Photo: WireImage
Peter Marshall, the beloved host of the long-running game show Hollywood Squares, passed away on Thursday (August 15) at his home in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 98. The cause of death was kidney failure, according to a family statement shared by publicist Harlan Boll.
Born Ralph Pierre LaCock in Huntington, West Virginia, Marshall had a diverse career in show business before becoming the host of The Hollywood Squares in 1966.
He was a band singer, Broadway actor, and member of comedy duos. However, his role as the host of The Hollywood Squares made him a household name. He hosted more than 5,000 episodes of the popular game show, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1981.
Marshall's role on the show was more akin to a talk show host, with the tic-tac-toe game played by the contestants serving as a backdrop for humorous exchanges with celebrities. Regulars on the show included Paul Lynde, Joan Rivers, and George Gobel. The questions Marshall posed were designed to be setups for joke answers before the real ones followed.
Marshall's career in show business began as a teenager when he toured as a singer with the Bob Chester Orchestra.
During World War II, he served in an artillery unit in Italy and made his first forays onto the airways as a DJ for Armed Forces Radio.
After The Hollywood Squares, Marshall hosted 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.
Marshall is survived by his wife of 35 years, Laurie Stewart, his children Suzanne Browning, Jaime Dimarco, and Pete LaCock, a professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals, 12 grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.