Mark Goodson Cause of Death: How the Game Show Legend Lost His Battle with Cancer

Who was Mark Goodson?

Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows, most frequently with his business partner Bill Todman, with whom he created Goodson-Todman Productions. Some of their most popular and enduring shows include The Price Is Right, Family Feud, Match Game, Password, Beat the Clock, To Tell the Truth, I’ve Got a Secret, What’s My Line?, Card Sharks, and Tattletales. According to Wikipedia, Goodson and Todman’s shows endured through the decades, many over multiple runs, because of Goodson’s sharp eye for production and presentation, and their strict insistence on maintaining clean, honest contests, thus allowing their shows to survive the quiz-show scandals of the late 1950s.

When and how did Mark Goodson die?

Mark Goodson died on December 18, 1992, at the age of 77, at his home in New York City. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, a disease that he had been battling for several months. According to Deseret News, Goodson had undergone surgery in October 1992 to remove a tumor from his pancreas, but the cancer had spread to other organs. He was survived by his third wife, Suzanne Waddell, and his four children from his previous marriages.

How did the game show industry and fans react to Mark Goodson’s death?

Mark Goodson’s death was a huge loss for the game show industry and fans, as he was widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative figures in the genre. According to The Washington Post, Goodson was responsible for creating more than 40 game shows, many of which are still on the air today, either in their original or revamped versions. He was also known for his generosity and loyalty to his employees, many of whom went on to become successful producers themselves, such as Merv Griffin, Bob Stewart, Monty Hall, and Jay Wolpert.

Goodson’s death was announced on several of his shows by their hosts, such as Bob Barker on The Price Is Right, Richard Dawson on Family Feud, and Alex Trebek on Classic Concentration. Many of them paid tribute to Goodson’s legacy and expressed their condolences to his family and friends. According to Variety, Goodson was also honored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with a posthumous Emmy Award for lifetime achievement in 1993. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1998.