Paul Lynde

However, Lynde is best remembered for displaying his innate gay wit as the most prominent celebrity on Hollywood Squares, the long-running game show that was a hit in daytime and syndication in the ’70s. Although scripted by a host of comedy writers, his answers to Peter Marshall’s questions (“zingers” as they were called on an album and paperbacks of the era) offered clues to his true identity, while serving as a beacon to a generation of gay men:

Peter Marshall: What do you call a man who gives you diamonds and pearls?
Paul Lynde: I’d call him “darling”!

Peter Marshall: You’ve got a secret. According to psychologists, if you’re average, will you probably tell it to a man or to a woman?
Paul Lynde: If I tell it to a man, he might hit me.

…and in a nod to Ohio history:

Peter Marshall: During the War of 1812, Captain Oliver Perry made the famous statement, “We have met the enemy and…” What?
Paul Lynde: They are cute.

Lynde capitalized on his daytime popularity by returning to Ohio to appear frequently on stage with the Kenley Players. He starred in two sitcoms of his own, including The Paul Lynde Show, which deserves its due as a DVD set, and a half dozen primetime variety specials, including a Halloween edition in which he traded quips with the members of KISS.