Bill Cullen

William Lawrence Francis Cullen (February 18, 1920 – July 7, 1990), known as Bill Cullen, was an American radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades. His biggest claim to fame was as a game show host, and over the course of his career he hosted twenty-three shows and earned the nickname "Dean of Game Show Hosts". Aside from his hosting duties, he appeared as a panelist/celebrity guest on many other game shows including regular appearances on I've Got a Secret and To Tell the Truth.

Early life and career

Cullen was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the only child of William and Lillian Cullen. He survived a childhood bout with polio that left him with significant physical limitations for the rest of his life (see medical history). He also wore spectacles, which became his trademark.

Radio

Cullen's broadcasting career began in Pittsburgh at WWSW radio, where he worked as a disc jockey and play-by-play announcer or color commentator for Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Hornets games. In 1943, Cullen left WWSW to briefly work at rival station KDKA before leaving Pittsburgh a year later to try his luck in New York. A week after arriving in New York he was hired as a staff announcer at CBS.

Bill Cullen (businessman)

William 'Bill' Cullen (born 17 February 1942) is an Irish businessman, philanthropist, reality television star and media personality.

With his considerable profile, Cullen is regularly seen on RTÉ programmes such as The Late Late Show and The Frontline. Cullen was the owner of the Renault Ireland franchise until it was taken under more direct control by Renault in 2007. His 2002 best-selling autobiography, It's a Long Way from Penny Apples covered his life growing up as a poor child in inner-city Dublin.

Between 2008 and 2012, he hosted the Irish reality television series The Apprentice. His motor-trade business was put into receivership in October 2012.

Early life

Born into poverty in the Summerhill area of Dublin in the 1940s, Bill Cullen was the fifth of fourteen children, seven boys and seven girls. Cullen was born in a caul (the membrane surrounding the amniotic fluid) which was considered a good luck omen at the time. His mother, Mary Darcy Cullen was a fruit seller and Cullen started trading at market stalls from a very young age. His father Billy was in the Irish Army Reserve and was for the most part unemployed, or working on the dock and getting labour that was not much for the Cullen family.