Editing Allen Ludden (section)

==Death==
After Ludden was diagnosed with [[stomach cancer]] in early 1980, he took a month-long leave of absence from ''[[Password Plus and Super Password|Password Plus]]'' for chemotherapy treatment, with [[Bill Cullen]] filling in as host. On October 7, 1980, he slipped into a [[coma]] while on vacation in Monterey, California.<ref>''Daily Variety''; October 9, 1980; Page 19</ref> It was initially reported that he had a [[stroke]], but the coma was actually caused by high levels of [[calcium]] from [[medication]] taken to help fight the cancer. [[Tom Kennedy (television host)|Tom Kennedy]] assumed duties as host of ''Password Plus'', and although Ludden hoped to return to the show, his cancer grew worse and he never returned. He died in Los Angeles on June 9, 1981, at age 63.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |title=Allen Ludden, TV Host, Is Dead; On 'College Bowl' and 'Password' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/10/obituaries/allen-luden-dies.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 10, 1981 |page=B6 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Ludden was buried beside his father in the Ellsworth family plot in Graceland Cemetery in his hometown of [[Mineral Point, Wisconsin]].