A reply from a living legend

Art Linkletter

Sent January 1st - Replied February 24th



Today's response was from a living legend, Art Linkletter.

Mr. Linkletter is now 93 years old, and still working in show business. He practically invented reality TV way back when. He was the host of two of the longest running shows in broadcast history: "House Party", which ran on CBS TV and Radio for 25 years, and "People Are Funny", which ran on NBC TV and Radio for 19 years. His other big show was "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" which was later adapted by Bill Cosby.

One of the big reasons I wrote to him (in fact, he was the first person I wrote to in 2006, on January 1st) was because he was Walt Disney's neighbor and closest friend. Mr. Linkletter hosted the live opening day ceremonies for Disneyland in 1955, and was there last year for the 50th Anniversary.

I am currently working on a one man show about Walt Disney, and I asked Mr. Linkletter for advice. His answer floored me (especially the first line.)


Dear Chris:

I enjoyed your January 1st letter because it sounds a great deal like me fifty years ago.

In 1956, I was just writing my first book about my show "People are Funny" which turned out to be a disappointment in the marketing and sales of it, but I persisted and wrote a second book called "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" which was #1 in the nation for two years and sold over 11 million copies. I mention this because you must understand that book publishing, like the rest of entertainment, is a tough business and you must persist in your hopes and dreams in the face of a lot of negativity.

I knew Walt Disney and it's hard for me to visualize you acquiring his mannerisms and speech. Have you got any films of him talking to the employees to help you to visualize his public persona. He was not an eloquent speaker, but he was a genius in persuading people to back him in his dream of making a new kind of entertainment for American families.

I think that your project is worthy of continuing and if Walt Disney was to be asked about it, he'd probably snort "That might work" and then he'd go on to say "Go ahead and give it a shot".

Best wishes to you-

Art Linkletter