boredom.”
On Hollywood Squares, Marshall typically worked just one day a week, during which he filmed five episodes. “It was the easiest job I ever had, and I never rehearsed,” he joked, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Marshall, originally named Ralph Pierre LaCock, was born on March 30, 1926, in Huntington, West Virginia.
He started his showbiz career in his teenage years, inspired by his sister, Joanne Dru, a star of Red River, who was modeling at the time. He secured a position as an NBC Radio page and also worked as an usher at Paramount Theater.
Peter Marshall’s Show Business Career Beyond ‘Hollywood Squares’
In 1944, he was drafted into the Army and stationed in Italy, where he served as a disc jockey for Armed Forces Radio. By 1949, he partnered with future Gentleman Prefer Blondes star Tommy Noonan. This comedy duo performed in nightclubs, films, and theaters, and made notable appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.
In the 1950s, he signed on as a contract player with Twentieth Century Fox, featuring alongside Noonan in the comedies The Rookie and Swingin’ Along, as well as in the 1964 film Ensign Pulver. His filmography also includes the role of radio announcer Bert Healy in John Huston’s 1982 adaptation of the musical Annie.
Peter is survived by his beloved wife, Laurie, with whom he shared 35 wonderful years. He leaves behind his daughters, Suzanne Browning (husband David) and Jaime Dimarco (husband Steve), and his son, Pete LaCock (wife Janna). He was preceded in death by his son, David LaCock, who passed away in 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. Peter was a grandfather of 12 and a great-grandfather of nine. He was also a devoted pet owner to numerous dogs and cats. His obituary also honors his dedicated caregiver, Louis Soto.