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. 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 . At the time of Merv's death, his net worth was estimated at more than $1 billion. Even though Marlo had never intended to marry, she once admitted that it was "awful" being away from her husband. Griffin's first daytime talk show began on the same day Carson first hosted The Tonight Show (1962). The show enjoyed tremendous popularity and was adapted into several international versions which aired in 60 countries. He was a famous but unsuccesssful single until 1977, when actress Marlo Thomas made her second appearance on his program. The audience is small and compact, practically sitting in the guest's lap. From that moment, "Donahue" became an audience-participation program. He too appears vulnerable, capable of tears, joy or simply being left speechless when an 80-year-old woman says a man has "taken her to the stars.". [52], Some of the songs Griffin recorded were:[citation needed]. Why not do a switch, and give the answers to the contestant and let them come up with the question. ", The book reveals he was a virgin before marriage, a lousy lover afterward, and avoided the draft through fatherhood. GSN honored Griffin by airing ten-episode marathons of Wheel and Jeopardy! Million Dollar Masters Tournament from 2002. "Donahue" is unlike any other talk show. The couple had one son. She explained how she'd tried to portray a first for television - a young girl who wasn't thinking about marriage and instead about who she could be in the world. and Wheel remain on the air today. "What's important is the manner in which it is presented." It ran for one summer. This. And as any law student knows, you cant libel the dead. He attended San Mateo High School from where he graduated in 1942. The show was a humongous success and became the longest running game show with over 6000 episodes. LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Merv Griffin was gay. Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood, in 2007? His voice becomes soft, "We have a lot to lose now. [25] After Paar left The Tonight Show, but before Johnny Carson took over (Carson was still hosting Who Do You Trust? Merv died aged 82, so would've been 96 today. Of Griffin, Porter says, We met in 59 when he sang for my senior prom and the student committee paid him $500. During a May 2020 "Sunday Morning" interview, Marlo explained that the interview she had with Phil all those years back wasn't really one. Griffin also hosted a game show Play Your Hunch in 1958 whose producers were Bill Todman and Mark Goodson. When he was fired a few months later, his new show began the following Monday, and ran until the mid-1980s. Less than half an hour after that report would have been aired, WNBC in New York (owned by the network) broadcast an hour-long "Donahue" on the same subject. Another successful and significant work in his career was the game show Wheel of Fortune. Im thinking perhaps the Times editors really took it to heart when many of us criticized them after Susan Sontags death and the obituary cover-up of her sexual orientation and her relationship with Annie Liebovitz. So it doesnt matter if he calls James Dean a glorified prostitute, or Griffin a pimp. Marlo said as little girls, some women dreamt of becoming brides, mothers, actresses, wives, and ice skaters but never stepmothers. "controversy means it's important and it's something that people disagree on." "To say 'yes' to that question flatters me," he says, pausing to look at the wall as though hoping to see the proper answer. Such candor is not new to Donahue, but it usually comes from his guests and audience. At that time, the transaction represented the largest acquisition of an entertainment company owned by a single individual. Griffin scored a coup when Tonight Show host Jack Paar accidentally emerged onto the set of Play Your Hunch during a live broadcast, and Griffin got him to stay for a spontaneous interview. He also created the game shows Jeopardy! Can I put on Barry Goldwater, who thinks we ought to drop nuclear bombs? The star became more caring and interested in the boys the more she lived with them, and eventually, "more mothering.". Merv Griffin. 05:12 PM ET 06/12/2014. Yet, it was nothing discussed in the media and, apparently, in many of his own circles, particularly straight political circles. ", Donahue has been quoted as telling his staff, "I want all the topics hot . Griffin also appeared in The Boy from Oklahoma and Phantom of the Rue Morgue (both 1954), but became disillusioned with movie-making. Paul had already signed Grove for the show and was looking for a male co-host. Why is it so difficult to write? Brent Plott, who had been his employee, also accused him of harassment. and Wheel of Fortune through his production companies, Merv Griffin Enterprises and Merv Griffin Entertainment. 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. Though dismissed, the lawsuits put Griffin on the spot, and while he never denied being gay, he didnt own it either. He could duck it for a while, but it would always find him. He maintained a virtual male harem and a pimp who supplied porn stars, but I dont go into his pay-for-gay guys. But in a New York office recently, Donahue looked much more subdued that he does goes on television, his eyes more pale and penetrating. It taped in Los Angeles after initial reports that it would be produced at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. He next hosted the game show Keep Talking and also temporarily The Price is Right and To Tell the Truth. Sometime during the first two weeks -- Donahue can't remember when or why -- he walked into the audience and offered the microphone to a woman in the sixth row, who stood up and asked a question. Ten months later he moved to a CBS radio-television affiliate in Dayton, Ohio. It became the first US Album to be recorded on a magnetic tape. After 17 years, his wife left him. He gave hog prices on the radio at 5:30 a.m., and his hand appeared twice on film used on the CBS Evening News. More than 8 1/2 million viewers in over 200 markets now watch him daily, eclipsing all other syndicated talk shows. His first crush was Errol Flynn, whom he saw passed out naked on a couch. A staff of 15, mostly women, decides what gets on the show. It eventually went on to win eleven Emmy Awards. In 1991, he was sued by TV host Deney Terrio alleging sexual harassment. Picking up a desk stapler to act as a surrogate microphone, he stands, flexes his shoulders and acts out his "dialogues" with them. [41] In an interview with The New York Times published on May 26, 2005, Griffin recalled a quip he frequently used when asked about his private life: "I tell everybody that I'm a quarter-sexual. [29], In 1988, he purchased Resorts International and two of their hotels, one in Atlantic City, New Jersey; and another on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, from Donald Trump and other investors. He did it for Marlon Brandon. . 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. 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. [5] The family was Irish American. He served as Executive Producer of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" (2000).After his retirement from daytime chat, Merv became a real estate baron, acquiring the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, which is now the venue of choice for virtually all of the Tinseltown's most high profile events such as The Golden Globe Awards, The Soap Opera Digest Awards, and The American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Awards. This former bodyguard and horse trainer was paid $250 a week, lived in one of two apartments underneath my former house as part of his security function, and left my payroll six or seven years ago. The actress was so private but called the host's telecast when her father, Danny Thomas, noted a hilarious observation. [6] He was a member of the international fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. He died on August 12, 2007. It was a good question. Merv Griffin spent decades as a beloved talk-show host but the gay game-show mogul was also a pioneer in Hollywood sexual-harassment cases! Griffin's announcer/sidekick was veteran British character actor Arthur Treacher, who had been his mentor. Merv Griffin reaches only 3.9 million viewers, Mike Douglas 3.7 and Dinah Shore 2.8 million. They became a couple, even though he lives in Chicago and she lives in New York. . Meanwhile, his body is working fulltime. Says Donahue, "Well, what does that mean? He can't put a ribbon on them because, as media darlings, they can reveal as much or as little as they please. He married radio comic . [10], By 1945, Griffin had earned enough money to form his own record label, Panda Records, which produced Songs by Merv Griffin, the first U.S. album ever recorded on magnetic tape. First off, Griffins closet kept him shockingly silent while he had access to the president of the United States as his own people were dying. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and numerous Emmy Awards, out of which it won eleven. It was these games which inspired him to create the game show Wheel of Fortune in 1975. Arms wave. [9], Freddy Martin heard him on the radio show and asked him to tour with his orchestra,[1] which he did for four years. To prove his point, Donahue does a Kissinger imitation, complete with heavy accent. "How important is love?" It ran on all three networks, but primarily NBC. As a regular performer on The Arthur Murray Party (1950), The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957) and others, he was offered the opportunity to host his own television series, Play Your Hunch (1958). (1980) Aug 16, 2020 - Phil Donahue & Marlo Thomas on their wedding day . National audiences eventually got a look at it via reruns that aired on GSN. Not one to shy away from controversy, Griffin began to be harassed by CBS censors who objected to the antiwar statements of his guests and ordered him to feature pro-war guests for balance. [17] He landed a job as the host of a new television show, CBS-TV's Summer Holiday, a summer replacement for Jane Froman's U.S.A. Canteen and Jo Stafford's The Jo Stafford Show, which he co-hosted with Betty Ann Grove. "Spokeswoman: 'Jeopardy' inventor Merv Griffin dies at 82", "Daily Press: Hampton Roads News, Virginia News & Videos", "Merv Griffin, Television Innovator, Dies at 82", "Frater Merv Griffin Passes into the Chapter Eternal", "Lean Days are Better; Griffin Shed Weight and Song to Be a TV Host", "Entertainment Legend Merv Griffin Dies At 82", "(Advertisment) Thanks: The Merv Griffin Show", "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; founded Transcendental Meditation movement", "For Merv Griffin, 14 Seconds Can Last a Lifetime", "Griffin buys Resorts; Trump to get Taj Mahal", "Merv Griffin's Outrageous Fortune: When Millionaire Griffin Took on Billionaire Trump, They Said It Was a Mismatch. That's what I'm paid to do.". Most of the folks Porter talks about and says Griffin was involved with are, like Griffin, dead. "That's not going to happen," he explains. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! In a December 1977 article, the actress recalled how Phil was a modern man and a single parent when they met. He used to tackle bold subjects and also invited controversial guests such as George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Bertrand Russell. He married Juliann Wright in 1958, and they divorced in 1973. 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. "Not everybody who writes a book is necessarily a good television persona. 24K views, 950 likes, 99 loves, 117 comments, 155 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Marlo Thomas: #TBT to this scene from That Girl. Griffin characterized both lawsuits as extortion. But Donahue is top dog becuase he has attracted and maintained an extraordinarily large audience. Marlo revealed that even in 2020, she still wasn't sure she believed in marriage. When guests verge on breakdowns or exhibitionism, Donahue becomes a combination parish priest and understanding neighbor. Merv Griffin had an encounter with Betty Kelly. He didn't need CBS, NBC or ABC. The star spent the day enjoying it with her long-term husband, Phil Donahue, with whom she celebrated decades of marriage. That year, Brent Plott, a longtime employee who worked as a bodyguard, horse trainer and driver, filed a $200million palimony lawsuit, which was also dismissed. Playing to the camera unmercifully, he leans close, interrupts, turns his back and challenges. He started the game show Jeopardy! in 1964. In 1969 "Donahue" (until 1974 called "The Phil Donahue Show") entered national syndication, but half a decade later his salesman quit because the show was stuck at around 40 markets and "just couldn't sell." He married Julann Griffin, whom he divorced after some time. Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends. Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends. Text. He went to San Mateo High School and graduated in 1942. When he eventually decided to retire, he sold his production company Merv Griffin Enterprises to Columbia Pictures Television, after which he was named by Forbes as one of the richest Hollywood performers in history. And a lot of us went out there, charging out into the world breathlessly getting married and then suddenly afterward finding that we were really paralyzed in our attempts to share real feelings. [37][38] Cashflow was about $70 million short of what was needed to service the Resorts' debt in 1989,[34] and Griffin sought bankruptcy court protection for Resorts on December 23, 1989.[39]. He kept his wealth an open secret, amassing media outlets, hotels and casinos with a net worth estimated at more than $1 billion. "We had a woman whose baby was taken back by the adoption agency. 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. [49][50], Funeral services were held on August 17, 2007 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Every comedian ends up, one day, taking a pie in the face. Wheel barely escaped cancellation in 1980, when NBC replaced three of its other game shows with a daytime talk show starring David Letterman. "I like having a man in my life. As he recalls the past, Donahue stands again and begins to pace. So powerful is his appeal that the "Today" show signed him as a regular contributor last May. He's not afraid to sound stupid, either. ", Joel Swerdlow; Joel Swerdlow is the coauthor of "Remote Control: Television. 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 then did orchestra for four years after getting selected by Freddy Martin. I can now reveal that The Mogul is Merv Griffin. Self 5 episodes, 1969-1973 Lenny Schultz . 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.". Tony Griffin appeared in the movies Evil Laugh in 1986, Spaceballs in 1987, Aspen. The censorship did not boost the ratings for Griffin, who was facing stiff competition from the genial Carson, who himself was criticized during the era for shying away from controversial subjects.In 1972, a fed-up Griffin negotiated a syndication deal with Metromedia to move his talk show back to the daytime, and in the event he was terminated by CBS. "He speaks in tablets. One of Merv Griffins most important works was his talk show The Merv Griffin Show. ", "Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated", "Merv Griffin reported in grave condition", "Hundreds Pay Final Respects To Merv Griffin", "Merv Griffin Estate Sells for $7 Million", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merv_Griffin&oldid=1142400827, "Banned in Boston" (#101, Pop Charts, 1961), "Changing Keys" (longtime theme music for, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 05:10. His first song Ive Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts was a huge success, selling over 3 million copies. CBS gave Griffin a late-night show opposite Carson in 1969. If youre Griffin, why would you think a judgmental culture would be any more tolerant as you grew into middle and old age? He had short grey hair and brown eyes, his height was 5ft 9ins (1.75m) and he weighed around 175lbs (80kgs). As a result, NBC gave him his own hour-long daytime talk show program, The Merv Griffin Show (1962).Griffin's name and talk show career will always be seen in the light of that of Johnny Carson, the "King of late night TV", with whom Griffin directly competed on CBS from 1969 to 1972. And lots about Mervs prolonged sexual tryst with Marlon Brando. In 1965, Griffin launched a syndicated talk show for Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting) titled The Merv Griffin Show. [11] In 1947, he had a 15-minute Monday-to-Friday singing program on KFRC in San Francisco. He continued to appear in films like The Boy from Oklahoma and Phantom of the Rue Morgue. Merv Griffin is a television host and media tycoon of America. It was during this period that he conceived the idea for what was to become one of the most successful game shows in television history, Jeopardy! This continued after her two terms as First Lady. In addition, he produced two different shows for NBC, such as Lets Play Post Office in 1965 as well as Reach for the Stars in 1967, plus for ABC; he produced One in a Million in 1967. 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. He was overweight as an adolescent and a young man, which disappointed some radio fans when they saw him in person. The competition is tough -- young, energetic hosts are constantly clawing for national access, and even the long-popular Mike Douglas was recently canceled. GSN dedicated a whole weekend in order to credit him by releasing 10-episode marathons of Wheel and Jeopardy. I will do anything with anybody for a quarter. Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 - August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. And he seems without shame: "I would be afraid I'm going to die if someone told me I had leukemia. (1964). (1980) Francie Shaffer. Once, Donahue says, Walter Cronkite himself telephoned to say, "Phil, that was a goddamned good interview you sent us yesterday. He lost his virginity, to a female, that is, when Judy Garland seduced him. Open homosexuality is a threat to the closeted, and powerful people in the closet like Merv Griffin will often do whatever it takes to squash those who are open and who might advocate that all among the powerful should come out. 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. You and the ayatollah are the only two people that would work for.". In 2007, Griffin's production company, Merv Griffin Entertainment, began production on a new syndicated game show, Merv Griffin's Crosswords (originally titled Let's Play Crosswords and Let's Do Crosswords). In an Associated Press profile released before it premiered, he discussed the show's origins:[1]. "When half of America is saying, 'That guest got him,' believe me when I tell you it's fine with me." That should not be forgotten. He bought his contract back from Warner Bros. and decided to devote his attention to a new medium: television. The former home of Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas in Westport, Conn., is going on the market for $28 million. 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. November 25, 1926 - February 24, 2023. The actress's stance made sense as she was one of the leaders in the women's movement. This man was intimate with the Reagans (and Nancy Reagan in particular) during the height of the AIDS epidemic in 80s, with few treatments available and fear-mongering having gripped the media. Eva Gabor and Merv Griffin were in a relationship for 10 years before Eva Gabor died aged 76.. About. In 1974, Griffin was inducted to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Imagine the amount of good Merv could have done as a well-respected, hugely successful, beloved and uncloseted gay man in embodying a positive image. He became increasingly popular with nightclub audiences and his fame soared among the general public when he struck gold in 1950 with "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts", which reached the number one spot on the Hit Parade and sold three million copies.Continuing to record hits, including "Wilhelmina" and "Never Been Kissed", Griffin made a foray into motion pictures after Doris Day saw his nightclub performance and arranged a screen test for him at Warner Bros. Studios. His father was a stockbroker while his mother was a homemaker. 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. At the same time, however, in success he sees the seeds of destruction. She recalled one of the questions he asked her, saying: "And he said to me, 'How come you've never married?' "The irony of the situation wasn't wasted on me", Griffin recalls in his autobiography. They moan, gasp and applaud, and surround him with a chorus of questions and arguments. He considers many fellow journalists "professional gapers" who pursue rat-pack "me-too-ism." The spin-offs included the children's shows Wheel 2000 (CBS, 1997), and the short-lived Jep! 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. were produced: one on NBC that ran for five months in late 1978/early 1979, with Art Fleming returning as host; and the other airing in first-run syndication beginning September 10, 1984, starring Alex Trebek. Around the office, Mervs being gay was understood but rarely discussed (and certainly never with him). His program is television's most consistent forum for provocative, controversial subject matter: lesbian couples adopting children; parents of homosexuals; breast-feeding mothers; unwed mothers; elderly people living together out of wedlock; victims of incest. Griffin became the host of The Merv Griffin Show, which was his own talk show. Merv Griffin Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki. Brynn Hartman Struggled with Self-Esteem and Her Husband's Absence Who Was Phil Hartman's Wife? Why should that be so uncomfortable to read? 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. Melissa McCarthy Said She 'Hit the Jackpot' with Husband Ben Falcone Who Only Proposed 17 Years after They Met, Nicole Kidman's Phone Tapped & She Was Spied on before Split from Tom Cruise & Losing 2nd Baby, Book Claims, Kelly Clarkson Quit 'The Voice' to Enjoy More Time with Kids Whom She Rarely Shows, Barbra Streisand Amazed Grandkid on 4th Birthday She 'Never' Takes off 'Grandma' Bracelet after Her Birth, Valerie Bertinelli's Last Talk with Dying 'Soulmate' & Their Awaited Kid Helps Her after Cancer Took Him, Kenny Rogers Called Having Twins at 65 with 'Rare' Wife 'Wonderful Experience' One Son Was Praised for New Job, Marie Osmond Is 63 She 'Never Wanted' to Remarry after 2nd Divorce, Yet Later Wed Her First Husband Again. [45] The article was later altered due to protests from his friends and business associates. in 1964. Neither Cronkite nor CBS responded, a silence echoed by everyone else to whom the ambitious Donahue mailed resumes. Griffin was considered the most successful of the guest hosts,[26] and was rewarded with his own daytime talk show on NBC in 1962. He said that he did not know his actual worth because it "would keep me from sleeping at night". It stood at the 2nd position on TV Guides list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. He had dedicated two of his shows to the topics of Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This being an era when male actors felt homosexuality was a danger to their career, lawyers shot down that book fast.. The Modern Family star was previously married to her high school love Joe Gonzalez . In 2022, Marlo Thomas turned 85, and the other milestone she reached was celebrating 42 years of marriage after her husband, Phil Donahue changed her mind about marriage. We should point to his life for GLBT youth and say, Dont let this happen to you. Around that time, Griffin composed the show's best-known theme song, "Changing Keys", which was used in several variants of the show until 2000. Phil Donahue & Marlo Thomas on their wedding day . By 1976 he'd been canceled three times in New York, the nation's top market, and sadly decided he'd "become a candidate for a trivia contest two decades hence.". 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. "We read a lot of magazines. Both lawsuits were eventually dismissed. He was also close friends with Actress and former First Lady of the United States, Nancy Reagan, with who he shares the same birthdate, July 6. The couple had one son. He doesn't just talk to the audience. . We can tell that you loved your daughter." But it was in 1962 that his career took its most dramatic turn. If they're slow, he takes telephone calls. Age, Height, and Weight. 2 Phil Donahue is a daytime television icon Credit: Getty Images - Getty Who is Phil Donahue? All through his childhood, he turned out to be a brilliant pianist who became the main reason for his adoption of show business. The pair "hung in there" despite the date setting them back to the starting stages of their relationship. "We're talking about a medium that evaluates people according to the force with which they can communicate ideas," Donahue explains. There was one major difference, though. Many well known and highly identifiable actresses have tried and failed to make the arduous crossover from fizzy TV sitcom star to mature, dramatic artist. Some guests receive a silent, comforting pat on the hand. after moving it twice on its daytime schedule, despite having an additional year on its network contract. He has made this huge amount of wealth through his dedication and contribution to show business to a greater extent. At the time, it was the largest sale of an entertainment company owned by a single individual, and Forbes pronounced Griffin history's richest Hollywood performer. The Jeopardy! The song reached the #1 spot on the Hit Parade and sold three million copies.[13]. An avid fan of puzzles since childhood, Griffin first produced a successful game show in 1964, Jeopardy! [20] When they had their first child, Cynthia Leigh Buzzell, on September 11, 1955, Griffin was named her godfather. Fingers point. In 1991, Deney Terrio, host of the Griffin-created Dance Fever, sued Griffin, alleging sexual harassment, but the suit was dismissed. Donahue denied the rumors by signing a six-year contract to continue independent production. Similarly, he says he "showcases," rather than presents, issues and people. ", Donahue said, "Thank you, Walter," and promptly fired off audition tapes and glossies. 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. "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 is a television host and media tycoon of America. Griffin was affiliated with the international fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. Merv Griffin was a popular band singer, the host of his own successful talk show for over 20 years, the creator and producer of such long-running television game shows as Jeopardy! We knew nothing of his relationships because he guarded his privacy fiercely, and we didnt pry. 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! Griffin, as a radio announcer, played an unacknowledged part in the 1953 science/horror short story classic The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. matthew raymond wilbon age, depop no tracking number, kola karim net worth,