The Whammies Finally Got Him
Unfortunately, more news of the depressing kind, as Peter Tomarken was killed in a plane crash yesterday in Santa Monica. Tomarken was best known as host of the immortal PRESS YOUR LUCK, one of the most recognized game shows of the 80’s.
Tomarken was in my opinion, a very underrated game show host. I thought that PRESS YOUR LUCK was a lot of fun, and he added to that. As a kid, I couldn’t resist those cute cartoon whammies. Of course the fact that there was a lot of luck involved made it appealing, as skill or knowledge only played a partial role in the success of a contestant. Tomarken got to be part of one of the most famous game show incidents of all time, when Michael Larson hustled the show for thousands of dollars. Also, check out the whole of the Classic Press Your Luck Homepage. It is very well socked with fun stuff.
March 16th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
I loved Peter Tomarken when I was 13 back in 1984. He had a gentleness and a sweetness that is sadly lacking in the shows of today… He was also VERY handsome and he made me smile when I spent the summer of 1984 in a cast on my right leg. I was recovering from a leg operation where my right foot was turned in due to Cerebral Palsy. Being in that cast did suck but seeing Peter on TV made the days a lot better. I hope we never forget his kindness and how sweet he was… I know I won’t…