Bert Convy

Convey died in 1991 of a brain tumor at 57 years old.

He succumbed to the Guido Contini curse.

Super size meat. Epic proportions.

He was congenial, enthusiastic and appeared to be sincere, which most game show hosts do not. He also helped to develop "Win, Lose or Draw," I believe, before he died. He was a decent actor and singer; I remember seeing him on various shows when I was a kid.

Hot in a 70s way.

Game show host is one of the toughest gigs around, and he was excellent in the role. But he actually started out as actor himself.

He co-starred in Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders my favorite cheesy TV movie of the late '70's.

Bert Convoy could have had a forever cult following. Here's what happened. He was picked to play the pivotal, popular role of Barnabas Collins, the sexy, sympathetic vampire, on the iconic, gothic soap "Dark Shadows" but was overruled at the last minute by assistant on the show who deemed that he didn't quite have what it took for the role. Had he gotten it the part would have followed him to his grave literally.

He played Cliff Bradshaw in the original Broadway cast of "Cabaret."

He won an Emmy Award for hosting "Tattletales"

He was charming, good looking, and well spoken. What's not to like? Also had a nice singing voice.

I saw him in Cabaret on Broadway in the late 1960s. He had a good voice, was fairly attractive, acted OK but was severely lacking in charisma. In that original version of Cabaret, his character was totally heterosexual, unlike the later Roundabout version (which was truer to the Isherwood story it's based on) in the late 1990s. So the character was also rather dull.

TV game show host seemed like the perfect fit to me.

He had a pretty beg Broadway career. He was in the original cast of Fiddler on the Roof too.

as r2 alluded to: all three of the Broadway stars of Nine died very young. Sergio Franchi, Raul Julia and Convy.

Anita Morris also died young from "Nine". Was there loose asbestos in the asbestos curtain? (Do they still use asbestos curtains on Broadway?)

[quote]all three of the Broadway stars of Nine died very young. Sergio Franchi, Raul Julia and Convy.

I'm still here, beeches!

Well, he did the show more than 20 years after the original run.

you weren't in the original production Antonio

And you never will be!

I saw the original, and Anita Morris was stellar and stunning.

R17 It doesn't say anything about "original" in R13.

R8 Not really. Barnabas was originally supposed to be short-term. But Jonathan Frid became so instantly popular they decided to make him a regular.

I went to a reunion years ago at the Director's Guild. Lara Parker told this hilarious story. Frid was praised by critics for his phrasing, his delivery, the fearful look in his eyes. Critics thought he was an amazingly passionate actor. According to Parker, the fright in his eyes and his constant pausing was because he couldn't remember his lines. She said it was a chore just getting thru a scene with him.

Anita Morris gave one of the sexiest performances ever -- confirming that I still had bisexual tendencies. Wow, just wow! She was great and should have won the Tony over Lilliane Montevecchi, who was very good, but not as fantastic as Anita.

Bert Convy!

Va-va-va voom!

He had gorgeous dimples.

He was Perchik in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof. I remember reading in a book about the show's origins that Stuart Damon was considered too pretty for the role. Someone suggested putting thick glasses on him and someone (Harnick?) said "Yeah, you can try that but he'll still look like Betty Grable." Was Bert Convy that less attractive than Damon at the time?

I guess you didn't watch The Champions.

My favorite co-star!

Match Game 1990 Pilot w/ Bert Convy

Bump.

My sister had a crush on him that lasted from 1976 until the day he died.

Bobby Van - who was frequently on Tattletales with his wife Elaine Joyce also died young or a brain tumor - at age 51 in 1980. I think there was something carcinogenic in that green shag carpeting.

Antonio Banderas has heart attack.......the Guido streak does apparently extend past the original production.

He shops at my supermarket.

I remember hearing about this at the time it was announced he was ill. It was shocking because he seemed so young and full of energy.

[quote]TV game show host seemed like the perfect fit to me.

This. He was all over the place in the 70s and 80s and he was exactly the same whether he was "acting" in stuff like Fantasy Island or Love Boat or was just appearing as himself on game and talk shows. He was blandly handsome, non-threatening, affable - a perfect game show host.

Yes, OP, he was charming.

I think if Bert Convy were alive today he would be doing autograph signings and conventions.

Meredith MacRae also died of a brain tumor. She and her then husband, Greg Mullavey, appeared on Tattletales.

They didn't call it the "banana section" for nothing!

I had a major gayling crush on him. Also , Chuck Woolery , until Ifound out He was a deranged Repug.

Burt had a long term fling with Louise Lasser towards the end of Lasser's marriage to Woody Allen.

I wonder what are Jennifer Cony's thoughts of her father's legacy.

He was Shirley Partridge’s sometimes boyfriend.

He also tried to date Mary Richards after he got divorced. He had nice dimples.

I'm bumping this because I found a picture of a hot, pre-perm Bert that contributes significantly to the discussion. I like his Fiddler on the Roof beard.

That's Zero Mostel on the left.

I thought Bert was sexy when I was a kid and I used to watch him on Tattletales and Password Plus.

Weird helmet hair.

In April 1990, Convy was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after collapsing while visiting his mother, who had been hospitalized for a stroke. He was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme. The inoperable tumor forced him to retire. On July 15, 1991, Convy died at his home in Brentwood eight days before his 58th birthday. His remains were buried at Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.

I saw him on Broadway in the original production of “Cabaret,” twice, and also in the well-received revival of “The Front Page. He sang well in “Cabaret,” but, as mentioned above, his character was written bland. He was much better opposite the great Robert Ryan, in “Front Page,” which was wonderful all the way round.

Convy certainly managed to stay employed, which, for a stage actor, is a considerable accomplishment, though he was canny enough to switch to more lucrative TV hosting.

His Mike Brady perm did him no favors in the 70s.

Antonio Banderas was in the Nine revival in 2003. He was very much NOT in the original version in the 1980s.