NAMES IN THE NEWS : TV Game Show Host Bill Cullen, 69, Is Critically Ill With Cancer

Bill Cullen, who served as host of “I’ve Got a Secret” and dozens of other game shows, is critically ill with cancer, his publicist said.

“It’s really a day-to-day thing” for the 69-year-old television veteran, publicist Bob Burton said Wednesday.

Cullen has not been hospitalized for the illness. He receives doctor visits and round-the-clock medical care at his Los Angeles home, George Spota, his manager said.

“All things being equal, it’s always best to be at home in a situation like this,” Spota said.

Cullen has known for several months that he has cancer. The family has asked that the type of cancer not be revealed, Spota said.

Cullen was the original host of “The Price Is Right,” from 1957 to 1964, and has appeared in more than 35 network shows, including “I’ve Got a Secret,” “To Tell the Truth,” “Eye Guess” and “The $25,000 Pyramid.”

He was working in a garage in Pittsburgh in 1939 when he got his first job in broadcasting as an unpaid assistant disc jockey.

In 1943, Cullen moved to New York and became a staff announcer with the CBS Radio Network. A year later, he became announcer for the “Winner Take All” game show.