Veteran Entertainer Peter Marshall, Defies Odds and Beats Covid in Time to Celebrate 95th Birthday on March 30

Peter Marshall, the multiple Emmy Award-winning host of the original HOLLYWOOD SQUARES (1966-1981) celebrity game show, couldn't be more grateful to be turning 95 years old - particularly since a month ago he was sent home from the hospital to die.

According to his wife of 32 years, Laurie, they were both diagnosed with COVID on January 12, 2021. He was initially treated at home, but later required hospitalization. During the next two weeks, they were only able to communicate via telephone despite her repeated requests to be allowed to visit.

"When they finally allowed me to visit him, it was clear his diagnosis was grim. It seemed that staff was under such strain and resources were in short supply that greater efforts were being made to save patients much younger than Peter and with a stronger likelihood of surviving. We decided then to bring Peter home to be surrounded by family, friends and his animals to live out his final days, rather than die alone in the hospital."

Mrs Marshall was informed that Peter would not be able to survive at home without the high flow oxygen therapy that the hospital was giving him, and advised her to make final arrangements.

Peter was discharged on February 12 for what was expected to be a hospice situation. Laurie enlisted patient advocate Prissi Cohen, who, along with Peter's new physician, Dr. Eric Mizrahi, arranged for hospital level care at home. They turned the Marshalls' den into an intensive care unit, replete with the oxygen treatment they had previously been told was only possible in the hospital.

"Dr. Mizrahi wasn't convinced it was Peter's time to die," Laurie said. "And with the aid of around-the-clock nurses and surrounded by his family, he's turned a fatal diagnosis into a miraculously recovery."

It's now been five weeks since Peter left the hospital. He requires very little respiratory support and is focused on regaining his strength after being bed-ridden for two months.

"We're just beyond grateful for the caregivers who didn't give up and made it possible for us to celebrate Peter's upcoming 95th birthday with his family." said Laurie Marshall

For a lifelong animal lover like Peter, there's no discounting that his beloved rescue dogs Lovey, Maizie, and Luna - plus Dixie the cat - have also contributed to his recovery. To celebrate his renewed health and birthday, the Marshalls have chosen to raise funds for ACTORS AND OTHERS FOR ANIMALS, a charitable organization he's supported since its inception fifty years ago.

Peter and Laurie are asking that anyone who wants to commemorate this special occasion please go to https://actorsandothers.com/petermarshall and make a donation to help animals in need. A personal greeting to Peter may also be sent via the donation page.

To coincide with this milestone birthday, Peter's lushly produced albums of great American Songbook standards "Let's Be Frank," "Boy Singer," and "No Happy Endings," are being released digitally for the very first time.

On Tuesday, March 30 at 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific Time a complimentary online 95th birthday party will take place via Zoom. Some of his friends from Hollywood Squares and some other familiar faces will join in to reminisce, and rare clips of his 80 years in show business will be shown.

More details can be found on Peter's website at http://www.petermarshallofficial.

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