Peter Tomarken and Wife Killed in Plane Crash

Photo: Peter Tomarken on Press Your Luck PEOPLE reports that Peter Tomarken, host of the popular 1980s game show “Press Your Luck,” and his wife were killed in a plane crash Monday “while transporting a cancer patient to a treatment center in San Diego.”

Tomarken actually had a busy career as an actor and producer, in addition to several other game shows. He’ll always be known for “Whammy,” though.

Peter Tomarken was 63, and from 1983-86 he hosted the CBS show, which was noted for the dreaded “Whammy” — which signaled that a contestant was about to lose all his money. Contestants yelled out the memorable line “No Whammies!” to ward off bad luck.

This death is especially sad given the humanitarian nature of the flight.

crossposted to OTB: Gone Hollywood.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.