We should point to his life for GLBT youth and say, Dont let this happen to you. There, she met the host, Phil Donahue, and became hopelessly in love with him from the start. "I have come to the point where I am at peace with my own imperfection in terms of understanding it, and I am enjoying the business of wondering.". Aren't you?" You know, men and women, and 'he doesn't kiss me anymore.'". It ran for one summer. In 1954, Griffin appeared in several Cincraft Productions sponsored films including a musical, Milestones of Motoring with Joe E. Brown and Rita Farrell. [8] During the Korean War several years later, he was examined and deemed healthy enough to serve, but by that time was above age 26 and exempt from the draft. and Wheel remain on the air today. Brynn Hartman Struggled with Self-Esteem and Her Husband's Absence Who Was Phil Hartman's Wife? [17] Buzzell was engaged to popular singer Lu Ann Simms, with a wedding date set for July 24, 1954. Griffin was best known for creating the two most popular game shows in television syndication history, Wheel of Fortune (1983) and Jeopardy! He was overweight as an adolescent and a young man, which disappointed some radio fans when they saw him in person. He doesn't just talk to the audience. I said, I just don't believe it's for me.". "controversy means it's important and it's something that people disagree on." "Yes," finally emerges. Why should that be so uncomfortable to read? In 1977, Thomas was a guest on the daytime TV television show called Donahue. At the time of Merv's death, his net worth was estimated at more than $1 billion. Nonetheless, the elephant that was his sexual orientation never really stopped following Griffin from room to room. Griffin later claimed in interviews that he was best man at their wedding, but was in fact one of the four ushers. The "Today" show signed him, as rumors spread that he'd soon jump to the networks. Griffin wrote the 30-second piece of music heard during the show's Final Jeopardy! Now, someone else is doing it for him. "I'm not sure I could put Henry Kissinger on my show," Donahue says. His mother, Rita Elizabeth Griffin, was a homemaker and father, Mervyn Edward Griffin; Sr. was an insurance broker. The star spent the day enjoying it with her long-term husband, Phil Donahue, with whom she celebrated decades of marriage. Donahue says that as an adolescent he considered "dates always an occasion for sin." His funeral was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Later that year, CBS terminated Griffin's late-night talk show and Griffin immediately made the transition to Metromedia's syndicated network.While Griffin may have been a washout in late night television (and he had LOTS of company - EVERYONE who went up against Carson lost the ratings race, and Johnny always came out the victor), Griffin's impact on daytime was immense, specifically through his production of game shows. This. (2002) remains the second highest rated game show in television syndication while Wheel of Fortune (1983) continues to be the longest running game show to hold the number one spot in television syndication history. Having just hit bookstores, Porter is on a media tour a stop that includesCindy Adams column. 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. American Talk Show Host Merv Griffin was born Mervyn . In 1991, Deney Terrio, host of the Griffin-created Dance Fever, sued Griffin, alleging sexual harassment, but the suit was dismissed. In 2022, the star and her husband married for 42 years after giving their union a chance, and she nailed stepmotherhood! Although Marlo did not have kids of her own, she helped raise Phil's five children from a previous marriage. He lost his virginity, to a female, that is, when Judy Garland seduced him. In an Associated Press profile released before it premiered, he discussed the show's origins:[1]. He usually has only one guest and discusses only one topic. 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. Both lawsuits were eventually dismissed. Marlo shared how her dreams of becoming a mother were frustrated by her ambitions and society. It stood at the 2nd position on TV Guides list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. As his family was Roman Catholic, he started signing in the church from an early age. He was 82. General Info. He started his professional life by joining the radio as well as by singing in collaboration with a big band. Then another Dayton television station asked him to replace a local talk show host who had gone on to better things in Hollywood (he's now the announcer for Dinah Shore). I was mulling over game show ideas, when she noted that there had not been a successful 'question and answer' game on the air since the quiz show scandals. AT SIMON & SCHUSTER, they were excited. Brent Plott, who had been his employee, also accused him of harassment. Over the years, he also became very popular by performing in nightclubs. (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). He was a famous but unsuccesssful single until 1977, when actress Marlo Thomas made her second appearance on his program. Pallbearers included Griffin Group vice-chairman Ron Ward, President Robert Pritchard, and Vice President Michael Eyre, as well as Tony Griffin. Aside from his game shows, he also ventured into real estate and purchased the Beverley Hilton Hotel and later the Resorts International. 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. In 2021, Marlo gave some advice on how to make a marriage last. "Just your picture. However, in 1997 she thought she still had a chance, but she and Phil never had any of their own. Donahue inherited not only the show, but a live studio audience whom he decided not to burden with yet another song-and-dance program. 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. [9], Freddy Martin heard him on the radio show and asked him to tour with his orchestra,[1] which he did for four years. None of this has to be true for him to get a book deal without worrying about getting sued. 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. ", Donahue loves it. He also owns the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas in Arizona, and St. Clerans Manor, an 18th century estate once owned by director John Huston which is located near Galway, the premier resort destination in Ireland.In January 1998, Griffin opened The Coconut Club, one of the country's hottest swing/dance clubs, at his Beverly Hilton Hotel. It was these games which inspired him to create the game show Wheel of Fortune in 1975. 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." Griffin's announcer/sidekick was veteran British character actor Arthur Treacher, who had been his mentor. We'd lose the audience." 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. Mervyn "Merv" Griffin (1925 -2007) was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. was merv griffin married to marlo thomas. Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends. [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]. Arnold Schwarzenegger, later 38th governor of California, made his U.S. talk show debut on Griffin's show in 1974 after emigrating from Austria. Griffin was married to the former Julann Wright from 1958 to 1976; they remained friends after their divorce. [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. 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.". Self 5 episodes, 1969-1973 Lenny Schultz . 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. 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. To Donahue, danger comes not from sponsors or subscribing stations, but from his own instincts for self-preservation. Even in the capital of entertainment -- in a business where homosexuality isnt exactly a rare phenomenon -- its still spoken of in hushed tones or, more often, not at all. He did it for Katharine Hepburn. I noticed that my children weren't really sharing feelings with me -- and one of the reasons was I don't do a hell of a lot of sharing with them in terms of feelings. [5] The family was Irish American. In 1963, NBC offered him the opportunity to host a new game show, Word for Word, which Griffin produced. Griffin also hosted a game show Play Your Hunch in 1958 whose producers were Bill Todman and Mark Goodson. [6], Griffin and First Lady Nancy Reagan exchanged birthday greetings each July 6 for their shared birthday. "[42] He was otherwise secretive about his business and personal lives. In 1965, Griffin launched a syndicated talk show for Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting) titled The Merv Griffin Show. ", "Controversy is not a dirty word," he says. As rewrds, he dispenses liberal "God bless you's" and "I love you's." Merv Griffin was in relationships with Eva Gabor (1985 - 1995), Natalie Trundy (1959) and May Wynn (1953). . [52], Some of the songs Griffin recorded were:[citation needed]. [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. Besides Resorts International, the holding company for casinos in Atlantic City and the Bahamas, three company affiliates also filed for Chapter 11 protection: Griffin Resorts Inc., Resorts International Financing Inc. and Griffin Resorts Holding Inc. An active desert resident, Griffin was a supporter of the La Quinta Arts Festival and the owner of the Merv Griffin Givenchy Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, now The Parker. In 1975 Donahue set up housekeeping in suburban Chicago, and the women's magazines dubbed him "Bachelor-Father." He resolved to change his appearance, and lost 80 pounds in four months. Hungarian Actress Eva Gabor was born on 11th February, 1919 in Budapest, Hungary and passed away on 4th Jul 1995 Los Angeles, California, USA aged 76. Phil's wife said in marriage; you have to know the other person has your back and that her union was the safest place she could be, and the talk show host was her everything and life cushion. 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. 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.". So it doesnt matter if he calls James Dean a glorified prostitute, or Griffin a pimp. 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. A talk show host for nearly 25 . When he was fired a few months later, his new show began the following Monday, and ran until the mid-1980s. He has parlayed their problems into the top spot in the dog-eat-puppy world of syndicated talk shows. 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. ", Questions invariably come with the standard Donahue prefixes: "I don't want to be maudlin about this" or "It's hard to make this point without sounding a little patronizing." Stations rarely cancel his show and few refuse to air individual programs. The competition is tough -- young, energetic hosts are constantly clawing for national access, and even the long-popular Mike Douglas was recently canceled. Picking up a desk stapler to act as a surrogate microphone, he stands, flexes his shoulders and acts out his "dialogues" with them. Merv Griffin was previously married to Julann Griffin (1959 - 1976). Also: speculation. 24K views, 950 likes, 99 loves, 117 comments, 155 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Marlo Thomas: #TBT to this scene from That Girl. The Modern Family star was previously married to her high school love Joe Gonzalez . Mervs secret gay life was widely known throughout showbiz culture, if not the wider America. Griffin, in 1964, also introduced a game show Jeopardy which was a big success. Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood, in 2007? . 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). [citation needed], He attended San Mateo High School, graduating in 1942, and continued to aid in financing the school. 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. What's important is that our conversation is interesting. Fingers point. Dont let your closet compromise you to the point where you are actively harming your own people, even though you have the power to do so much good.. And as any law student knows, you cant libel the dead. His father was a stockbroker while his mother was a homemaker. Griffin and Grove were brought together by Byron Paul, producer of U.S.A. Canteen, and Irving Mansfield, Summer Holiday's creator. I can now reveal that The Mogul is Merv Griffin. And not everybody who's a good television persona necessarily knows what they're talking about.". [12], He became increasingly popular with nightclub audiences, and his fame soared among the general public with his 1950 hit "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts". Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends. If youre Griffin, why would you think a judgmental culture would be any more tolerant as you grew into middle and old age? Brent Plott, who had been his employee, also accused him of harassment. 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). There are his experiences at Liberaces all-male orgies. "Since 'The $64,000 Question,' the network won't let you do those . Sensing that his time at CBS was ending, and tired of the network's restrictions, Griffin secretly signed a contract with rival company Metromedia that gave him a syndicated daytime talk show deal as soon as CBS canceled their show. If you do not know, We have prepared this article about details of Merv Griffins short biography-wiki, career, professional life, personal life, todays net worth, age, height, weight, and more facts. "In 1965, I'm called a traitor by the press for presenting Bertrand Russell, and, four years later, we are hard-pressed to find anybody to speak in favor of the Vietnam War".In March 1970, CBS censors pixilated antiwar activist Abbie Hoffman because he was wearing a shirt that resembled an American flag. (1964) for NBC. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. ", Joel Swerdlow; Joel Swerdlow is the coauthor of "Remote Control: Television. "The more drawn into the Hollywood trappings he . (GSN, 1998, both for children); Rock & Roll Jeopardy! The two powerhouses spun off numerous programs, for which Griffin often signed on as a creative consultant. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. ", In perhaps the most unusual move, the "Today" show recently refused a Donahue report on new methods of treatment for impotent men. After three years of marriage, they got married on May 21, 1980. In 1991, he was sued by TV host Deney Terrio alleging sexual harassment. Helen Gene Ford Turner, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother died peacefully at home on February 24, 2023 at the age of 96. Mansfield had remembered Griffin from his singing in the Grace Moore picture So This Is Love, and for his hit song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." And yet, it is very important for reasons far beyond visibility or mere gossip. The "Sunday Morning" thought being independent and single had become the star's brand. If they're slow, he takes telephone calls. I loved the idea, went straight to NBC with the idea, and they bought it without even looking at a pilot show. At the same time, however, in success he sees the seeds of destruction. He also filled in for a week for the vacationing Bill Cullen on The Price Is Right, and for Bud Collyer on To Tell the Truth. In yet another stunner, the book claims Griffin - who died in 2007 at age 82 - carried on a longtime affair with Hollywood heavyweight Marlon Brando. Eva Gabor and Merv Griffin were in a relationship for 10 years before Eva Gabor died aged 76.. About. The resulting blurred image meant that Hoffman's voice emanated from a "jumble of lines". 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! 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. What he made then was a far cry from the billionaire he was at the end., But what about the sex? Griffin was married to Julann Wright, and together they had a son named Anthony. 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.". Wheel barely escaped cancellation in 1980, when NBC replaced three of its other game shows with a daytime talk show starring David Letterman. Griffin also booked controversial guests like George Carlin, Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, Norman Mailer and Bertrand Russell. Being born on 6 July 1925, Merv Griffin was 82 years old at the time of his death. [46] He was a longtime member of the Republican Party.[47]. This being an era when male actors felt homosexuality was a danger to their career, lawyers shot down that book fast.. [4] When he was a child, Griffin used to play Hangman games with his sister during family road trips. [32][34] After Trump paid $101 million for Resorts International Inc. in 1987, Griffin bought it back from him for $365 million and assumed the hotel-casino's debt of $925 million on November 15, 1988. She noted how no one wanted to be a stepmother cause they were seen as villains in children's stories. He considers many fellow journalists "professional gapers" who pursue rat-pack "me-too-ism." Not even lukewarm -- hot!" I began to realize that not much in the way we were raised encouraged that.". Furthermore, he also remained the host of another game show Keep Talking released on ABC. What a powerful message Griffin might have sent had he squired his male companions around town rather than Eva Gabor, his longtime good friend and platonic public pal. Soon after, he released his first album Songs of Merv Griffin. He attended San Mateo High School from where he graduated in 1942. [7], During World War II, Griffin was declared 4F after failing several military physical examinations due to a slight heart murmur. I will do anything with anybody for a quarter. [15] He also had an uncredited role as a radio announcer in the horror/science fiction film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953). With resignation in his voice, Donahue will concede that his show is "a platform for pitchmen," one endless commercial. You and Me.She has received three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Peabody Award for her work in television and has been inducted . Of Griffin, Porter says, We met in 59 when he sang for my senior prom and the student committee paid him $500. Whatever the goal of any particular program, Donahue is an emotional fellow traveler -- involved, sympathetic, respectful. However, Griffin stated that both the lawsuits were extortions. Then again, Merv carved his niche in the entertainment world at a time when being gay wasnt OK, when disclosure was unthinkable and the allegation alone could deep-six ones career. This show was aired on for almost 21 years and achieved 11 Emmy awards all through its course. Griffin created and produced the successful television game show Jeopardy! Griffin, as a radio announcer, played an unacknowledged part in the 1953 science/horror short story classic The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. 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. She recalled one of the questions he asked her, saying: "And he said to me, 'How come you've never married?' Every comedian ends up, one day, taking a pie in the face. 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. 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." Marlo Thomas . He started his professional life by joining the radio as well as by singing in collaboration with a big band.