Art Linkletter
He turned everyday conversations into national entertainment, hosting two of America's longest-running and most beloved audience-participation shows.
1912–2010 (age 98)·Canadian-born American TV personality·Birthday: July 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Art Linkletter's career was built on a simple, revolutionary idea: the most compelling entertainment could come from ordinary people, especially children. Born in Canada, he moved to California as a boy and honed his easygoing charm on local radio. His genius lay in unscripted interviews; his show 'House Party' became a daytime staple for 25 years, while 'People Are Funny' playfully put audience members in absurd situations. More than a broadcaster, Linkletter became a trusted family figure, his books on kids' unintentional wisdom selling millions. He leveraged his fame for advocacy, notably serving as a vocal crusader against drug abuse after personal family tragedy, shaping national conversation with the same conversational authority he used to make America laugh.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Art was born in 1912, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Art Was Born
The biggest hits of 1912
Art's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1912Born
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1917Started school
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Became a teenager
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Could drive
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1930Could vote
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Turned 21
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1942Turned 30
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 40
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 50
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 60
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 70
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 80
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2010Died at 98
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Hosted CBS's 'House Party' for 25 years, a landmark in daytime television and radio.
- Created and hosted the NBC audience-participation hit 'People Are Funny' for 19 years.
- Authored the bestselling book 'Kids Say the Darndest Things!', spawning a multimedia franchise.
- Served as a national spokesperson for drug abuse prevention following his daughter's tragic death.
Did You Know?
He was orphaned as an infant and adopted by a Baptist evangelist and his wife.
He dropped out of San Diego State University to become a radio announcer.
His 1957 book 'Kids Say the Darndest Things!' spent over two years on bestseller lists.
He became a U.S. citizen in 1942.
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
