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Allen Ellsworth Ludden 1917 - 1981

Allen Ellsworth Ludden of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA was born on October 5, 1917 in Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin United States. He married Margaret Frances McGloin on October 11, 1943, and they were married until Margaret's death on October 30, 1961. They had children David Ludden, Martha Ludden, and Sarah Ludden. He also married Betty White on June 14, 1963, and they were married until Allen's death on June 9, 1981.

Allen Ellsworth Ludden

Allen Elsworth Ludden

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA 90049

October 5, 1917

Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin, 53565, United States

June 9, 1981

Los Angeles, CA, USA in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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Allen Ellsworth Ludden Allen Ludden (1917 - 1981)

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Allen Ellsworth Ludden's History: 1917 - 1981

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Introduction

Allen Ludden Born Allen Packard Ellsworth October 5, 1917 Mineral Point, Wisconsin, U.S. Died June 9, 1981 (aged 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Cause of death Stomach cancer Alma mater University of Texas Occupation Game show host, television personality, actor, singer Years active 1949–1981 Spouse Margaret McGloin (m. 1943; d. 1961) Betty White (m. 1963) Children 3 Allen Ludden (October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an American television personality, emcee and game show host, perhaps best known for having hosted various incarnations of the game show Password between 1961 and 1980. Early years Allen Ludden, born Allen Packard Ellsworth, was the first child of Elmer Ellsworth, a Nebraska native living in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and working as an ice dealer; and his wife Leila M. Allen, a Wisconsin native and housewife. Elmer Ellsworth died the next winter at age 26, a victim of the worldwide Spanish flu epidemic, on January 6, 1919. When Allen was about five years old, his mother remarried, to Homer Ludden, Jr., an electrical engineer and the son of H.D. Ludden, the town physician, a Chicago native who had practiced in Mineral Point since 1906. Allen was given his adoptive father's name and became Allen Ellsworth Ludden. The family lived briefly in the Wisconsin cities of Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo and Waupaca before moving to Texas when Allen was still a small child. An English and dramatics major at the University of Texas, Ludden graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received his Master of Arts in English from the same university in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army as officer in charge of entertainment in the Pacific theater, received a Bronze Star, and was discharged with the rank of captain in 1946. During the late 1940s and early 1950s he carved out a career as an adviser for youth in teen magazine columns and on radio. His radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, received a Peabody Award in 1950. Ludden hosted many game shows, including the GE College Bowl, but he was most well known for hosting both the daytime and prime time versions of Password on CBS and ABC between 1961 and 1975. His opening TV catch phrase, "Hi doll," was directed toward his beloved real-life mother-in-law, Tess White, mother of Betty White. He ended Password with a "password of the day," and then "So long, see you tomorrow, I hope." Ludden began hosting an updated version of the game, Password Plus, on NBC, in 1979, but chemotherapy treatments for stomach cancer forced him off the show in late October 1980. Other shows hosted by Ludden include Liar's Club, Win with the Stars, and Stumpers! He also hosted the original pilot for The Joker's Wild and hosted a talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery. As a panelist he appeared regularly on The Gong Show. At the request of the publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and published four books of "Plain Talk" advice, plus a youth novel, Roger Thomas, Actor (1959), all for young readers. He received the 1961 Horatio Alger Award. He released an album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in 1964. Family Ludden with wife Betty White (1963) Ludden married Margaret McGloin on October 11, 1943. She died from cancer on October 30, 1961, just 2½ weeks after their 18th wedding anniversary. They had a son, David, and two daughters, Martha and Sarah. He proposed to twice-divorced Betty White, whom he had met on Password, at least twice before she accepted. Their romance had blossomed when they played summer stock together, in the play Critic's Choice in 1962. They also played together in the romantic comedy Janus in 1963. They were married on June 14, 1963, and remained together until Ludden's death; White has never remarried. They appeared together in an episode of The Odd Couple in which Felix and Oscar appeared on Password. Ludden also appeared as a guest panelist on Match Game. The two appeared together on the panel in 1975, and on Match Game PM in 1980). Death After Ludden was diagnosed with stomach cancer in early 1980, he took a month-long leave of absence from Password Plus for chemotherapy treatment. On October 7, he slipped into a coma while on vacation in Monterey, California. It was initially reported that he had suffered a stroke, but the coma was actually caused by high levels of calcium from medication taken to help fight the cancer. Tom Kennedy took over as host of Password Plus, and although Ludden hoped to return to the show, his cancer grew worse and he never returned. Ludden died in Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, just days before his 18th wedding anniversary with Betty White. He was 63. Ludden was buried beside his father in the Ellsworth family plot in Graceland Cemetery in his hometown of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Legacies A walkway at the Los Angeles Zoo was named in his memory (Betty White is a board member at the Zoo) and an artificial lake in Mineral Point was named Ludden Lake in his honor. A Labrador Retriever was named "Ludden" and donated to Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, by Betty White in memory of her late husband. In an interview on Larry King Live, when asked whether or not she would remarry, Betty White replied by saying, "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?" Ludden is mentioned in passing in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show entitled "Don't Break the Chain" (Season Two, Episode 10), in reference to his allegedly sending the character Lou Grant a chain letter. The Allen Ludden Papers collection is located at the Free Public Library in his native Mineral Point, Wisconsin. The items include letters written or received by Ludden, typed radio scripts, newspaper and magazine clippings by or about Ludden, publicity photographs and personal photographs, and a broken pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was donated by his widow, Betty White.
10/5

1917

Birthday

October 5, 1917

Birthdate

Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin 53565, United States

Birthplace

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Early Life & Education

An English and dramatics major at the University of Texas, Ludden graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received his Master of Arts in English from the same university in 1941.
Military Service

He served in the U.S. Army as officer in charge of entertainment in the Pacific theater, received a Bronze Star, and was discharged with the rank of captain in 1946.
Professional Career

Ludden hosted many game shows, including the College Bowl, but he was most well known for hosting both the daytime and prime time versions of Password on CBS and ABC between 1961 and 1975. His opening TV catch phrase, "Hi doll," was directed toward his beloved real-life mother-in-law, Tess White, mother of Betty White.[5] Ludden began hosting an updated version of the game, Password Plus, on NBC, in 1979, but chemotherapy treatments for stomach cancer forced him off the show in late October 1980. Other shows hosted by Ludden include Liar's Club, Win with the Stars, and Stumpers! He also hosted the original pilot for The Joker's Wild and hosted a talk-variety show, Allen Ludden's Gallery. At the request of the publishers Dodd, Mead & Co., Ludden wrote and published four books of "Plain Talk" advice, plus a youth novel, Roger Thomas, Actor (1959), all for young readers. He received the 1961 Horatio Alger Award.[6] He released an album called Allen Ludden Sings His Favorite Songs on RCA Records in 1964. Ludden married Margaret McGloin on October 11, 1943. She died of cancer on October 30, 1961. They had a son, David, and two daughters, Martha and Sarah. He proposed to twice-divorced Betty White, whom he had met on Password, at least twice before she accepted.[7] Their romance blossomed when they played summer stock theatre together, in the play Critic's Choice in 1962. They also appeared together in the romantic comedy Janus in 1963. They were married on June 14, 1963, and remained together until Ludden's death. They appeared together in an episode of The Odd Couple in which Felix and Oscar appeared on Password and also as a couple on a season 4 episode of The Love Boat. Death After Ludden was diagnosed with stomach cancer in early 1980, he took a month-long leave of absence from Password Plus for chemotherapy treatment, with Bill Cullen filling in as host. On October 7, 1980, he slipped into a coma while on vacation in Monterey, California.[10] It was initially reported that he had suffered a stroke, but the coma was actually caused by high levels of calcium from medication taken to help fight the cancer. Tom Kennedy assumed duties as host of Password Plus, and although Ludden hoped to return to the show, his cancer grew worse and he never returned. Ludden died in Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, at age 63. Ludden was buried beside his father in the Ellsworth family plot in Graceland Cemetery in his hometown of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Legacies A walkway at the Los Angeles Zoo was named in his memory (Betty White is a board member at the Zoo) and an artificial lake in Mineral Point was named Ludden Lake in his honor. Betty White also donated a Labrador Retriever named "Ludden" to Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California, in memory of her late husband. In an interview on Larry King Live, when asked whether or not she would remarry, Betty White replied by saying, "Once you've had the best, who needs the rest?" Sources The Allen Ludden Papers collection is located at the Free Public Library in his native Mineral Point, Wisconsin. The items include letters written or received by Ludden, typed radio scripts, newspaper and magazine clippings by or about Ludden, publicity photographs and personal photographs, and a broken pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The collection was donated by his widow, Betty White.[14]
Personal Life & Family

Game Shows Host.
06/9

1981

Death

June 9, 1981

Death date

Stomach Cancer.

Cause of death

Los Angeles, CA, USA in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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Obituary

Allen Ludden Born Allen Packard Ellsworth October 5, 1917 Mineral Point, Wisconsin, U.S. Died June 9, 1981 (aged 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Resting place Graceland Cemetery, Mineral Point, Wisconsin Alma mater University of Texas Occupation Game show host, television personality, actor, singer Years active 1949–1981 Spouse(s) Margaret McGloin (m. 1943; died 1961)Betty White (m. 1963) Children 3 Allen Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth, October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an American television personality, actor, emcee and game show host. He hosted various incarnations of the game show Password between 1961 and 1980. Early years Ludden was the first child of Elmer Ellsworth, a Nebraska native living in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and working as an ice dealer; and his wife Leila M. Allen, a Wisconsin native and housewife. Elmer Ellsworth died the next winter at age 26, a victim of the Spanish flu, on January 6, 1919. When Ludden was about five years old, his mother remarried, to Homer Ludden, Jr., an electrical engineer and the son of H.D. Ludden, the town physician, a Chicago native who had practiced in Mineral Point since 1906. Allen was given his adoptive father's name and became Allen Ludden. The family lived briefly in the Wisconsin cities of Janesville, Elkhorn, Antigo and Waupaca, Wisconsin before moving to Texas when Ludden was nine years old.[2] An English and dramatics major at the University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin), Ludden graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1940 and received his Master of Arts in English from the same university in 1941. He served in the United States Army as officer in charge of entertainment in the Pacific theater, received a Bronze Star Medal, and was discharged with the rank of captain in 1946.[3] During the late 1940s and early 1950s he carved out a career as an adviser for youth in teen magazine columns and on radio. His radio show for teenagers, Mind Your Manners, received an honorable mention Peabody Award in 1950.[4]

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Allen Ellsworth Ludden lived 12 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 63.

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02/04/2023

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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11/30/2017

Allen Ellsworth Ludden

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AncientFaces

411 favorites

12/31/2021

RIP Betty White, we will miss you. Betty died this morning, 18 days before her 100th birthday. While we will miss her smile and knack for making us laugh as well as her advocacy for animals, she is now reunited with the "love of her life" (her words), Allen Ludden. When asked what she would want God to say to her when she died, she said: ""Hello Betty. Here's Allen."

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12/31/2021

What a girl,what a life.Loved you Betty,we were blessed with your presence.

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