Norman Blumenthal, a longtime producer of the classic TV game show concentration and children’s show wonder, died September 23 of multiple organ failure on Long Island, New York. He was 97.
His death was first reported this week by the Long Island newspaper Newsday. He was a resident of West Hempstead, Long Island.
After a stint in the Navy during World War II, Brooklyn native Blumenthal enrolled at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, where he soon found work at commercial art agencies and then became associate art director at Esquire magazine, according to Newsday.
He began his television career in the 1950s on the CBS Saturday morning children’s show Winky Dink and you. A puzzle enthusiast, he is credited with helping develop the concept for NBC’s concentration, a memory game built around a large rebus puzzle. He remained loyal to the series throughout its original 15-year run, producing episodes and creating puzzles not only for the TV version but also for the popular Milton Bradley board games.
About concentration ended its original run in 1973, Blumenthal eventually turned wonderthe long-running Saturday morning show featuring children in various games, dance competitions and even celebrity guest appearances with visits from the likes of Johnny Carson, Betty White, Michael Jackson and Muhammad Ali.
According to Newsday, Blumenthal, whose wife Sylvia Inn died in 1991, is survived by sons Howard and Bob; daughter Lori; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Author: Gregory Evans
Source: Deadline
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
