, ▁origin ating ▁from ▁the ▁network ' s ▁New ▁York ▁flags hip ▁W ABC . ▁On ▁February ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁Block ▁was ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁a ▁special ▁program ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁Make ▁Bel ieve ▁Ball room . ▁ ▁The ▁star - stud ded ▁event ▁was ▁a ired ▁in ▁two ▁segments ▁and ▁carried ▁on ▁ABC ▁Radio ▁and ▁ABC - TV . ▁ ▁T ick ets ▁were ▁sold ▁with ▁all ▁proceed s ▁benef iting ▁the ▁March ▁of ▁D imes . ▁▁ ▁While ▁he ▁officially ▁retired ▁from ▁ABC ▁and ▁radio ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁he ▁indicated ▁that ▁his ▁ret irement ▁merely ▁meant ▁not ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁medium ▁on ▁a ▁regular ▁basis . ▁Tow ards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁he ▁was ▁heard ▁on ▁W OR / New ▁York . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁until ▁his ▁death , ▁Block ▁hosted ▁a ▁public ▁affairs ▁show , ▁Guard ▁Session , ▁for ▁the ▁U . ▁S . ▁National ▁Guard . ▁Block ▁died ▁at ▁an ▁Eng le wood , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁hospital ▁September ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁surv ived ▁by ▁his ▁wife , ▁Joy ce , ▁and ▁seven ▁children ; ▁six ▁of ▁the ▁children ▁were ▁from ▁previous ▁mar ri ages . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁Make ▁Bel ieve ▁Ball room ▁was ▁hosted ▁for ▁dec ades ▁by ▁DJ ▁William ▁B . ▁Williams ▁on ▁W NEW , ▁where