His first work on the big screen was an unaccredited role in the 1953 horror sci-fi movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. He started his professional life by joining the radio as well as by singing in collaboration with a big band. NBC finally cancelled it in 1989, when CBS picked it up for a year (only to return to NBC, when the daytime version was finally cancelled permanently in 1991). He eventually started his own show The Merv Griffin Show in 1962 which proved to be a huge success. The show became a phenomenon when, on September 19, 1983, a nighttime version hit the syndication market with Pat Sajak and Vanna White as host and hostess. "[42] He was otherwise secretive about his business and personal lives. They became a couple, even though he lives in Chicago and she lives in New York. Top-rate talent rarely visited Dayton, Donahue says, and those who did would ask him, "What am I doing here?" The couple had one son. Eva Gabor and Merv Griffin were in a relationship for 10 years before Eva Gabor died aged 76.. About. The star said one example was her parents, as the actress's mother gave up her singing career to settle herself to marry the star of the "Danny Thomas Show." He also created the game shows Jeopardy! She returned to her native New Mexico, remarried and disappeared from public view -- until now, with publication of a "family" picture in Donahue's book. Not even lukewarm -- hot!" However, Griffin stated that both the lawsuits were extortions. The second time they went out was fine, and the duo phoned each other two or three times daily and saw each other on weekends because Phil was based in Chicago. The Hollywood mogul Merv Griffin died at the age of 82 over the weekend after a battle with cancer, and I was amazed to see The New York Timesactually discusshis sexual orientation, the palimony lawsuit and the male-on-male sexual harassment lawsuit. and Wheel remain on the air today. If youre Griffin, why would you think a judgmental culture would be any more tolerant as you grew into middle and old age? "There's nothing too controversial for television," Donahue says. . [17][20] Griffin needed a place to stay and moved-in with Buzzell as his new roommate. Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue during the Iris Awards Banquet on March 4, 1978, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images. He died on August 12, 2007. In 1974, under intense pressure to "put some glitter in the show," he moved to Chicago, hoping to attract better guests and big-city flair. Discussion rapidly evolves into a group event, with Donahue roaming along the aisles, cajoling, flirting, taunting and enticing. "We don't like to discuss sex at that hour of the morning," NBC explained. When Treacher left the show in 1970, Griffin did the announcing himself, and walked on stage with the phrase "And now here I come!" He did it for Marlon Brandon. Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. The Famous Psychologist's Wife Has Never Missed a Taping, Julia Roberts Is Living Her Dream with Kids & Spouse of 20 Years at Rustic Ranch after Becoming Mom at 39, Dr Phil & His Wife of 46 Years Are Still in Love in $29.5M Home after They Sold Their 'Weird' Mansion, Geena Davis Became Mom of 3 at 48 Her 20-Year Marriage Ended & Much Younger Spouse Asked For Spousal Support, Jenna Bush Hager 'Smooched' Husband on 1st Meeting & Proposed to Him Later They've Made It to 14 Years. The Modern Family star was previously married to her high school love Joe Gonzalez . This show was initially aired on NBC. In the 1980s, Griffin purchased the Paradise Island Resort and Casino in the Bahamas for $400million from Trump, but later sold it for just $125million. And there was a young James Dean selling his sex for cash. "Donahue" is unlike any other talk show. At 72, onetime crooner Merv Grifn has parlayed the $250 million sale of his game shows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune in 1986 into a billion-dollar empire that encompasses two production . Merv Griffin began his career as a singer on the radio at the age of 19. [45] The article was later altered due to protests from his friends and business associates. National magazines ran complimentary stories. But in a New York office recently, Donahue looked much more subdued that he does goes on television, his eyes more pale and penetrating. He owned a ranch near La Quinta, California where he raised thoroughbred racehorses, and St. Clerans Manor, a boutique hotel in an eighteenth-century estate once owned by director John Huston, near Craughwell, in County Galway, Ireland. (VH1, 1998) for pop-music trivia fans; Click!, a teen-oriented game that introduced Ryan Seacrest as its host; and, in association with Wink Martindale, Headline Chasers (1985). Public response wasn't always entirely pleasant, but continued commercial success gave Donahue confidence. The spin-offs included the children's shows Wheel 2000 (CBS, 1997), and the short-lived Jep! Griffin frequently chatted with audience members. He usually has only one guest and discusses only one topic. Of course, Porter has one thing working for him: almost no threat of litigation. In 1991, Deney Terrio, host of the Griffin-created Dance Fever, sued Griffin, alleging sexual harassment, but the suit was dismissed. The new show featured live music with two singers while simulating a trip to various places in the world. [6] He was a member of the international fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. On her YouTube channel in 2012, Phil's wife confessed how no one dreamt of being a stepmother. His voice becomes soft, "We have a lot to lose now. Also: speculation. The couple divorced in 1976. He was best known for hosting the Goodson/Todman classic, Play Your Hunch, and for creating the two long-running hit series, Jeopardy! It lasted only one season, with its last episode on May 16, 2008, but has had reruns on various channels. Griffin, in 1964, also introduced a game show Jeopardy which was a big success. Adding to it, he also produced The Merv Griffin Show, which was a syndicated talk show in 1965. After 13 seasons as a daytime talk show host, Griffin retired from his talk show in 1986 to devote himself to producing his highly profitable game shows.Jeopardy! . Part of the deal was that Trump would buy Resorts' interest in the yet-to-be-constructed Taj Mahal project for $273million, and that Trump would own Resorts International Air, which included three Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. [citation needed], He attended San Mateo High School, graduating in 1942, and continued to aid in financing the school. He married radio comic . That fall he became a radio reporter in Adrian, Mich. And sometimes he's slapped down. Griffin began to sing at the age of 19 by making his appearance on San Francisco Sketchbook. Griffin was born July 6, 1925, in San Mateo, California, to Mervyn Edward Griffin Sr., a stockbroker, and Rita Elizabeth Griffin (ne Robinson),[3] a homemaker. Picking up a desk stapler to act as a surrogate microphone, he stands, flexes his shoulders and acts out his "dialogues" with them. Men, he says, "have done an awful lot of oppression. Author Darwin Porters niche is posthumously outing celebrities. From 1958 to 1962, Griffin hosted a game show called Play Your Hunch which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. He also stayed silent about the epidemic in the media ironic since he was a man very much at the center of the media industry and in shaping communications and television in this country when his voice would have made a huge difference. Over the past 16 years of his life, however, Griffin deflected the sexuality questions with a quip, determining that his private life remained nobodys business. GSN honored Griffin by airing ten-episode marathons of Wheel and Jeopardy! She recalled one of the questions he asked her, saying: "And he said to me, 'How come you've never married?' Merv Griffin was in relationships with Eva Gabor (1985 - 1995), Natalie Trundy (1959) and May Wynn (1953). . Griffin was affiliated with the international fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. Six years later they had five children, two born in the same year. He was overweight as an adolescent and a young man, which disappointed some radio fans when they saw him in person. The actress said, "It was a very big thing for me to see that marriage could be a roomy enough place for my dream and his dream.". He grins or grimaces extravagantly. "It's no mystery to me why they are so conservative," Donahue says. Griffin's approach to television talk was influenced by two New York shows, David Susskind's The David Susskind Show (1958) and Mike Wallace's Probe and Night Beat (1956), and like Susskind and Wallace, he openly embraced controversial subjects. His Los Angeles Times obituary repeated a 1991 statement he had made regarding Plott's lawsuit: "This is a shameless attempt to extort money from me. "We had a woman whose baby was taken back by the adoption agency. "When half of America is saying, 'That guest got him,' believe me when I tell you it's fine with me." In 2005, he told . In addition, he served as a producer for several game shows such as Reach for the Stars and One in a Million. The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin.The series ran on NBC from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963, in first-run syndication from May 10, 1965 to July 4, 1969, at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972, and again in first-run syndication from February 14, 1972 to September 5, 1986. "Why rock the boat?" I keep it to his A-list dates like Rock Hudson, whom he met through Henry Wilson, Rocks agent, and who advised him to keep his sexuality quiet. His 7-year-old grandson Donovan Mervyn was an honorary pallbearer, as was Nancy Reagan. After 17 years, his wife left him. And he seems without shame: "I would be afraid I'm going to die if someone told me I had leukemia. Playing to the camera unmercifully, he leans close, interrupts, turns his back and challenges. The book also reveals that Merv slept with Rebel Without a Cause heartthrob James Dean, film legend Montgomery Clift and Kennedy in-law Peter Lawford. Perhaps he figured it was preferable to remain the object of gossip rather than live openly as "one of. NBC-owned and -operated stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas carried it, with many stations airing two episodes per day. "We read a lot of magazines. Produced in association with Program Partners and the William Morris Agency, it began airing September 10, 2007. (1984), which are watched by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. His mother, Rita Elizabeth Griffin, was a homemaker and father, Mervyn Edward Griffin; Sr. was an insurance broker. The resulting blurred image meant that Hoffman's voice emanated from a "jumble of lines". His funeral was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. They had one child, Tony Griffin, born in 1959. I can now reveal that The Mogul is Merv Griffin. [2] He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. (GSN, 1998, both for children); Rock & Roll Jeopardy! Merv Griffin was married to Julann Griffin from 1959 to 1976. From that moment, "Donahue" became an audience-participation program. He did it for Katharine Hepburn. In effect, Donahue has 200 bosses and they provide a fascinating study in what the public will tolerate -- even seek -- once outside the networks. And I began to examine why, listen to some of the shrinks and people who do our show. Most of the folks Porter talks about and says Griffin was involved with are, like Griffin, dead. He is the only son of Merv Griffin and Julann Wright. for ABC), Griffin was one of the many guest hosts who presided over Tonight in the interim. In 1977, Thomas was a guest on the daytime TV television show called Donahue. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius. [20] Buzzell died of a heart attack in 1959, but Griffin stayed close to Simms for the rest of her life and had her as a guest on his talk show many times.[22][23][24]. From December 1975 to January 1976, it was expanded to an hour, in response to the successful 60-minute version of The Price Is Right on CBS. In 1954, Griffin appeared in several Cincraft Productions sponsored films including a musical, Milestones of Motoring with Joe E. Brown and Rita Farrell. Griffin wrote the 30-second piece of music heard during the show's Final Jeopardy! She explained how she felt a union of two whole people could work compared to one of one and a half. Text. He resolved to change his appearance, and lost 80 pounds in four months. In 1963, NBC offered him the opportunity to host a new game show, Word for Word, which Griffin produced. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Rumors about Griffin's sexuality followed him for much of his life. ", Donahue has been quoted as telling his staff, "I want all the topics hot . Peter Graves, Marlo Thomas, Barbara Eden, Della Reese, Roger Ray: With Merv Griffin, Barbara Eden, Peter Graves, Mort Lindsey. And as any law student knows, you cant libel the dead. The show was a humongous success and became the longest running game show with over 6000 episodes. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. A talk show host for nearly 25 . (1964). "How important is love?" ", "Controversy is not a dirty word," he says. CBS also pressured Griffin into sacking his long-term sidekick Arthur Treacher, who had been his television mentor, because he was too old. Neither Cronkite nor CBS responded, a silence echoed by everyone else to whom the ambitious Donahue mailed resumes. Mervs secret gay life was widely known throughout showbiz culture, if not the wider America. The "That Girl" actress first met Marlo when she was on his talk show as a guest in 1977. I loved the idea, went straight to NBC with the idea, and they bought it without even looking at a pilot show. Although Griffin married and reportedly had affairs with several women, including Judy Garland, his AT SIMON & SCHUSTER, they were excited. Donahue denies using that word, but says, "It had better be an issue about which people care or we're all going to be parking cars.". The syndicated versions of both Jeopardy! Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends. "You've got to be hungry and ambitious," he says, explaining how he caters to his 85-percent-female audience: "Behavior issues are very big for us. Merv Griffin was a singer and band leader, movie actor, television personality and media mogul who in his time hosting The Merv Griffin Show (1962) was second in fame and influence as a talk show host only to Johnny Carson. The two powerhouses spun off numerous programs, for which Griffin often signed on as a creative consultant. Griffin dedicated two shows, in 1975 and 1977, to Transcendental Meditation and its founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In 1969, CBS hired Griffin to directly compete with Carson in the 11:30 PM to 1:00 AM time slot that had proven a grave yard for other personalities. In 1991, he was sued by TV host Deney Terrio alleging sexual harassment. His 12-year-old granddaughter Farah gave a reading. I had interviewed many gay men whod known Griffin as gay, as well as men who told stories about how his closet had him doing horrendous things and how he was threatened by openly gay people. During the World War II, he was found to have a slight heart murmur because of which he failed several military examinations. The "That Girl" star and her husband raised five children after the actress refused to be an evil fairy-tale-like stepmother. While Carson's style was indebted to his long apprenticeship in Los Angeles in the 1950s, Griffin was based in New York, where he socialized with New York's theater and caf crowds. Merv Griffin might be best remembered as the guy who introduced Nancy Reagan to her astrologer were it not for a 1963 plane ride. Marlo shared how her dreams of becoming a mother were frustrated by her ambitions and society. But in 1978 New York's WNBC bought "Donahue" for the second time and he began to capture the nation's attention. He was commended for booking such guests, but also widely criticized for it. Meanwhile, his body is working fulltime. As his family was Roman Catholic, he started signing in the church from an early age. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! "The more drawn into the Hollywood trappings he . A biography of television legend Merv Griffin claims tgat when he died in 2007, he left behind a legacy that includedWheel Of Fortune,Jeopardy, hotels, side business ventures, and more than a billion dollars. The show enjoyed tremendous popularity and was adapted into several international versions which aired in 60 countries. marathon consisted of a rerun of the Jeopardy! Rumors about Griffin being gay aren't new, and they weren't helped by two lawsuits (a palimony claim, and a sexual harassment charge) by two dudes in the 90s. He also got enrolled at San Mateo Junior College and subsequently the University of San Francisco. ACTRESS, Marlo Thomas, has been married to former daytime talk show host, Phil Donahue, for over 40 years. His performance on the radio was heard by American musician Freddy Martin, who asked him to tour with his orchestras, which he did for a few years. There is no wise-cracking sidekick, band, desk or ashtray. So he returned to his radio roots and focused on marriage, illness, sexuality, death and other problems "ordinary" people could discuss. Some of his talk show remained a big hit and gained considerable rating all over the world. A staff of 15, mostly women, decides what gets on the show. And now hes doing it to Griffin withMerv Griffin: a Life in the Closet. If you get anything else you think we can use, call me personally. Merv was looking at notes for a new game show, and Julann asked if it was one of the knowledge-based games she liked. Says Donahue, "Well, what does that mean? Stations rarely cancel his show and few refuse to air individual programs. On being wealthy, Griffin said, "when you walk down the street and everybody knows you're rich, they don't talk to you." That was not only focused on in the Denny Terrio lawsuit against Griffin but also was something that several Hollywood gay men told me about, offering first hand experience, while I was researching Queer in America back in the early 90s and some of this (though, for legal reasons not all) is reported on in the book. However, he soon became disillusioned with movies and bought his contract back from Warner Bros, after which he decided to focus on television. He also used to earn money as an organist. Furthermore, he also remained the host of another game show Keep Talking released on ABC. Over the years, it made a record of winning 33 Emmy Awards. Both programs shared Studio 6B at NBC's Rockefeller Center complex at the time, with Play Your Hunch airing live in the morning while Tonight taped later in the day. When philosopher and anti-war activist Bertrand Russell used the show to condemn the war in Vietnam, Griffin was criticized for letting Russell have his say. That's when Griffin's wife pitched the . . And yet, because he was closeted it is highly unlikely he ever made the connection for the Reagans (between himself and those who were suffering and dying), pointed out the government negligence, or even talked openly as a gay person. He started his professional life by joining the radio as well as by singing in collaboration with a big band. Why is it so difficult to write? [9], Freddy Martin heard him on the radio show and asked him to tour with his orchestra,[1] which he did for four years. Donahue feels his success has given other talk shows "more courage" and that the public will soon see fewer entertainers talking about "how long it took to make their last movie." He carried on assisting the school financially. "We also get an awful lot of phone calls and letters from people asking us to be on. Involving slapstick stunts and a somewhat truncated version of his old Reach for the Stars, it initially aired locally in New York, with the intent of national syndication early the following year. Donahue has plenty of other markets. Merv understood himself as a celebrity (or, at least, as a hanger-on) and would casually mention that he had played tennis with Errol Flynn, or had sublet. Merv Griffins Dangerous Closet, by The Gist, http://signorile2003.blogspot.com/2007/08/merv-griffins-dangerous-closet.html. Ten months later he moved to a CBS radio-television affiliate in Dayton, Ohio. Movies. Phil Donahue was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was his childhood goal to be a "good broadcaster." Around the office, Mervs being gay was understood but rarely discussed (and certainly never with him). The divorce settlement gave her custody of the daughter and him the four boys. Merv Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996 which was treated successfully. She noted how no one wanted to be a stepmother cause they were seen as villains in children's stories. It won several awards and nominations and has been adapted into numerous international versions. Even though Marlo had never intended to marry, she once admitted that it was "awful" being away from her husband. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. You know, men and women, and 'he doesn't kiss me anymore.'". Soon after, he released his first album Songs of Merv Griffin. More than 8 1/2 million viewers in over 200 markets now watch him daily, eclipsing all other syndicated talk shows. Among his private passions are his family, son Tony Griffin, daughter-in-law Tricia, and grandchildren Farah and Donovan Mervyn, his long-haired sharpei dog Charlie Chan, his La Quinta ranch near Carmel, where he raises thoroughbred racing horses, and his 135 foot, four-story high ocean going yacht, Griff. Merv Griffin died at age 82 of prostate cancer in Los Angeles, California on August 12, 2007. when actress Marlo Thomas . Merv Griffin was married to Julann Griffin from 1959 to 1976. Marlo Thomas making her Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theater in "Thieves" with her father, Danny Thomas, and mother, Rosemary Thomas, at the opening night performance on April 7, 1974 | Source: Getty Images. We'd lose the audience." Griffin's three-year run at CBS was contentious; the network was uncomfortable with the guests he wanted, who often spoke out against the Vietnam War and on other sensitive topics. His first song Ive Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts was a huge success, selling over 3 million copies. General Info. He attended San Mateo Junior College and then the University of San Francisco. Griffin also hosted a game show Play Your Hunch in 1958 whose producers were Bill Todman and Mark Goodson. . The star complained at the time that no one asked men if they wanted to be fathers of doctors, and she felt women's choices shouldn't be that linear either because she wanted it all. None of this has to be true for him to get a book deal without worrying about getting sued. To prove his point, Donahue does a Kissinger imitation, complete with heavy accent. ", Donahue can conceive of absolutely no topic that could hurt his career. Studying business administration at Notre Dame brought maturity and a desire to serve a city "with two airports." (1964) for NBC. Merv Griffin had an encounter with Betty Kelly. A pediatrician whom he accused of being too vain retorted, "When a child urinates on your tie at least once a week, it's hard to be too vain. Griffin was also an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan in 2004, having been the Reagans' friends for many years. CBS gave Griffin a late-night show opposite Carson in 1969. [17][20][21] After the wedding, and about two months after arriving in the city, Griffin moved into a different apartment, but in the same building, and remained lifelong friends with Buzzell and Simms. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. The star had spent decades covering up his sexuality and even married comedienne Julann Wright, who gave him a son. As a result, this literally wiped out or greatly reduced the investments of the bondholders, so that Mr. Griffin could sue Trump and yet still retain a significant portion for himself. While it would seem everything has changed today, little actually has. Ironically, weeks after being on Phil's show, Marlo was a regular guest at his Winnetka, Illinois home, where he raised four sons. However, it returned years later and led to his death on 12th August 2007. He had an older sister, Barbara. This weekend venue, fashioned after Hollywood's famed Coconut Grove (where Griffin headlined as a boy singer with The Freddy Martin Orchestra) features live Big Bands, Swing Orchestras, and Rock Bands amidst a glamorous nightclub setting.He was honored with the prestigious 1994 Broadcasting and Cable "Hall of Fame" Award, alongside such figures as Diane Sawyer and Dan Rather. So far, in the the rest of the obits on Griffin (Reuters, Associated Press) Ive seen nothing about his homosexuality. But it was in 1962 that his career took its most dramatic turn. Winner of 15 Emmy Awards, Griffin was presented an Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Emmy for 1993-1994 as executive producer of Jeopardy! . But he should also be held up as man who, like Malcolm Forbes before him, was hugely influential and powerful and yet still allowed the closet and homophobia to manipulate his life, and to cause him to do harm to his own people. His funeral was held at the Church of Good Shepherd in Beverley Hills which was attended by several celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Klugman and Catherine Oxenberg. Fortunately, comedian-author Erma Bombeck lived across the street, but Donahue knew he "couldn't have her on every day." At one of his nightclub performances, Griffin was discovered by Doris Day. So it doesnt matter if he calls James Dean a glorified prostitute, or Griffin a pimp. (1984) He had also been the recipient of the coveted Scopus Award from the American Friends of Hebrew University, "The Duke Award" presented by the John Wayne Cancer Institute, and he had been honored by the American Ireland Fund and the SHARE organization. According to an obituary on August 24, 2007 in Entertainment Weekly, The Merv Griffin Show ran for 21 years and won eleven Emmy Awards. Another was '79 Wistful Vista.' Being born on 6 July 1925, Merv Griffin was 82 years . Griffin and Grove were brought together by Byron Paul, producer of U.S.A. Canteen, and Irving Mansfield, Summer Holiday's creator. He also produced Let's Play Post Office for NBC in 1965, Reach for the Stars for NBC in 1967, and One in a Million for ABC in 1967.
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