Bert Convy
American actor, singer and game show host (1933–1991)
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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]
July 23, 1933
Bert Convy | |
|---|---|
Convy in 1976 | |
| Born | Bernard Whalen Convy July 23, 1933 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | July 15, 1991 (aged 57) Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1954–1990 |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Anderson (divorced 1991) Catherine Hills (m. 1991) |
| Children | 3 |
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
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
Music and theatre
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
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
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
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
The following selection covers Convy's principal feature-film work and several notable television films.[9][1][8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Gunman's Walk | Paul Chouard | Uncredited |
| 1959 | A Bucket of Blood | Lou Raby[16] | |
| 1961 | Susan Slade | Wells Corbett | |
| 1963 | Act One | Archie Leach | |
| 1977 | Semi-Tough | Friedrich Bismark | |
| 1979 | Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders | Lyman Spencer | Television film |
| 1980 | Hero at Large | Walter Reeves | |
| 1981 | The Cannonball Run | Brad | |
| 1984 | Love Thy Neighbor | Mike Wilson[17] | Television film |
| 1986 | Weekend Warriors | — | Director and executive producer |
