Bert Parks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bert Parks
|
|
|---|---|
Parks in 1956.
|
|
| Born |
Bertram Jacobson
December 30, 1914 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
|
| Died | February 2, 1992 (aged 77) La Jolla, California, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
Bert Parks was a famous American TV and radio host, actor, and singer. He was born Bertram Jacobson on December 30, 1914, and passed away on February 2, 1992. He is most remembered for hosting the Miss America pageant every year from 1955 to 1979.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Radio
Bert Parks was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His father, Aaron Jacobson, came to the United States from Latvia. His mother, Hattie (Spiegel) Jacobson, had parents from Austria-Hungary. Bert had one older brother named Allen.
Bert first started acting when he was only four years old. He went to a school called Marist School in Atlanta.
When he was 16, Bert began working in radio at a station called WGST in Atlanta. Just three years later, in 1933, he moved to New York City. There, he became a singer and a "straight man" on The Eddie Cantor Show. A straight man is someone who sets up jokes for a comedian. After that, he became an announcer for CBS Radio.
Hosting Popular Game Shows
Bert Parks became very well-known for hosting many popular game shows. He was the host of Break the Bank, which started on radio in 1945 and later moved to TV from 1948 to 1957.
He also hosted Stop the Music, which was on radio in 1948 and then on TV from 1949 to 1952. This show was so popular that it even affected the ratings of other radio shows.
In the 1960s, he also hosted Monitor on NBC radio, along with other famous people.
Television Career and Miss America
Bert Parks hosted one of the earliest TV game shows called Party Line in 1947. Viewers would call in to answer questions and win small prizes. This show is one of the oldest TV shows ever recorded that we still have today.
He hosted many other game shows in the early days of television. Some of these include Stop the Music (which he also hosted on radio), Double or Nothing, and Masquerade Party. He even hosted the pilot episode for Hollywood Squares in 1965.
In the early 1970s, he hosted a show called Circus! which featured different circus acts. He also made guest appearances on TV shows like The Bionic Woman in 1976. In that episode, he played a host of a beauty pageant.
However, Bert Parks is most famous for hosting the Miss America pageant on TV. He hosted it every year from 1955 to 1979. At the end of each show, he would sing the famous song "There She Is, Miss America" as the new winner was crowned.
After the 1979 pageant, he was let go from hosting Miss America. This was done to try and attract younger viewers. Many people, including TV host Johnny Carson, tried to get him rehired, but it didn't work.
In 1990, Bert Parks returned for the 70th anniversary of the Miss America pageant. He sang "There She Is" one last time for the new Miss America, Marjorie Judith Vincent. This was his final live performance of the song.
His very last TV appearance was in a Pepsi commercial in 1991.
Other Appearances
A recording of Bert Parks singing "There She Is, Miss America" was used for many years in the Miss America pageant. It played as the new winner took her walk. The recording was even used again for the 95th Anniversary of the pageant in 2015.
Bert Parks also appeared in a few movies. In the 1990 film The Freshman, he played an emcee (host) at a dinner. He sang a funny version of "There She Is" in the movie. He also appeared in TV shows like WKRP in Cincinnati and Saturday Night Live.
Death
Bert Parks passed away on February 2, 1992, in La Jolla, California. He was 77 years old and died from lung cancer.
Images for kids
-
Parks in 1956.
See also
In Spanish: Bert Parks para niños
