'Master of the Hollywood Squares' Dies at 98

[Mark Jeffries]

Although Peter Marshall's career encompassed Broadway, movies, TV and radio, he is undoubtedly best known as the straight man to the tic-tac-toe board panelists on "Hollywood Squares" during its original 15-year run on NBC daytime and syndication--his stint as the straight man to comedian Tommy Noonan in nightclubs and film put him in good stead for his role hosting "Squares", which he followed with two less successful series for co-creator and producer Merrill Heatter, "Fantasy," a variety-game hybrid for NBC, and "All-Star Blitz," a twist on the "Squares" format for ABC (the less said about "The Reel to Reel Picture Show" on what was then PAX-TV and now Ion, the better)--at his home in Encino, no doubt near the motel that Gene Rayburn and Brett Somers were always talking about (he joked about being mistaken for Rayburn--he couldn't appear on "Match Game" until "Squares" had ended for contractual reasons):

https://www.thewrap.com/peter-marshall-emmy-winning-hollywood-squares-host-dies-at-98/

[Dave Sikula]

Kliph Nesteroff Tweeted Thursday that Marshall had crystal-clear memories of obscure nightclubs and comedians of the 50s and 60s and was an invaluable resource for his book "The Comedians" (which I heartily recommend).

--Dave Sikula

[Melissa P]

I could've sworn Peter Marshall was in La Cage aux Folles when I saw the show on Broadway, my second Broadway show.  I had been on a work trip in Northern New Jersey and took NJ Transit into the city at the end of the day and went straight to TKTS where I asked for a ticket for either A Chorus Line or La Cage, whichever had the better available seat.

However, I couldn't find any evidence that Marshall ever performed in the show on Broadway, although he did tour with it.  Finally, I read in his obit that he had spent a year on Broadway in the show.

I didn't see La Cage again until it was at the Kennedy Center (2012), where George Hamilton played the part Marshall had played.

[Ron Casalotti]

Melissa, you are not mistaken. Peter Marshall did, indeed, appear in La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway.

. Here's hi Broadway CV: Peter Marshall on Broadway