Almanac: Monty Hall
On August 25, 1921, Monte Halperin – better known as game show host Monty Hall – was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
After working in Canadian radio, Hall made his way to Hollywood where he co-created the game show "Let's Make a Deal." "There are millions of deals to be made, and we'll make them every day on 'Let's Make a Deal,'" he announced.
Debuting on December 30, 1963, the show famously hid prizes behind three doors -- guess right, and you've won! (Maybe a brand-new car!)
Guess wrong, and anything goes! (Maybe a "stick of genuine beef bologna worth $5.50"!)
In 1975 Mike Wallace reported on the game show phenomenon. "We say this is a game where you trade," Hall told Wallace. "the question is caveat emptor – let the buyer beware," Hall said. "You have this – do you wanna go for that? That's all it is. It's a game. It's gambling. It's a gambling show!"
"Let's Make a Deal" went off the air in 1991, returned briefly in 2003, and caught a second wind when CBS brought it back in 2009 with host Wayne Brady.
Monty Hall was a "creative consultant" who occasionally stopped by for a visit.
A philanthropist later in life, Hall reportedly raised more than $1 billion for charity.
He died in Beverly Hills in 2017 at the age of 96, leaving his legion of fans to ponder the eternal question: Will it be Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?
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Story produced by Charis Satchell.
