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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Bert Convy say to his game show host friend? "Convying" well wishes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bert Convy
Convy in 1976
Born
Bernard Whalen Convy

(1933-07-23)July 23, 1933
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
DiedJuly 15, 1991(1991-07-15) (aged 57)
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • game show host
  • producer
Years active1954–1990
Spouse(s)Anne Anderson (divorced 1991)
Catherine Hills
​
(m. 1991)​
Children3

Bernard Whalen "Bert" Convy (July 23, 1933 – July 15, 1991) was an American actor, singer, game-show host and producer. After playing two seasons of minor-league baseball, he became a member of the 1950s vocal group The Cheers and then established a career on Broadway, originating the roles of Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof and Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret.[1][2]

Convy later became best known as the host of the television game shows Tattletales, Super Password and Win, Lose or Draw. He won the 1977 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for Tattletales and co-created and co-produced Win, Lose or Draw with Burt Reynolds.[3]

Early life and baseball

[edit]

Convy was born in St. Louis to Monica (née Whalen) and Bernard Fleming Convy. He and his mother moved to Los Angeles in 1940, and he attended North Hollywood High School, where he played baseball. After graduating, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization and played in its farm system during the 1951 and 1952 seasons.[3][1]

Convy played for the Klamath Falls Gems, Miami Eagles and Salina Blue Jays. In 1952 he batted .239 in 24 games for Miami and .196 in 14 games for Salina.[4][3] He left professional baseball after two seasons and studied at the film program at the UCLA, from which he graduated.[5]

Entertainment career

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Music and theatre

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In 1954, Convy joined singers Gil Garfield and Sue Allen in the vocal trio the Cheers. The group's first charting single, "(Bazoom) I Need Your Lovin'", reached number 15 in the United States, and its recording of "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" reached number six in 1955. Convy later recorded as a solo artist, including the 1959 novelty song "The Monster's Hop".[5][3]

Convy appeared in the Los Angeles stage production of The Billy Barnes Revue and followed it to Broadway in 1959. His Broadway work included the original productions of Fiddler on the Roof as Perchik, The Impossible Years as Richard Merrick and Cabaret as Clifford Bradshaw. He played reporter Hildy Johnson in the 1969 revival of The Front Page and briefly replaced Raúl Juliá as Guido Contini in Nine in 1983.[2][1] In 1980, Convy directed the musical Zapata at the Goodspeed Opera House, with music and lyrics by Harry Nilsson and Perry Botkin Jr. and a book by Allan Katz.[6][7]

Screen acting

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Convy's early film roles included Roger Corman's A Bucket of Blood (1959) and the drama Susan Slade (1961). He subsequently appeared as a guest actor on numerous television series, including Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 77 Sunset Strip, Bewitched, Mission: Impossible, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hawaii Five-O, The Partridge Family, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat.[3][8]

He starred in the mystery series The Snoop Sisters and the sitcom It's Not Easy, and hosted the 1976 variety program The Late Summer Early Fall Bert Convy Show.[8] His feature-film roles included Semi-Tough (1977), Hero at Large (1980) and The Cannonball Run (1981). He directed and executive-produced the comedy Weekend Warriors (1986).[1][9]

Game shows and production

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During the 1960s and 1970s, Convy was a frequent celebrity panelist on game shows including What's My Line?, To Tell the Truth, Match Game and Password.[3] He moved into hosting with Tattletales, which aired on CBS from 1974 to 1978 and again from 1982 to 1984. His work on the program earned him the 1977 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host.[1][3]

Convy hosted NBC's Super Password from 1984 to 1989.[10] In the 1980s, he and Reynolds formed Burt and Bert Productions and developed Win, Lose or Draw. The program premiered in daytime and syndicated editions in 1987; Convy hosted the syndicated edition and served as an executive producer.[3] After Convy was not renewed as host of Win, Lose or Draw, the producers of the syndicated 3rd Degree selected him to host that program. Peter Marshall, who had hosted the pilot, sued the production companies, alleging that he had been replaced after the program was sold; executive producer Richard Kline disputed that Marshall had been formally hired.[11] Marshall dropped the suit after Convy became ill with a brain tumor.[12] 3rd Degree was Convy's final game show.[1] Convy was scheduled to host ABC's 1990 revival of Match Game, but withdrew after being diagnosed with a brain tumor; Ross Shafer replaced him.[13]

Personal life and death

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Convy and his first wife, Anne Anderson, had three children. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1991, and Convy married Catherine Hills several months before his death.[1][8]

In April 1990, Convy collapsed while visiting his hospitalized mother at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He was subsequently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and retired from performing.[14][8] He died at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on July 15, 1991, eight days before his 58th birthday.[1][14] He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in the Court of Liberty.[15]

Selected filmography

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The following selection covers Convy's principal feature-film work and several notable television films.[9][1][8]

Year Title Role Notes
1958Gunman's WalkPaul ChouardUncredited
1959A Bucket of BloodLou Raby[16]
1961Susan SladeWells Corbett
1963Act OneArchie Leach
1977Semi-ToughFriedrich Bismark
1979Dallas Cowboys CheerleadersLyman SpencerTelevision film
1980Hero at LargeWalter Reeves
1981The Cannonball RunBrad
1984Love Thy NeighborMike Wilson[17]Television film
1986Weekend Warriors—Director and executive producer

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Folkart, Burt A. (July 16, 1991). "Bert Convy, 57; Actor, TV Game Show Host". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Bert Convy – Broadway Cast & Staff". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Krell, David. "Bert Convy". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Bert Convy Minor League Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Ankeny, Jason. "Bert Convy Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  6. ↑ Eckert, Thor Jr. (November 10, 1980). "Mexico's Zapata cut down by Goodspeed's production cliches". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Past Shows". Goodspeed Musicals. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bert Convy, TV Game-Show Host". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. July 16, 1991. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Bert Convy". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  10. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010. Vol. 3 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Company. p. 1055. ISBN 978-0786486410.
  11. ↑ MacMinn, Aleene (July 20, 1989). "TV & Video". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  12. ↑ Baber, David (2008). Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars. McFarland. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-7864-2926-4.
  13. ↑ Baber, David (2008). Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars. McFarland. pp. 49–50. ISBN 978-0-7864-2926-4.
  14. 1 2 "Bert Convy, 57, an Actor and Host of Television Game Shows, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 16, 1991. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Forest Lawn–Hollywood Hills: Combined Transcription View". Interment.net. Clear Digital Media. entry for “Convy, Bernard”. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  16. ↑ "A Bucket of Blood (1959)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Love Thy Neighbor – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
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