Bill Guest

{{Short description|Canadian television presenter (1928–1985)}} {{Infobox person | name = Bill Guest | image = | image_size = 200px | caption = Bill Guest, hosted ''Reach for the Top'' between 1962-1985. This photo is from around 1982 | birth_date = 1928 | birth_place = Sioux Lookout, Ontario | death_date = {{death date|1985|6|25|mf=y}} | death_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba | occupation = broadcaster | spouse = | parents = | children = William (Will) }}

'''Bill Guest''' (1928-1985) was best known as quizmaster of the Winnipeg edition of ''Reach for the Top'' from 1962–1985 and quizmaster of the national finals between 1969 and 1985 when the show aired on CBC Television.

Bill began his broadcasting career in 1945 at Port Arthur, Ontario radio station CKPR. In 1948 Bill moved to Winnipeg radio station CKRC, which was part of CBC Radio's secondary Dominion Network. There, he hosted several programs, including ''Guest in the House'', ''Farmer Fiddlers'', ''Pick the Hits'', and the ''Eddy Arnold Show''. Bill joined CBWT in 1958 where he co-hosted ''The Mary Liz Show'' in 1960–61, ''Tandem'' with Mary Liz Bayer in 1961, and the Winnipeg segment of summer program ''Vacation Time'' on CBC Television in 1964. He also co-hosted ''Prairie Profile'' with Marilyn Phillips. He also co-hosted the late 1970s panel show ''Beyond Reason''<ref>{{cite video | people = | title = UFOs: CBC game show with a paranormal twist| medium = | publisher = The CBC Digital Archives Website. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | url = http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/science-technology/the-unexplained/close-encounters-of-the-canadian-kind/cbc-game-show-with-a-paranormal-twist.html | location = | date = February 21, 1977}}</ref> with Allen Spraggett.

From 1962 to 1985, Guest hosted the Winnipeg version of high school quiz show ''Reach for the Top'' and the national finals from 1969 and 1985 when the show aired on CBC Television. In late August, 1984, Bill announced his retirement.<ref>{{cite news |first = Arthur |last = Chapman |title= CBC broadcaster Bill Guest to sign off after 30 years |publisher= Winnipeg Free Press |page= 43 |date= August 29, 1984}}</ref> He played the part of the station announcer in Richard Condie's 1985 animated short film, ''The Big Snit''.

Guest died of a heart attack on June 25, 1985.<ref>{{cite news |title= OBITUARY: Bill Guest Announcer hosted Reach for the Top |publisher= Globe and Mail |page= M6 |date= June 26, 1985 |id= {{ProQuest|386317867}} }}</ref>

==Trivia== Bill Guest's grandson, Will Guest, was a contestant on ''Reach for the Top''.

==References== <references/> * "CKRC Radio Album 5000 Watts 630 kc" (unknown publ. date)

==External links== *[http://archives.cbc.ca/ CBC Archives]—There are a couple of video clips from ''Beyond Reason'' that you can view. * [http://reachforthetop.com/ Reach for the Top website] *{{YouTube|X_v0MddNesE|A short clip from an early 1980s episode of ''Reach for the Top'' with Bill Guest as host}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guest, Bill}} Category:Canadian game show hosts Category:People from Sioux Lookout Category:1928 births Category:1985 deaths