Art Linkletter

Arthur Gordon Linkletter was born in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan, Canada where, as an orphan, he was adopted by a Baptist evangelist minister. They came to the U.S. when they moved to Lowell, Massachusetts where they lived for several years. Two moves followed: the first to San Pedro, California, where Art went to grammar school; the second was San Diego where Art went to high school and college. Fully intent on becoming a college professor, Art majored in English and Psychology and graduated from San Diego State College in 1934 with a B.A. degree. However, during his last year in college, Art was offered a job as a radio announcer at Station KGB - a CBS outlet in San Diego. By the time he graduated, he'd moved up to chief announcer and decided to remain in broadcasting.

It was during Art's junior year in college that he met his future wife, San Diego native Lois Foerster. They were married on November 27, 1935 - Thanksgiving Day - and continue to celebrate their anniversary on this holiday. The Linkletters had five children - 3 daughters and 2 sons. Their son, Jack, the eldest of the three remaining children, is married and has two sons and a daughter, their daughter Dawn - married and has twin sons, and their daughter Sharon in married and has two daughters. Art and Lois have 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. The family are great outdoor people. They take family back-pack trips into the mountains and swim, surf, and scuba dive in the summer. Winters, they ski at Sun Valley, Aspen, and abroad.

Prior to his marriage in 1935, Art served as Program Director of the California International Exposition, after which he returned to Station KGB for a short time as the station's Program Director. The next stop was Dallas as Radio Director of the Texas Centennial followed by a similar job at the San Francisco 1939 World Fair where he was also author and co-producer of Cavalcade of the Golden West which was the Fair's theme show.

Art has been a star in show business for more than 65 years. His best known shows established records for longevity. People Are Funny ran on NBC-TV and Radio for 19 years and was rated in the Top 10 for more than 11 years. House Party ran on CBS-TV and Radio for 26 years and was one of the top daytime shows from the day of its first broadcast in 1945. It won 2 Emmy Awards, as well as numerous other nominations for awards. In addition, Art starred in and co-produced many spectaculars and specials, as well as acting in half a dozen dramatic shows and several major motion pictures.

In 1962, Art received an honor in which he takes considerable pride - he was named Grandfather of the Year. He also served as Honorary Mayor of Hollywood for 2 years; on the Board of Directors for the Heart Fund; on the Public Relations Committee for the Boy Scouts of America; as the West Coast Chairman of Foster Parents Plan; as Honorary Chairman, Easter Seals; on the National Board of Directors, YMCA; as a member of the Board of Directors, City of Hope; as Regent, Art Center College of Design; as a member of the Board of Trustees, Springfield College; as a member of the Board of Regents, Pepperdine University; as President of the Center on Aging, UCLA; and CEO of the John Douglas French Alzheimer's Research Foundation. A nationally known speaker, he is a recipient of the CPAE's Hall of Fame.

Although he has received honors, awards, and other forms of recognition too numerous to list, a sampling includes: Recognition for Distinguished Service from the Crusade for Freedom; as Man of the Year from the City of Hope, from the Brotherhood of Children, from the Newspaper Boys of America; the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews; an "Emmy" Award for Life Achievement, 2003; and the National Humanities Medal, 2003. Art has served on President Nixon's National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse Prevention; on the Presidential Commission to Improve Reading in the U.S.; on President Reagan's Commission on Fitness and Physical education; and he was named Ambassador and Commissioner General to the 150th Australian Anniversary Celebration by President Reagan.

Art has received the following honorary degrees:

Doctor of Humanics, Springfield College
Doctor of Letters, Iowa Wesleyan College
Doctor of Humane Letters, Westminster College
Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Redlands
Doctor of Laws, Birmingham Southern College
Doctor of Laws, Pepperdine University
Doctor of Laws-Honoris Causa, Samford University
Ph.D., Art Center College of Design
Doctor of Humane Letters, William Jewell College
Doctor of Human Letters, San Diego State University
Doctor of Law, University of Prince Edward Island
Doctor of Letters, Oklahoma Christian University

He's a well known author having written one of the top non-fiction bestsellers in the history of publishing - Kids Say the Darndest Things. The book led all sellers for 2 years and is #14 on the list of all non-fiction published in the United States. His latest book How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life with Mark Victor Hansen was published on July 17, 2006. Other books are:

People are Funny
Kids Sure Rite Funny
Secret World of Kids
Child's Garden of Misinformation
Oops: I Wish I'd Said That
Linkletter Down Under
Women Are My Favorite People
How to Be a Supersalesman
Yes, You Can!
I Didn't Do It Alone
Drugs at My Doorstep
Hobo on the Way to Heaven
Public Speaking for Private People
Old Age is Not for Sissies

Art is as well know for being a businessman as he is for performing. Having been concerned with several million acres of land "Down Under," his pioneering work in sheep and cattle stations in Australia is well known. He is Chairman of the Board of Linkletter Enterprises, which in involved in the building and management of public store houses, office buildings, cow-calf operations, ranches from Montana to New Mexico and California. Real Estate developments include those in Arizona, industrial land in Phoenix, residential land in Paradise Valley, airport land in Deer Valley, office buildings in San Jose, undeveloped residential property in San Diego, condominiums in Vail, CO and in San Antonio, TX; land in Las Vegas, NV, and cattle and sheep stations in Australia.

Over a 30 year period, Linkletter Oil Enterprises have drilled for oil and gas in Argentina, Peru, Venezuela and all parts of the U.S. from the Gulf Coast to California. The corporation has also been involved in Canadian drilling and Alaskan exploration. Art was personally involved in the start-up of the company that is now know as Freeport-McMoran, one of the leading corporations on the New York Stock Exchange.

Art has served on the Board of Directors for many nationally known companies including:

Ogden Corporation
Western Airlines
Bently Mills, Inc.
Kaiser Hospitals
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
National Liberty Insurance
Capp Care (P.P.O.)
Partner, Incon Therapy Clinics and Next Era III
Spokesman for USA (United Seniors of America)
Chairman, UNICEF
National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse
McDonald Center for Alcoholism & Drug Addiction, La Jolla, CA
National Advisory Council of the American Family Society
Foundation for Christian Living, Norman Vincent Peale, Founder
Business Kids, Coral Gables, FL
International Swimming Hall of Fame, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Target - Helping Students Cope with Alcohol/Drugs
National Federation of Parents, Silver Spring, MD
National Coordinating Council on Drug Abuse, Information & Education
President's National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse Prevention
President's National Reading Council
President's National Commission, Physical Fitness & Recreation
Chairman Emeritus Center on Aging, UCLA
Board of Regents, Pepperdine University