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At 94, Art Linkletter just published his 28th book, "How To Make The Rest of Your Life The Best of Your Life."
The original reality-series TV host, Linkletter had
shows on all three networks at one point. "House Party" ran on CBS TV
and radio for 25 years, while "People Are Funny" appeared on NBC TV
and radio for 19 years. He's won two Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award. A
philanthropist and investor, Linkletter has been married to his wife, Lois, for
70 years and is the father of five children. For Linkletter, staying young at
heart while growing older is purely a matter of attitude. He's of the belief that
while you can't control what happens to you, you can control how you view life's
happenings. An orphan born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, he was adopted
by an elderly preacher and his wife and moved to California at a young age. His
years in the entertainment industry are interwoven with public service. President
Ronald Reagan appointed Linkletter Ambassador to Australia; he was also named
Commissioner General to the 150th Australian Anniversary Celebration. He has served
on presidential commissions to prevent drug abuse, to improve reading and on fitness
and physical education. First published in the early 1960s,
Linkletter's books include a set of children's encyclopedias, a collection of
children's sayings -- "Kids Say the Darnest Things" -- and "Old
Age Is Not For Sissies." His most recent book is co-authored with Mark Victor
Hanson, one of the authors of the "Chicken Soup" series of books. Part
of his life philosophy involves throwing himself into a variety of causes and
businesses that he's passionate about: from research on Alzheimer's disease to
promoting alternative energy sources. His business interests are wide ranging
and his investment portfolio puts the usual methods of diversification to shame. We
caught up with Linkletter during a phone conversation from his home in California. Bankrate:
You've just published a new book. What drives you to stay so busy as you come
up on your 95th birthday in July? Art
Linkletter: I like to be around people who talk and write and never stop.
I came up the hard way -- I was a poor kid and I always worked and have enjoyed
it ever since. I haven't needed to work for a while but I still do. I've written
28 books, three of them autobiographies. In my life, I've met a lot of interesting
people. Talking to people, writing books and raising money keep me interested
in a lot of different ways in life. I've never retired -- I spent the first third
of my life as a poor kid, the second third as a radio, TV and movie star and in
business. In this last third of my life I am giving back through volunteering
-- it's very rewarding. | 
