Bert Convy
A charming and versatile entertainer who became the smiling face of American game shows in the 1970s and 80s.
1933–1991 (age 58)·American actor, singer, game show panelist and host·Birthday: July 23·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bert Convy's career was a masterclass in mid-century show business versatility. Before he became a fixture in living rooms as a game show host, he was a working actor and singer. He started as a teen idol with the band The Cheers and later appeared on Broadway in 'Fiddler on the Roof' and numerous television series. His real breakthrough came with the warm, couple-centric game show 'Tattletales,' where his affable, slightly mischievous hosting style clicked with audiences. That success led to him fronting other popular shows like 'Super Password' and 'Win, Lose or Draw,' making him one of the most recognizable and trusted hosts of the era. His smooth delivery and genuine rapport with contestants turned simple game mechanics into comforting daily entertainment.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bert was born in 1933, placing them squarely in The Silent 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 Bert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1933
#1 Movie
King Kong
Best Picture
Cavalcade
Bert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1933Born
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1938Started school
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1946Became a teenager
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1949Could drive
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1951Could vote
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Turned 21
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1963Turned 30
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 40
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 50
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Died at 58
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
Key Achievements
- Hosted the popular CBS game show 'Tattletales' for its entire seven-year run from 1974 to 1984.
- Starred on Broadway as Perchik in the original production of the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof.'
- Won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1977 for Outstanding Game Show Host for his work on 'Tattletales.'
- Created and hosted the syndicated charades-based game show 'Win, Lose or Draw.'
Did You Know?
He was a minor league baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization before pursuing entertainment.
Convy was a regular panelist on the original version of 'Match Game' in the 1970s.
He guest-starred as a villain, 'The Toyman,' in a 1978 episode of 'Wonder Woman.'
“The object is to win the game and the money.”
