Facts About Monty Hall

Me with Monty Hall in 1994

During the weekend, Monty Hall received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in daytime television. The Daytime Emmy Awards honoured him in a TV career that has lasted over 50 years. 

I met Monty Hall back when he used to host a series of annual Variety Club Telethons that were broadcast throughout Ontario during the '80s and '90s. At 91 years old, he has aged well, and continues to be involved on the new Let's Make a Deal as a consultant.

Here are some facts about Monty Hall:

- He was born Maurice Halperin Jr. on August 25, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

- He is the son of Orthodox Jews who owned a slaughterhouse in Winnipeg 

- He graduated from high school at the age of 14

- Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Manitoba in 1945

- He has been married since 1947, with three children

- He changed his name while a disc jockey on CHUM radio in Toronto during the late '40s

- Well-known for his many philanthropic interests with organizations such as Variety Club

- Was a radio analyst for the New York Rangers hockey team during the 1959–60 season

- He hosted the game show Let's Make a Deal from 1963 to 1991

- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1973

- He was awarded the O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) in 1987 for his services to broadcasting

- Inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2002

- Inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007

- Ranked #4 on GSN's list of the Top 10 Game Show Hosts of All Time

My memories of Jean Stapleton

 

Jean Stapleton was one celebrity I had the pleasure of 'meeting' via Twitter in 2011. I've always been a fan of hers and of her Edith Bunker character on All in the Family (1971-79), one of my all-time favourite TV shows.

I was surprised when I discovered she had a Twitter account. She was 88 years old at the time, and had been retired for the past decade. Not being absolutely sure it was her official account or whether it was an imposter, I sent a message expressing my admiration for her. 

Six months later, I got a reply, and it made my day!

I wrote to her a couple more times after that. I told her how sad I felt when I watched the Archie Bunker's Place episode that dealt with Edith's death. She replied that by 1980, she felt the need to move on to other roles. I told her she did well, post-Edith, and liked her in the musical Something's Afoot (it was one of the first projects she took on after retiring the character). When she wrote about the time she met singer Etta James just before her death in 2012, I said I also liked her, and saw her perform once in Toronto. 

Shortly after we exchanged those messages, she closed her Twitter account. Stapleton died of natural causes on May 31, 2013, after living 90 wonderful years. I remembered her in a tweet the next day as "a sweet, classy lady." Rest in peace Jean, and Dingbat, xoxox.