Ralph Andrews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Andrews
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| Born |
Ralph Herrick Andrews
December 17, 1927 Saginaw, Michigan, United States
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| Died | October 16, 2015 (aged 87) Ventura, California, United States
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| Occupation | Television producer, television host |
| Years active | 1960s–1988 |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret (Belt) Andrews (m. February 5, 1951; div. June 1977) Aleksandra Andrews |
| Children | 7 |
Ralph Herrick Andrews (December 17, 1927 – October 16, 2015) was a famous American television producer. He was best known for creating exciting game shows. Some of his most popular shows were You Don't Say! in the 1960s, Celebrity Sweepstakes in the 1970s, and the first version of Lingo in 1987.
Contents
Early Life and First Jobs
Ralph Andrews was born and grew up in Saginaw, Michigan. Before he became a big name in TV, he worked as a radio disc jockey. This means he played music and talked on the radio. Later, he started working at NBC, a major TV network. He began as a studio page, which is like an assistant who helps out in the TV studio. He also learned a lot from another famous producer, Ralph Edwards.
Creating Fun TV Game Shows
Ralph Andrews was a master at making game shows that people loved to watch. He produced many popular shows over the years.
Game Shows You Might Know
Some of his well-known game shows include:
- It Takes Two
- Liar's Club
- 50 Grand Slam
- I'll Bet (from 1965) and its later version, It's Your Bet, which ran for four years.
One of his last game shows was Yahtzee, based on the popular dice game.
Working Behind the Scenes
Ralph Andrews also worked on films. In 1968, he directed a documentary called Silent Treatment, which was about the early days of movies. He was also an executive producer for the film Wild in the Sky in 1972.
For several years, from 1980 to 1986, Ralph Andrews had his own production company office at Columbia Pictures' studio in Burbank, California. This meant he worked closely with Columbia Pictures Television to develop new TV shows.
Ralph Andrews and Politics
Besides his work in television, Ralph Andrews also got involved in politics.
Helping Political Campaigns
A senator named Bob Dole asked Ralph Andrews to join the Republican National Committee. This group helps the Republican political party. Ralph's job was to be the Director of Education and Training. He helped teach Republican candidates how to speak on TV and how to handle the media.
Sharing His Views
From 1998 to 2001, Ralph Andrews wrote an online blog where he shared his thoughts. He mostly wrote about his conservative-Republican ideas. Before that, he wrote similar articles for local newspapers. He even bought and published his own newspaper called The Harbor News in Ventura, California. He was also a strong supporter of using nuclear energy to help solve global warming.
His Work in Film
Ralph Andrews was involved in making a few films. His films included Wild in the Sky and The Silent Treatment.
A Friendship with a Leader
In 1984, Ralph Andrews got the rights to make a movie about the life of Lech Wałęsa. Wałęsa was a very important union leader and human rights activist from Poland. Ralph met Wałęsa and they became good friends. Even though the movie was never made, Wałęsa and his wife became godparents to Ralph's son in 1988.
Teaching and Education
Ralph Andrews also shared his knowledge with others. He taught courses about television and film production at two colleges: UCLA Extension and Rio Hondo College. This helped new students learn how to make their own TV shows and movies.
Later Life and Passing
Ralph Andrews passed away on October 16, 2015, in Ventura, California. He was 87 years old. He died from Alzheimer's disease, which is a condition that affects memory and thinking. He was survived by his wife, seven children, 15 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.
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Ralph Andrews
