Charles Van Doren was an American actor who is best known for his role in the quiz show “Twenty-One,” and his involvement in the quiz show scandals of the late 1950s.
Personal and Family Life
Charles Lincoln Van Doren was born on February 12, 1926, in New York City. He came from a distinguished family; his father was the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mark Van Doren, and his mother, Dorothy Graffe Van Doren, was a novelist. Charles was married to Geraldine Ann Bernstein from April 17, 1957, until his death in 2019, and they had two children together.
Early Career
Van Doren graduated from St. John’s College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a Master’s in astrophysics from Columbia University, followed by a Ph.D. in English. He became an English professor at Columbia but later sought fame and fortune in television quiz shows, particularly “Twenty-One,” where he achieved great success.
Death and Legacy
Charles Van Doren passed away on April 9, 2019, in Canaan, Connecticut. Despite the controversies surrounding his quiz show career, he is remembered for his intellect and contributions to education and literature. His story was portrayed in the film “Quiz Show,” which highlighted the ethical issues surrounding quiz shows during that era.
Filmography
| Type | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self | Frontiers of Faith | Narrator | 1951–1970 |
| Self | Quiz Show | Portrayed by Ralph Fiennes | 1994 |
| Archive Footage | Various | N/A | N/A |