Biographie
Hal March, originally named Harold Mendelson, emerged in 1944 as part of the comedy duo Sweeney & March. Alongside Bob Sweeney, he starred in the "Sweeney and March Show" on CBS radio until 1948. In the early 1950s, March explored various performance opportunities, taking small uncredited film roles and appearing on TV shows like "I Love Lucy" and "The Kate Smith Evening Hour." His major breakthrough came when he was cast as one of the four Harry Mortons on "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show," though he ultimately lost the role to Fred Clark, whom producers felt complemented Bea Benaderet’s Blanch Morton character perfectly with his sharp yet childlike grumpiness.
Around this period, March teamed up with comedian Tom D'Andrea, and together they made seven appearances on "The Colgate Comedy Hour."
March’s greatest success came as host of "The $64,000 Question," the highest-paying quiz show of its era. His engaging personality combined with the large prize money made the program the definitive leader in game shows and sparked several imitators.
In 1955, Jack Benny appeared as a contestant on "The $64,000 Question," choosing violins as his category. After answering the first question correctly, Benny quit, taking home just his one-dollar winnings. At the peak of March’s tenure on the show in 1957, he appeared on "The Jack Benny Program," where Benny staged his own game show in which March humorously tried to reclaim his dollar prize.
That same year, March married Candy Toxton, who had recently divorced Mel Tormé. They had three children together—Peter, Jeffery, and Victoria—and also raised Candy’s two children from her previous marriage.
"The $64,000 Question" ended abruptly due to the notorious Quiz Show Scandals.
While one online biographer claims March was largely absent from show business for nearly a decade following the scandal, this is somewhat overstated. Though work became scarcer, March continued to find occasional roles. Shortly after the quiz show ended, he appeared on the "Ed Sullivan Show" performing his stand-up routine.
He acted in episodes of "The Schlitz Playhouse" (1959), "Westinghouse Preview Theater" (1961), and "The DuPont Show of the Week" (1963), and also appeared on Broadway in "Two for the Seesaw" (replacing Henry Fonda) and "Come Blow Your Horn."
In 1961, March starred in an unsold comedy pilot titled "I Married a Dog." The plot centers on March’s character marrying a woman in Las Vegas whom he has just met. Upon arriving at her Los Angeles home, he discovers he’s married into wealth and soon learns the household’s true star is a movie-star dog that instantly dislikes him. In one scene, the dog pretends to limp to fool his new bride, constantly outsmarting March’s character. This pilot is available to watch on YouTube.
In 1966, March appeared on "The Lucy Show" and "The Monkees." The following year, he both acted in and served as technical adviser on the film "A Guide for the Married Man," while making guest appearances on shows like "Here's Hollywood," "I've Got a Secret," and even guest-hosting "The Tonight Show."
In July 1969, March landed a coveted hosting role on the game show "It's Your Bet," where celebrity couples competed with winnings awarded to audience members. The show quickly gained popularity, but after taping just 13 weeks, March experienced exhaustion. Medical examinations revealed he had developed lung cancer, a consequence of his chain smoking.
Hal March passed away at age 49 in Los Angeles on January 19, 1970. He is honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one for radio and one for television—and is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California.
