Background
Kwiatkowski was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Walter and Florence Kwiatkowski. His father was a Cleveland police detective.
Kwiatkowski was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Walter and Florence Kwiatkowski. His father was a Cleveland police detective.
He graduated from high school in 1947. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in journalism and decided to try and get a job in television
The program featured clowns, cartoons and short comedy skits. The day after Kwiatkowski"s graduation, in 1955, he went to the KPHO-television studios and met with the general manager, Dick Rawls (the future inspiration for the character, Mr Grudgemeyer) and they hit it official One hour after returning home, Lad received a call to start work the next day.
While working as a cameraman for KPHO, Kwiatkowski became involved with the lieutenant"s Wallace? program, hosted by Bill Thompson (Wallace).
He developed his Ladmo character there, as well as his trademark "Ladmo Bags," which were given out as prizes on the show. Kwiatkowski and Thompson thus began a professional partnership that lasted decades--with lieutenant"s Wallace? eventually being renamed The Wallace and Ladmo Show.
Its final taping was on December 29, 1989, after a 36-year run, becoming one of the longest-running daily children"s television shows in American broadcasting. After The Wallace and Ladmo Show ended, Kwiatkowski retired from broadcasting, although he remained active in various social programs and charities.
Kwiatkowski was married to Patsy Killough on March 31, 1951, and they had five children.
Kwiatkowski died of lung cancer in Tempe, Arizona.