Bob Hilton | |
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| Born | (1943-07-23)July 23, 1943 (age 81) |
| Occupation(s) | Announcer, game show host |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse | Joni Hilton |
| Children | 4 |
Bob Hilton (born July 23, 1943[1]) is an American television game show personality. He hostedThe Guinness Game, a revival ofTruth or Consequences, and the 1990 revival ofLet's Make a Deal for one season and replaced byMonty Hall, and announced on several other shows.
Hilton has announced numerous game shows, such asCard Sharks;Child's Play;Trivia Trap;[2]The $25,000 Pyramid;The $100,000 Pyramid;Blockbusters;Double Talk;The New Newlywed Game;The All-New Dating Game;Strike It Rich;Win, Lose or Draw; andBody Language.[3] His first game show announcing assignment was in 1980 onTic-Tac-Dough (filling in for regular announcerJay Stewart), followed byThe Joker's Wild andPlay the Percentages, after he began a contract withBarry & Enright Productions, that same year. Hilton also announcedThe Price Is Right following the death of its original announcer,Johnny Olson. According to former producerRoger Dobkowitz, he did extremely well. However, Hilton was already working on several other shows at the time, so the job was given toRod Roddy.[4]
Hilton's non-game show announcing work included the 1988 CBS specialsLive! Dick Clark Presents and the ABC daytime programHome in the early 1990s.[5][6]
Hilton got his start in Louisiana at stationKPLC-TV. He traveled around to various stations as news anchor/reporter, such as inHonolulu, Hawaii,KTRK-TV in Houston,KGAN-TV inCedar Rapids, WNAC-TV in Boston (The Bob Hilton Show), andKHJ-TV in Los Angeles. He later went on toKOVR inSacramento, California.
Hilton is aLatter-day Saint. On one occasion he turned down a show because he felt it tended too much towards sexual arousal.[7]
Hilton is married to the former Joni Pennock. She was Miss California USA in 1976. She has also been a TV talk show host. More recently she has written 23 books, many of them novels with explicitly Mormon characters and themes, such asAs the Ward Turns. She has also worked as a magazine correspondent and writer to theMormon Tabernacle Choir programMusic and the Spoken Word.[8] Joni is also a playwright.
| Preceded by | Truth or Consequences Host 1977 – 1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Let's Make a Deal Host 1990 | Succeeded by |
