Art Linkletter, who parlayed his talent for the ad-libbed interview into two of television’s longest-running shows, “People Are Funny” and “House Party,” widely popular in the 1950s and 1960s, died on Wednesday at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles.

The host liked for his warmth and pleasantness was 97. The death was confirmed by Art Hershey, a son-in-law.

"He lived a long, full, pure life, and the Lord had need for him," quoted, his son-in-law, Art Hershey, the husband of Sharon Linkletter Hershey said.

Linkletter is reported to have been ill from the last few weeks time. However, he wasn't eating well, and the age factor took him.

Linkletter hadn't been diagnosed to suffer from any kind of life-threatening disease, Hershey posted.

Art was widely famous on TV for his funny interviews with children and ordinary folks. He also posted their comments in a various best-selling books.

Linkletter's program was similar to many of today's reality TV shows as it was dependent on ordinary people sharing too much information on national television.

Linkletter collected quotes from children into "Kids Say The Darndest Things," and it was reportedly sold in the millions. The book "70 Years of Best Sellers 1895-1965" honored "Kids Say the Darndest Things" as the 15th top seller in the category of nonfiction books in that period.