Hal March
Encyclopedia
Hal March was a Jewish-American
comedian and actor.
, The Imogene Coca Show
and I Love Lucy
. However, he was best known for being the host of The $64,000 Question, which he helmed from 1955 to 1958. In addition to his hosting duties, March also sung a version of the show's theme music in 1956, entitled "Love is the Sixty-Four Thousand Dollar Question."
As a result of the quiz show scandals
, the show was canceled and, with the exception of a few film roles such as Hear Me Good and Send Me No Flowers
, March was out of work for nearly a decade.
To keep busy, he appeared on several sitcoms in 1966 that are still widely rerun today. He played the father of Gidget's boyfriend Jeff in the Gidget
episode "In and Out with the In-Laws" and the head of corrupt dance studio Renaldo's Dance Au Go Go in The Monkees
episode "Dance Monkee, Dance". He also made appearances on the sitcoms Hey, Landlord
and The Lucy Show
and in the movie A Guide for the Married Man
.
March also starred in a 1961 unsold television pilot for a comedy called I Married a Dog, in which his life was constantly upset by his wife's pooch. He was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for his radio work at 1560 Vine Street and another for his work in television at 6536 Hollywood Boulevard.
. After completing approximately 13 weeks of taping, however, March complained that he was exhausted. Tests revealed that he had lung cancer
, the result of years of chain smoking.
March died in January 1970 in Los Angeles at age 49. He is buried in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
. Although he never mentioned her, his long-lost sister, Mary Mendelson, visits his grave often.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedian and actor.
Early career
March first came to note as part of a comedy team with Bob Sweeney. The duo had their own radio show for a time and performed, in the early 1950s, as "Sweeney & March." He also partnered with actor/comic Tom d'Andrea in the early years of television.The $64,000 Question
Earlier in his television career, he appeared on such shows as Burns and AllenBurns and Allen
Burns and Allen, an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen, worked together as a comedy team in vaudeville, films, radio and television and achieved great success over four decades.-Vaudeville:...
, The Imogene Coca Show
Imogene Coca
Imogene Fernandez de Coca was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows....
and I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
. However, he was best known for being the host of The $64,000 Question, which he helmed from 1955 to 1958. In addition to his hosting duties, March also sung a version of the show's theme music in 1956, entitled "Love is the Sixty-Four Thousand Dollar Question."
As a result of the quiz show scandals
Quiz show scandals
The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were a series of revelations that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the show's producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition....
, the show was canceled and, with the exception of a few film roles such as Hear Me Good and Send Me No Flowers
Send Me No Flowers
Send Me No Flowers: a 1964 American comedy film, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, and Tony Randall. After Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back, it is the third and final film in which Hudson, Day and Randall starred together.The screenplay by Julius J...
, March was out of work for nearly a decade.
To keep busy, he appeared on several sitcoms in 1966 that are still widely rerun today. He played the father of Gidget's boyfriend Jeff in the Gidget
Gidget (TV series)
Gidget is an American sitcom about a surfing, boy-crazy teenager called "Gidget" and her widowed father Russ Lawrence, a UCLA professor. Sally Field stars as Gidget with Don Porter as her father. The series was first broadcast on ABC from September 15, 1965 through April 21, 1966...
episode "In and Out with the In-Laws" and the head of corrupt dance studio Renaldo's Dance Au Go Go in The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
episode "Dance Monkee, Dance". He also made appearances on the sitcoms Hey, Landlord
Hey, Landlord
Hey, Landlord is an American sitcom appearing on NBC during the 1966-1967 season, sponsored by Procter & Gamble in the 8:30-9pm Eastern time period on Sunday nights.-Plot, cast, and characters:...
and The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from 1962 until 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in cast and premise for the 1965-66 season divides the program into two distinct eras; aside from Ball, only Gale Gordon, who joined the program...
and in the movie A Guide for the Married Man
A Guide for the Married Man
A Guide for the Married Man is a 1967 American bedroom farce comedy film starring Walter Matthau, Robert Morse, and Inger Stevens. It was directed by Gene Kelly. It features a large number of cameos, including Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Terry-Thomas, Jayne Mansfield, Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Joey...
.
March also starred in a 1961 unsold television pilot for a comedy called I Married a Dog, in which his life was constantly upset by his wife's pooch. He was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for his radio work at 1560 Vine Street and another for his work in television at 6536 Hollywood Boulevard.
Death
March's career took a turn for the better in July 1969 when he began hosting the game show It's Your BetIt's Your Bet
It's Your Bet is an American game show which aired in syndication from 1969-1973. The series was a revised version of the NBC game I'll Bet, which aired in 1965 and was a Ralph Andrews production.-Hosts:...
. After completing approximately 13 weeks of taping, however, March complained that he was exhausted. Tests revealed that he had lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
, the result of years of chain smoking.
March died in January 1970 in Los Angeles at age 49. He is buried in Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California, USA. Many Jewish people from the entertainment industry are buried here.-Notable interments:*Irving Aaronson, composer...
. Although he never mentioned her, his long-lost sister, Mary Mendelson, visits his grave often.