Allen Funt

@Television Host, Timeline and Family ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Allen Funt was an American television producer, best remembered as the creator and host of the television series ‘Candid Camera’ American Cornell University T V & Movie Producers Reality TV Personalities Media Personalities TV Presenters Virgo Celebrities Allen Funt was an American television producer, best remembered as the creator and host of the television series ‘Candid Camera’. After completing his graduation, he pursued a career in broadcasting along with the hobby of thinking up gimmicks for radio shows before he served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II. While stationed at war, he developed a keen interest in the wireless portable recorders. His idea was to use hidden cameras and microphones to record people’s responses as they dealt with uncanny and bizarre situations. Initially, it started off as a radio show for a couple of years and later premiered on television as ‘Candid Camera’. The show was an instant hit among the masses because it captured real-time reactions of people and did not contain any form of pre-scripted drama. The hidden cameras caught ordinary citizens unaware of the shocking situations and recorded their reactions. He appeared in many stunts himself and every one of his gag concluded with the catch-phrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera". Along with his television show, he also produced two feature films, wrote three books and recorded several albums, nearly all built on the concept of the hidden camera. He was a pioneer of world television who created an entire new programming genre for future generations, popularly known as reality-based television in the current times.

Personal Details

Birthday: September 16, 1914 Died on: September 5, 1999 Nationality: American Famous: Reality Tv Personalities, Television Host, Cornell University, T V & Movie Producers, Reality TV Personalities, Media Personalities, TV Presenters Spouses: Evelyn Kesler, Marilyn Ina Laron Siblings: Peter Known as: Allen Albert Funt Information Detail Birthday September 16, 1914 Died on September 5, 1999 Nationality American Famous Reality Tv Personalities, Television Host, Cornell University, T V & Movie Producers, Reality TV Personalities, Media Personalities, TV Presenters Spouses Evelyn Kesler, Marilyn Ina Laron Siblings Peter Known as Allen Albert Funt Childrens John, Patricia, Peter Universities Cornell University Cornell University Pratt Institute Notable Alumnis Cornell University Birth Place New York City, New York, U.S. Religion Jewish Gender Male Father Isidore Funt Mother Paula Saferstein Sun Sign Virgo Born in New York City, New York, U.S. Famous as Television Host Died at Age 84

New York City, New York, U.S.

Allen Funt born at Unsplash Birth Place

In 1946, he married Evelyn Kesler. The couple was blessed with three children; two sons, Peter and John, and a daughter, Patricia. The couple got divorced in 1964. Unsplash Personal Life

In 1964, he married Marilyn Ina Laron. The couple had two children, William and Juliet. This marriage too ended in divorce. Unsplash Personal Life

In 1993, he suffered a stroke and remained ill thereafter. He died on September 5, 1999, in Pebble Beach, California. Unsplash Personal Life

He was born on September 16, 1914 in New York, U.S. to Isidore Funt, a diamond wholesaler, and his wife, Paula Saferstein. He had an elder sister, Dorothy. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He received his early education from the New Utrecht High School, Brooklyn, New York. After high school, he got enrolled at the Cornell University from where he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1934. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Then he went to Columbia University for a while and later attended the Pratt Art Institute, Brooklyn for a year before taking up a job. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He started his career with a job in the art department of an advertising agency. Later he joined the world of broadcasting, working alongside Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, on her radio commentaries. He also provided gags for the hit quiz show ‘Truth or Consequences’, hosted by Ralph Edwards. Unsplash Career

During the Second World War, he was drafted in the US Army Signal Corps and was stationed in Oklahoma where he served from 1943 to 1945. While serving in the army, he thought of an idea to record the complaints of fellow army men for broadcasting. But as the soldiers were hesitant to do so, he formulated the idea of a hidden microphone to record them which proved to be very amusing. Unsplash Career

In 1946, he began the show titled ‘Candid Microphone’ on ABC Radio to record spontaneous reactions of people in weird situations. Initially he would lure victims into his office, with an offer or for some help, but later, with the introduction of portable recorders, he used to roam around to record material for his radio show. Unsplash Career

On August 10, 1948, ABC aired the show on television under the same name which consisted of some footage in the form of theatrical short films showing the common people getting startled by the gags. Unsplash Career

In 1949, the show was transferred to NBC as ‘Candid Camera’ and in 1960, CBS selected it for a seven-year broadcast. Unsplash Career

Information	Detail
Birthday	September 16, 1914
Died on	September 5, 1999
Nationality	American
Famous	Reality Tv Personalities, Television Host, Cornell University, T V & Movie Producers, Reality TV Personalities, Media Personalities, TV Presenters
Spouses	Evelyn Kesler, Marilyn Ina Laron
Siblings	Peter
Known as	Allen Albert Funt
Childrens	John, Patricia, Peter
Universities	Cornell University Cornell University Pratt Institute
Notable Alumnis	Cornell University
Birth Place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Religion	Jewish
Gender	Male
Father	Isidore Funt
Mother	Paula Saferstein
Sun Sign	Virgo
Born in	New York City, New York, U.S.
Famous as	Television Host
Died at Age	84

Allen Funt

American

Sep 16, 1914

Biography

Personal Details

New York City, New York, U.S.