Funt was born into a Jewish family in New York City, New York. His father Isidore Funt was a diamond wholesaler,[1] and his mother was Paula Saferstein Funt.
Allen graduated from high school at age 15.[1] Too young to attend college on his own,[2] he studied at Pratt Institute (also located in Brooklyn).[3] He later earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Cornell University, studied business administration at Columbia University, then returned to Pratt for additional art instruction.[2][3]
Career
Radio and television
Trained in commercial art, Funt worked for an advertising agency in their art department, but he eventually moved to its radio department.[1] Among his first jobs for radio, he wrote for Truth or Consequences and assisted US First LadyEleanor Roosevelt with her radio commentaries.[1]
Drafted into the military during World War II and stationed in Oklahoma,[1] Funt served in the Army Signal Corps, eventually making radio shows.[2][4] He began his signature program on ABC Radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947, and it ran until September 23, 1948. The program was revived on CBS June 6 – August 29, 1950.[5] He soon experimented with a visual version by doing a series of theatrical short films also known as Candid Microphone. These film shorts served as a springboard for his entrance into television on August 10, 1948. The show ran on all three major TV networks and in syndication while hosted by Allen Funt until he was sidelined by a stroke in 1993.[1][6] The syndicated version of Candid Camera was broadcast from 1974 to 1979; his co-hosts included, at various times, John Bartholomew Tucker, Phyllis George and Jo Ann Pflug.
Funt donated his recordings and films to his alma mater Cornell University and established a fellowship at Syracuse University for postgraduate studies in radio and television[1] "aimed at providing the broadcast industry with qualified black personnel."[2]
In 1946, Funt married Evelyn Michal (1920–2014) with whom he had three children, Peter,[6] Patricia and John. In 1964 the couple was divorced and the same year Funt married Marilyn Laron, from whom he was divorced in 1978. The couple had two children, Juliet and William. Funt had seven grandchildren.
On February 3, 1969, Funt, his wife, and his two youngest children boarded Eastern Airlines Flight 7 in Newark, New Jersey, with a destination of Miami, Florida. While en route, two men hijacked the plane and demanded passage to Cuba. However, some of the passengers, having spotted Funt, believed the whole thing to be a Candid Camera stunt.[8] Funt repeatedly attempted to persuade his fellow passengers as to the reality of the hijacking, but to no avail. The plane landed in Cuba, finally convincing the passengers.[4] Funt and the other passengers were released after 11 hours of captivity.[8]
Funt amassed a collection of works by the Victorian painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema and engineered an exhibition of them at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (bypassing the wishes of then director Thomas Hoving). The collection's value skyrocketed as a result, and Funt sold them at a handsome profit.
After a stroke in 1993,[6] he became incapacitated and died in 1999 in Pebble Beach, California,[1] 11 days before his 85th birthday. Candid Camera continued with his son, Peter Funt, as host.
References
^ abcdefghijkVallance, Tom (September 8, 1999). "Obituary: Allen Funt". The Independent. from the original on 2010-10-05. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
^ abcde"Allen Funt 1914–1999". candidcamera.com. from the original on July 2, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
^ abc. modestoradiomuseum.org. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
^ ab"Smile My Ass". RadioLab.org. WNYC. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
^ abcdefMcCabe, Michael (March 25, 2001). "Land Trust Saves Big Sur Ranch / Developer pockets $24 million after one-year ownership". SFGate.com. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
^Classic TV Archive The New Phil Silvers Show (1963-64)
^ ab"You're NOT on 'Candid Camera': Allen Funt was on hijacked flight, passengers took it for a prank". DangerousMinds.net. October 1, 2013. from the original on 2013-10-01.
Further reading
Alma-Tadema (Catalogue of the Funt Collection) compiled by Russell Ash, Sotheby's Belgravia, 1973
allen, funt, allen, albert, funt, september, 1914, september, 1999, american, television, producer, director, writer, television, personality, best, known, creator, host, candid, camera, from, 1940s, 1980s, either, regular, television, show, television, series. Allen Albert Funt September 16 1914 September 5 1999 was an American television producer director writer and television personality best known as the creator and host of Candid Camera from the 1940s to 1980s as either a regular television show or a television series of specials Its most notable run was from 1960 to 1967 on CBS Allen FuntFunt in 1972BornAllen Albert Funt 1914 09 16 September 16 1914New York City U S DiedSeptember 5 1999 1999 09 05 aged 84 Pebble Beach California U S Occupation s Producer director writerYears active1948 1993Spouse s Evelyn Michal m 1946 64 Marilyn Laron m 1964 78 Children5 including Peter Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 2 1 Radio and television 2 2 Films 2 3 Other pursuits 3 Personal life 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksEarly life and education EditFunt was born into a Jewish family in New York City New York His father Isidore Funt was a diamond wholesaler 1 and his mother was Paula Saferstein Funt Allen graduated from high school at age 15 1 Too young to attend college on his own 2 he studied at Pratt Institute also located in Brooklyn 3 He later earned a bachelor s degree in fine arts from Cornell University studied business administration at Columbia University then returned to Pratt for additional art instruction 2 3 Career EditRadio and television Edit Trained in commercial art Funt worked for an advertising agency in their art department but he eventually moved to its radio department 1 Among his first jobs for radio he wrote for Truth or Consequences and assisted US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with her radio commentaries 1 Drafted into the military during World War II and stationed in Oklahoma 1 Funt served in the Army Signal Corps eventually making radio shows 2 4 He began his signature program on ABC Radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28 1947 and it ran until September 23 1948 The program was revived on CBS June 6 August 29 1950 5 He soon experimented with a visual version by doing a series of theatrical short films also known as Candid Microphone These film shorts served as a springboard for his entrance into television on August 10 1948 The show ran on all three major TV networks and in syndication while hosted by Allen Funt until he was sidelined by a stroke in 1993 1 6 The syndicated version of Candid Camera was broadcast from 1974 to 1979 his co hosts included at various times John Bartholomew Tucker Phyllis George and Jo Ann Pflug In 1964 Funt appeared as himself in an episode of the situation comedy The New Phil Silvers Show 7 Films Edit During the 1970s Funt made two documentary films based on the hidden camera theme the X rated What Do You Say to a Naked Lady 1970 and Money Talks 1972 1 In the 1980s Funt produced a series of adult oriented videos called Candid Candid Camera Other pursuits Edit Funt donated his recordings and films to his alma mater Cornell University and established a fellowship at Syracuse University for postgraduate studies in radio and television 1 aimed at providing the broadcast industry with qualified black personnel 2 He established a foundation which used laughter therapy for seriously ill patients by providing videocassettes of Candid Camera episodes 1 2 He also taught psychology at Monterey Peninsula College 1 Personal life EditIn 1946 Funt married Evelyn Michal 1920 2014 with whom he had three children Peter 6 Patricia and John In 1964 the couple was divorced and the same year Funt married Marilyn Laron from whom he was divorced in 1978 The couple had two children Juliet and William Funt had seven grandchildren On February 3 1969 Funt his wife and his two youngest children boarded Eastern Airlines Flight 7 in Newark New Jersey with a destination of Miami Florida While en route two men hijacked the plane and demanded passage to Cuba However some of the passengers having spotted Funt believed the whole thing to be a Candid Camera stunt 8 Funt repeatedly attempted to persuade his fellow passengers as to the reality of the hijacking but to no avail The plane landed in Cuba finally convincing the passengers 4 Funt and the other passengers were released after 11 hours of captivity 8 Funt amassed a collection of works by the Victorian painter Lawrence Alma Tadema and engineered an exhibition of them at the Metropolitan Museum of Art bypassing the wishes of then director Thomas Hoving The collection s value skyrocketed as a result and Funt sold them at a handsome profit Funt resided in Croton on Hudson Westchester County New York His estate White Gates was sold to opera singer Jessye Norman in the early 1990s Funt in the early 1970s purchased a 1 226 acre 4 96 km2 ranch located 12 miles 19 km south of Carmel near Big Sur California 6 where he raised Hereford cattle and quarter horses 3 Funt later purchased the nearby 11 acre 45 000 m2 Bixby Ranch where he resided 6 Both ranches were eventually bought by The Trust for Public Land which expected to turn the land over to the US Forest Service 6 After a stroke in 1993 6 he became incapacitated and died in 1999 in Pebble Beach California 1 11 days before his 85th birthday Candid Camera continued with his son Peter Funt as host References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Vallance Tom September 8 1999 Obituary Allen Funt The Independent Archived from the original on 2010 10 05 Retrieved March 17 2017 a b c d e Allen Funt 1914 1999 candidcamera com Archived from the original on July 2 2007 Retrieved July 11 2007 a b c Candid Microphone modestoradiomuseum org Archived from the original on February 10 2017 Retrieved March 17 2017 a b Smile My Ass RadioLab org WNYC Retrieved 8 October 2015 Dunning John 1998 On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Revised ed New York NY Oxford University Press pp 135 136 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved 2019 11 11 a b c d e f McCabe Michael March 25 2001 Land Trust Saves Big Sur Ranch Developer pockets 24 million after one year ownership SFGate com San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved March 17 2017 Classic TV Archive The New Phil Silvers Show 1963 64 a b You re NOT on Candid Camera Allen Funt was on hijacked flight passengers took it for a prank DangerousMinds net October 1 2013 Archived from the original on 2013 10 01 Further reading EditAlma Tadema Catalogue of the Funt Collection compiled by Russell Ash Sotheby s Belgravia 1973External links Edit Biography portalAllen Funt at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Allen Funt amp oldid 1132663542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
