Bill_Rafferty
Bill Rafferty
American television personality (1944–2012)
William Rafferty (June 17, 1944 – August 11, 2012) was an American comedian and impressionist who hosted the game shows Every Second Counts (1984–1985, syndicated), Card Sharks (1986–87, syndication), and Blockbusters (1987, NBC).
Bill Rafferty | |
---|---|
Born | William Rafferty (1944-06-17)June 17, 1944 Queens, New York, U.S. |
Died | August 11, 2012(2012-08-11) (aged 68) San Rafael, California, U.S. |
Other names | Bill Raftery |
Occupation(s) | Comedian, game show host |
Years active | 1979–2012 |
Spouse |
Regina Miletic (m. 1968–2012) |
Children | 3 |
Rafferty was born in Queens, New York. He was the fourth and youngest child of Henry Rafferty, Sr., and Martha (Degnan) Rafferty.
Before his career in television, Rafferty was a military policeman in the United States Army. He was also a butcher in Bolinas, California.
His first national TV exposure was as a co-host on the NBC reality series Real People, which ran from 1979 to 1984. Originally, he was one of the five in-studio co-hosts before becoming a field correspondent ("roving reporter"), though he still made occasional studio appearances.
Rafferty also made guest appearances on episodes of Laugh-In in the late 1970s version of the show. Rafferty was the host of a television show on Retirement Living TV, called Retired and Wired, which debuted in October 2007.[1]
Rafferty married Regina Miletic on May 25, 1968, in Queens, New York. Together they had three children. Rafferty died from congestive heart failure on the morning of August 11, 2012.[2]
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Above the Rim | Self | Documentary |
1997 | Mad City | Bill Gottsegen | |
2010 | The Prankster | Presenter |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | The Great American Laugh-Off | Self | Television special |
1977–1978 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Regular Performer | 6 episodes |
1980 | Mating and Dating in the '80s | Self | Television film |
1981 | Texas | Bill Rafferty | Episode #1.240 |
1987 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Dean Bridges | Episode: "Green Lipstick" |
1998, 1999 | Nash Bridges | Eliot Brighton / Kenneth | 2 episodes |
- "Home". www.rl.tv. Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- Buzzerblog on Twitter. Accessed 11 August 2012.
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