In Memoriam: Peter Marshall

Game show host Peter Marshall, who hosted Hollywood Squares, died on Thursday, August 15, 2024, of kidney failure. He was 98 years old.

Marshall hosted over 5,000 episodes of the original Hollywood Squares, was a 19-time Emmy nominee and five-time winner. He also appeared in movies, TV shows, and on stage.

He was born Ralph Pierre LaCock on March 30, 1926, in Huntington, West Virginia. His career began as a radio page for NBC and an usher at the Paramount Theater, then he served in the US Army where he was a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio.

He and Tommy Noonan developed a comedy act, which they performed on tour around the country and TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show.

Marshall became the host of The Hollywood Squares in 1966, working with hundreds of celebrities as they made jokes and attempted to answer trivia questions. Originally, he was going to host for about three months then return to performing on stage, but he ended up hosting the show for 15 years.

After that, he hosted The Peter Marshall Variety Show, Big Bands from Disneyland, and Fantasy, plus the game shows All-Star Blitz and Yahtzee. Marshall also appeared in movies like Ensign Pulver, The Rookie, and Annie, and TV shows such as The Love Boat, Hotel, WKRP in Cincinnati, Love American Style, and Lou Grant.

He produced and toured in big band shows, hosted the Music of Your Life radio program, and hosted musical specials for PBS. Marshall released multiple albums and wrote his memoir, Backstage with the Original Hollywood Square.