Bill Cullen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Cullen
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Cullen in 1954
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William Lawrence Francis Cullen
February 18, 1920 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | July 7, 1990 (aged 70) Bel Air, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh |
| Occupation | Television personality Radio announcer Game show host |
| Years active | 1939–1988 |
| Known for | Original host of The Price Is Right |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Ellen Harrington, 1943-1948; divorced) Carol Ames (1948–1955; divorced) Ann Roemheld Macomber (1955–1990; his death) |
Bill Cullen (born William Lawrence Francis Cullen, February 18, 1920 – July 7, 1990) was a famous American radio and TV star. He worked in entertainment for over 50 years! He was best known as a game show host, leading 23 different shows. This earned him the nickname "Dean of Game Show Hosts." He also appeared as a guest on many other popular game shows like I've Got a Secret and To Tell the Truth.
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Bill Cullen's Early Life
Bill Cullen was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the only child of William and Lillian Cullen. His dad owned a Ford dealership there.
When he was a baby, Bill got sick with polio. This illness caused him to have physical challenges for his whole life. He also had a serious car accident when he was a teenager.
Bill first studied to become a doctor at the University of Pittsburgh. But he had to leave school because of money problems. Later, after he became successful in radio, he went back and finished his degree.
Radio Career
Bill Cullen's journey in broadcasting began in 1939. He started at WWSW radio in Pittsburgh. There, he worked as a disc jockey. He also announced Pittsburgh Steelers football games and Pittsburgh Hornets hockey games.
In 1943, Cullen moved to KDKA radio for a short time. A year later, he left Pittsburgh to try his luck in New York City. Just one week after arriving, he got a job as an announcer at CBS.
To earn more money, Bill also wrote jokes for famous radio stars. These included Arthur Godfrey, Danny Kaye, and Jack Benny. He also wrote for the Easy Aces radio show.
First Game Show
Bill's first game show job was in 1945. He became the announcer for a radio quiz show called Give And Take. Between 1946 and 1953, he announced many other shows. This included the radio version of Winner Take All. Bill later took over as host of Winner Take All.
In 1950, he hosted Hit the Jackpot. This was a summer show that replaced Amos 'n' Andy on CBS radio. From 1955 to 1961, he hosted a popular morning show at WNBC radio. His last regular radio job was on NBC Radio's Monitor from 1971 to 1973.
Military Service
Bill Cullen was a pilot for the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He served in the Civil Air Patrol in Pennsylvania. He was an instructor and flew patrol aircraft. He could not join combat duty because of his physical challenges. Bill was also very interested in mechanics.
Television Career
Bill Cullen's first TV game show was the TV version of Winner Take All. It started on NBC in 1952. In 1953, he had his own show, The Bill Cullen Show, on CBS. He hosted Bank on the Stars in 1954.
From 1954 to 1955, he hosted NBC's Place the Face. This show had celebrities identify people from their past. At the same time, he also hosted CBS's Name That Tune.
Hosting The Price Is Right
From 1956 to 1965, Bill Cullen hosted the first daytime and nighttime versions of The Price Is Right. This was a very popular game show.
He was also a regular guest on I've Got a Secret from 1952 to 1967. And he was on To Tell the Truth from 1969 to 1978. He even guest-hosted To Tell the Truth sometimes.
Later, Bill moved to Southern California. In April 1980, he guest-hosted Password Plus for four weeks. This was while the original host, Allen Ludden, was getting treatment for cancer.
Bill Cullen was considered to host the 1972 revival of The Price Is Right. However, the new show's format needed a host who could move around a lot. This was difficult for Bill due to his physical challenges. So, Bob Barker became the host of the daytime version. Dennis James hosted the syndicated nighttime version.
Other Game Shows Hosted
Bill Cullen hosted many other game shows. These included:
- Eye Guess in the 1960s
- Three on a Match
- Blankety Blanks
- The Love Experts
- How Do You Like Your Eggs? (an interactive cable show)
- The syndicated version of The $25,000 Pyramid in the 1970s
Later in his career, he hosted:
- Chain Reaction
- Blockbusters
- Child's Play
- Hot Potato
- The Joker's Wild (his last hosting job, from 1984 to 1986)
Guest Appearances
Cullen was a celebrity guest on many other game shows. These included What's My Line?, Password, Match Game, and Tattletales (with his wife Ann). He also appeared on all versions of Pyramid before it became The $100,000 Pyramid.
Bill Cullen hosted many pilot shows for his friend, producer Bob Stewart. Stewart created The Price Is Right, Truth, and Password. This made Bill the only person to host all these shows at some point. He also appeared on shows hosted by Bob Eubanks, like Trivia Trap and Family Feud.
In 1982, Bill Cullen appeared on The Price Is Right to promote his new show, Child's Play. This was his only time on the newer version of The Price Is Right. His role as the original host was not mentioned during this appearance.
Achievements and Awards
Early in his career, Bill Cullen did color commentary for college football games. He also broadcast track and field events on NBC. On I've Got A Secret, the producers learned not to ask Bill first if the secret was about sports or mechanics. He was usually able to guess it right away!
During his TV career, Bill Cullen was nominated for Emmy Awards three times. He won a Primetime Emmy for hosting Three On A Match in 1973. He was also nominated for Daytime Emmys for his work on Blockbusters (1982) and Hot Potato (1985).
Throughout his long career in radio and television, Bill Cullen hosted over 25,000 individual episodes of shows!
Personal Life
Marriages
Bill Cullen was married three times. He did not have any children. His first marriage was short and happened when he lived in Pittsburgh. His second marriage (1948–1955) was to singer Carol Ames.
On December 24, 1955, Bill married Ann Roemheld Macomber. Ann was a former dancer and model. Her sister was married to game show announcer Jack Narz. This marriage lasted until Bill's death in 1990. Ann sometimes worked as a model on Bill's The Price Is Right. She also appeared with him on Tattletales. Ann passed away in 2018 at age 90.
Physical Challenges
Bill Cullen got polio when he was 18 months old. This illness, along with injuries from a serious car accident in 1937, made it hard for him to walk or stand for long periods.
The directors of his game shows were careful to limit how much Bill was shown walking on camera. The sets were designed so he could mostly stay in one place. He would often start the show already seated. Or he would be hidden behind a prop, so he only had to take a few steps to his podium. Similar arrangements were made when he appeared as a guest on other shows.
Because of these arrangements, many people Bill worked with did not know about his disability. This sometimes led to awkward situations.
In 1969, Bill became very ill with pancreatitis. He needed major surgery and took time off to recover. When he returned to TV, especially on To Tell The Truth, his appearance had changed a lot. He had lost a lot of weight, making his face look thin and wrinkled.
Hobbies
Bill Cullen enjoyed midget car racing. He was also a member of the United States civil defense air auxiliary.
Death
Bill Cullen was a smoker for most of his life. He passed away on July 7, 1990, from lung cancer. He was 70 years old and died at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles. His wife, Ann Roemheld Macomber, died on July 21, 2018.
Images for kids
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Cullen in 1954
See also
In Spanish: Bill Cullen para niños
