Peter Marshall Dies: Longtime ‘Hollywood Squares’ Host, Comic & Actor Was 98

Peter Marshall, who hosted the popular game show The Hollywood Squares for more than 15 years and had a long career as an actor, singer and comic, died today of kidney failure at his Encino home. He was 98. His publicist Harlan Boll confirmed to news to Deadline.

Marshall won four Daytime Emmys for hosting the syndicated Hollywood Squares from 1966-81. The tic-tac-toe game featured two contestants who agree or disagree with celebrities who provided answers to Marshall’s questions — which ranged from silly to ribald. The format has been revived a few times over the years, with a new edition hosted by Nate Burleson with Drew Barrymore in the famed center square is to premiere in midseason.

“Listen to people, have fun, and know the game. That’s basically all you have to do to be a good game show host,” Marshall said in a 2019 interview for the Television Academy Foundation. “Know the game thoroughly so if something goes wrong, you know how to rectify it. And most importantly, enjoy the people.”

Born Ralph LaCock on March 30, 1926, in Huntington, WV, Marshall had a long career in showbiz before his Hollywood Squares gig. He teamed with Tommy Noonan in a comedy act that sold out nightclubs, and they appeared together in movies including The Rookie (1959) and Swingin’ Along (1961).

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