Plenty of fame had an consonant attitude about being have onThe Hollywood Squares , the long - running and often - revitalize biz show that start on NBC in 1966 .
John Waynewas not one of them .
After a jest resolution to a question about what Wayne ’s children might call him ( “ Sir ” ) in 1975 , the Western picture ikon dashed off an angry note to the show ’s legion , Peter Marshall . “ I take a dim opinion of your premise touch on my life sentence and my family , ” Waynewrote . “ My children are the dear thing in my life , and I mouth to them with nothing but affection ; and I God anathemise well begrudge your saying I make them call me Sir , and I suggest you right it on your show or do n’t ever go by me on the street … I entail this . ”
It was a rare bit of vitriol directed atSquares , which took a strange vanity — name a tic - tac - toe board out of entertainers — and turned it into a franchise about to put down its seventh decade . But the show did n’t just expend celebrities . In at least one case , it created one : a center Square who became the mall of attention .
Gridlock
As Peter Marshall return in his 2002 memoirBackstage With the Original Hollywood Square , show creators Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley had already shottwo pilot episodesof their fresh game show but had failed to garner interest from networks . Now they were trying again , this fourth dimension reckon for what theydubbed“a complete nonentity ” to host .
“ Well , look no further , ” Marshall recite them .
Though his reply was self - deprecating , Marshall understood what they meant . The manufacturer had an theme to populate a game show with conversant faces — nine of them in all , sit around inside of a grid that made up a tic - tac - toe board . The server did n’t ask to vie with them : He simply needed to emcee .
“ I was expect for the impact of multiple stars , ” Heattersaidin 1985 . “ I spend most of my weekends analyzing manner I could use nine or 10 celebrities in a conversant conformation without experience to instruct the audience a new plot . I ended up with the tic - tac - toe concept . I drew up a biz layout and paste in photos of celebrity . It looked as striking as hell . ”
dissenter would choose a square , listen to Marshall ask a doubt , find out a frivolous resolution from the celebrity panelist , and then settle whether to agree or disagree with their second ( and more genuine ) reception . If they were right , they ’d get an disco biscuit or O. Three Xs or operating system in a row ( up , across , or diagonally ) won the plot .
It work . The Hollywood Squareswas sold to NBC , which get running the show on daytime television in 1966 . The panelist were not quite A - tilt — the show bookedPsychostar Vera Miles andDick Van Dyke Showco - superstar Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam , among others — but intimate enough for audiences to tune in to hear what they ’d have to say in reception to Marshall ’s questions . Squareswas not so much about steady down for the dissenter as it was watch a funniness set mask as a biz show .
“ Can vivid delight bring on a heart flack ? ” Marshall once asked Rose Marie .
“ How would I bonk ? ” Marie replied .
Double entendres and subversive responses quickly became the nub ofSquaresthanks to the relative restraint of both web idiot box in general and daytime programming in particular . That demonstrate especially true with Paul Lynde , an actor ( Bewitched ) who made frequentguest appearancesbefore becoming the steady centre second power in 1968 . Lynde was the idealistic panelist : droll , witty , and able to render his one - liner with searing object .
“ What fictional theatrical role ran around holler , ‘ I ’m late , I ’m late ’ ? ” Marshall expect .
“ That was Alice , and her mother ’s mad about it , ” Lynde said .
“ Paul , why do motorcyclist get into leather ? ”
“ Because chiffon seam , ” Lynde germinate back .
Lynde also happened to be gay , which was scarcely lay out in television of the earned run average . “ He was plausibly the first gay someone — whether he was using the word or not — in a lot of people ’s homes across America , ” Billy Eichner toldEntertainment Weeklyin 2020 . “ He was forwards of his clock time in terms of being as overtly homophile as one could be , unlike so many stars of that time . ”
If viewers knew , they hardly seemed to care . All that matter was that Lynde ’s brand of acerbic mental capacity was deserving tuning in for . The actorearnedthree Daytime Emmy Award nominationsfor his workplace onSquaresand headed two sitcom , though neither one caught on to the extent ofSquares , which was a rating hit and attracted a wide earnings of fame including Walter Matthau , Vincent Price , Joan Rivers , and even notoriously bristled worker George C. Scott . It helped the show offered only scale reward for panelist : Everyone made the same $ 750 , eliminating any invidia over another performer earning more .
Lynde ’s answers did invite one controversy : WasSquaresa game show or an entertainment show ? If it was the former , did writing down comedic answers for panelist amount to mislead viewers ?
Square Deal
At that clock time , television set was not far remove from the quiz showscandalsof the fifties , which saw networks and manufacturer of shows likeTwenty - OneandDottocome under media and regime ardour for allegedly feed favor contestant right answers . It led to federal regulation that made orchestrating show outcomes a offence .
The amusing responses from Lynde and other Squares were usually the work of the show ’s writers . ( Others , like guests Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks , did n’t require any assistance being funny . ) In 1976 , plot show producer Mark Goodson ( The Price Is right-hand , Match Game)complainedthatSquareswas being deceptive to viewers .
“ demonstrate likeHollywood SquaresandCelebrity Sweepstakes , after giving their stars a pretty good notion of the answers , campaign disclaimers at the ending that are inherently dishonest , ” Goodson said . “ No one see them but the producer ’s cousin . Though plain this hail within the law , I maintain TV audience ’ expectation are being defrauded . They believe Paul Lynde has an incredible electrical capacity for bluff resolution . How do they feel on learning he ’s feed them ? ”
NBC had a ready answer . “ Hollywood Squares … briefs mavin on the various category … possible fake answers , and funny lines , ” compliance and practices director Alan Gerson suppose . “ Correct resolution are never discussed . ” In other words , there was no law against being laughable .
The Hollywood Squaresran through 1980 , at which point NBC strike down it to make room for a young day show starring a pre - Late NightDavid Letterman . It bear on in syndication for another year before wrap up in 1981 .
In 1985 , Centennial State - creator Merrill Heatter say that he conceive the format would be unmanageable to come to . “ I do n’t think you could doHollywood Squarestoday , ” he say . “ Today , the celebrities are either major movie whiz or the great unwashed noted for playing a particular on a television set show . There seems to be no in between . ”
But just a yr later , Hollywood Squareswasrevivedin syndication , this time with John Davidson as emcee . ( Lynde would not take part : He had die out in 1982 of a core attack . ) The stake were a bit higher — the show was now give away cars — but it was otherwise mostly the same . or else of Lynde , the show had comedian and actor Jim J. Bullock as a regular panelist . Like Lynde , he hadgarneredfame to begin with for a role in the stage productionBye Bye Birdie , albeit in high school . ( Lynde , who co - starred in the Broadway version , sent the school an autographed exposure . ) Unlike Lynde , he did n’t see himself doing it for 14 years .
“ People make comparison [ to Lynde ] , and that ’s flattering , ” Bullock said . “ Without sounding chesty , though , I think I ’m better look and more various than Paul Lynde . There are always dangers involved in any job , and I do n’t want to be known for just giving funny answer onHollywood Squares . ”
Bullock did n’t have to vex : The newSquareswascanceledin 1989 . ( Bullock lead on tojoinALFafter the marionette appeared onSquares . ) It ’s been repair periodically ever since . Whoopi Goldberg was a centre square in a 1998 edition that ran through 2004 ; spin - offs likeHip - Hop SquaresandNashville Squarespopped up sporadically . The up-to-the-minute looping , which debuted in January 2025 , has Drew Barrymore as the executive manufacturer and center square . Amongher inspirations for resurrecting the show : Paul Lynde .
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