Paul Lynde

Paul Lynde was an American comedian and actor whose campy wit made him one of the most beloved personalities in American television. He is best known as the center square on Hollywood Squares (NBC/Syndication, 1966–1981), where his acid one-liners made him a national institution, and as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched (ABC, 1965–1971). His queerness was understood by millions of Americans who watched him weekly — his delivery, his persona, and the content of his humor all signaled it unmistakably — but he never formally came out, the era not permitting it. He was reportedly considering a more open acknowledgment of his identity when he died of a heart attack in 1982.