He lost his virginity, to a female, that is, when Judy Garland seduced him. He was stuck in southwestern Ohio, where his Dayton journalistic high points included the moment in 1960 when he asked Pat Nixon if she were proud of her husband and spat in her eye on the "p.". Yet, it was nothing discussed in the media and, apparently, in many of his own circles, particularly straight political circles. To prove his point, Donahue does a Kissinger imitation, complete with heavy accent. His first song Ive Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts was a huge success, selling over 3 million copies. He kept his wealth an open secret, amassing media outlets, hotels and casinos with a net worth estimated at more than $1 billion. She cried on the air," he says proudly. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. "They see in me a way to produce some income. for ABC), Griffin was one of the many guest hosts who presided over Tonight in the interim. The divorce settlement gave her custody of the daughter and him the four boys. he asks a dying child. The syndicated versions of both Jeopardy! Merv Griffin is a television host and media tycoon of America. 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. (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). [49][50], Funeral services were held on August 17, 2007 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. In 1991, Deney Terrio, host of the Griffin-created Dance Fever, sued Griffin, alleging sexual harassment, but the suit was dismissed. On May 14, 2003, Griffin was honored with the Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) President's Award at its annual Film and Television Awards ceremony, for creating some of America's best-known game show melodies.[28]. On her YouTube channel in 2012, Phil's wife confessed how no one dreamt of being a stepmother. When he was fired a few months later, his new show began the following Monday, and ran until the mid-1980s. [25] After Paar left The Tonight Show, but before Johnny Carson took over (Carson was still hosting Who Do You Trust? 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. And as any law student knows, you cant libel the dead. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! He attended San Mateo Junior College and then the University of San Francisco. Even though Marlo had never intended to marry, she once admitted that it was "awful" being away from her husband. ", Joel Swerdlow; Joel Swerdlow is the coauthor of "Remote Control: Television. 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. He was commended for booking such guests, but also widely criticized for it. Million Dollar Masters Tournament from 2002. 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.". 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. Wednesday brought an obstetrician, and on Thursday he climbed into a coffin as he interviewed a mortician. Rumors about Griffin being gay arent new, and they werent helped by two lawsuits (a palimony claim, and a sexual harassment charge) by two dudes in the 90s. He has parlayed their problems into the top spot in the dog-eat-puppy world of syndicated talk shows. 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). 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. He married his college sweetheart in 1958, right after graduation. Of course, Porter has one thing working for him: almost no threat of litigation. Merv Griffin. In 2021, Marlo gave some advice on how to make a marriage last. 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. 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. The Modern Family star was previously married to her high school love Joe Gonzalez . ", Donahue can conceive of absolutely no topic that could hurt his career. 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. General Info. Ten months later he moved to a CBS radio-television affiliate in Dayton, Ohio. . "You're on the cover of 'Publisher's Weekly'," editor-in-chief Michael Korda told talk-show king Phil Donahue. 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." Movies. 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. 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. lagunitas hop water; matt beleskey retired; was merv griffin married to marlo thomas; June 22, 2022 . He married radio comic . She explained how she felt a union of two whole people could work compared to one of one and a half. Mervs secret gay life was widely known throughout showbiz culture, if not the wider America. He continued to appear in films like The Boy from Oklahoma and Phantom of the Rue Morgue. What's important is that our conversation is interesting. . 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. This. . [35][36] After ten months of ownership, Griffin reported a loss of $46.6 million. The spin-offs included the children's shows Wheel 2000 (CBS, 1997), and the short-lived Jep! To a dying 18-year-old he says, "That's a real punch in the nose. 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). 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. . This show was aired on for almost 21 years and achieved 11 Emmy awards all through its course. More than 8 1/2 million viewers in over 200 markets now watch him daily, eclipsing all other syndicated talk shows. He grins or grimaces extravagantly. Maybe you know about Merv Griffin very well But do you know how old was he at the time of his death and what is his net worth in 2023? It lasted only one season, with its last episode on May 16, 2008, but has had reruns on various channels. "We're talking about a medium that evaluates people according to the force with which they can communicate ideas," Donahue explains. "How important is love?" 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. LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Merv Griffin was gay. Marlo was 40 when she married the talk show host, and it was her first marriage. Similarly, he says he "showcases," rather than presents, issues and people. They moan, gasp and applaud, and surround him with a chorus of questions and arguments. And not everybody who's a good television persona necessarily knows what they're talking about.". 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. The deal was signed in secret as a penalty clause in his CBS contract gave him $1 million in the event of his being fired. 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. The new show featured live music with two singers while simulating a trip to various places in the world. . Griffin was a well-known TV personality who died on 12 August 2007 due to prostate cancer. But Donahue is top dog becuase he has attracted and maintained an extraordinarily large audience. Shortly after the show begins he may be warning that time is almost gone. In 1990, Griffin had an ambitious but unsuccessful attempt at adapting the venerable board game Monopoly into a game show of the same name. And Mervs brush with tabloid scandal no doubt only drove him further into the closet. Family. [2] He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. I will do anything with anybody for a quarter. The "That Girl" star and her husband raised five children after the actress refused to be an evil fairy-tale-like stepmother. 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. In a way, his show has been therapeutic for Donahue, who believes his personal life mirrors the problems discussed on TV: "The light's started to go on in me. One regular attendee, Lillian Miller, became a fixture on the show throughout its run. "Let's put a ribbon on this," he tells the long-winded. He was 82. It became the first US Album to be recorded on a magnetic tape. The competition is tough -- young, energetic hosts are constantly clawing for national access, and even the long-popular Mike Douglas was recently canceled. I had more than a passing acquaintance with him, having worked on The Merv Griffin Show as a talent coordinator/segment producer in 1985-86 as the show was winding down. After Griffin's death, The Hollywood Reporter published a report stating that he had been a closeted gay man. In 1965, Griffin was criticized as a "traitor" when he aired a special from London in which Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Bertrand Russell denounced the Vietnam War.Despite his success on daytime television, it was late night that was The Holy Grail for talk show hosts. 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. Griffin was introduced to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1974. "Today's subsequent instructions to Donahue: "No clinical sex.". Plus Judy Garlands Meet Me in St. Louis boy next door, Tom Drake, who, by the way, ended up a used car salesman. He did it for Katharine Hepburn. However, in 1997 she thought she still had a chance, but she and Phil never had any of their own. [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. The actress's stance made sense as she was one of the leaders in the women's movement. Griffin himself was an enthusiastic meditator.[27]. Though dismissed, the lawsuits put Griffin on the spot, and while he never denied being gay, he didnt own it either. [35] He had used $325 million in junk bond financing at nearly 14% from Drexel Burnham Lambert's Michael Milken, but suspended interest payments in early 1989. I like someone to love me," Thomas replied. Also: speculation. 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. Merv Griffin was previously married to Julann Griffin (1959 - 1976). [citation needed], Griffin started as a singer on radio at age 19, appearing on San Francisco Sketchbook, a nationally syndicated program based at KFRC. He was Lifetime Honorary Festival Chairman of La Quinta Arts Festival and recently donated his Wickenburg Inn and Dude Ranch to Childhelp USA.In March 2001, the Gold Label released his new CD, "It's Like a Dream", for which he composed the title song. 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. In 1975 Donahue set up housekeeping in suburban Chicago, and the women's magazines dubbed him "Bachelor-Father." From 1958 to 1962, Griffin hosted Play Your Hunch, a game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. 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. He earned a whole heap of publicity b hosting and producing several different television shows. In 2022, the star and her husband married for 42 years after giving their union a chance, and she nailed stepmotherhood! From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show. Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. Why is it so difficult to write? His last game show was a wild show called Ruckus, which emanated from the Resorts International Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, which he owned at the time. She further elaborated, "I had to meet the right kind of man, and the world had to change a lot, and I had to change a lot." Griffin disliked the censorship imposed by CBS and complained. Marlo Thomas Was Scared of Being Stepmom to Phil Donahue's 5 Kids They Are Proud of Gaggle of Grandkids Now, Why Is Robin Always on Dr. Phil's Show? . She noted how no one wanted to be a stepmother cause they were seen as villains in children's stories. The "Today" show signed him, as rumors spread that he'd soon jump to the networks. Griffin, who died of prostate cancer Sunday at 82, stayed in the closet throughout his life. June 15, 2020 11:21 am ET. Perhaps he figured it was preferable to remain the object of gossip rather than live openly as one of them.. Griffin, who died of prostate cancer Sunday at 82, stayed in the closet throughout his life. Donahue says that as an adolescent he considered "dates always an occasion for sin." Griffin did not get the part, but the screen test led to supporting roles in other musical films such as So This Is Love (also 1953),[14] which caused a minor controversy when Griffin shared an open-mouthed kiss with Kathryn Grayson. Why not do a switch, and give the answers to the contestant and let them come up with the question. . Marlo said as little girls, some women dreamt of becoming brides, mothers, actresses, wives, and ice skaters but never stepmothers. They had one son, Tony Griffin, born in 1959; who had two children of his own. 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. He is the only son of Merv Griffin and Julann Wright. Donahue asked her on the air. Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood, in 2007? 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. His charges are ridiculous and untrue. 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. (His book reports that in 1978, 56 percent of his programs featured guests with something to sell.) "When half of America is saying, 'That guest got him,' believe me when I tell you it's fine with me." [8] He wrote years later in his autobiography that there was a deliberate effort to keep the public from finding out how he looked. Merv Griffin accomplished a lot and is, in his death, being held up as a example of a stellar Hollywood businessman. After 17 years, his wife left him. 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. A typical example is the cancellation of a Masters and Johnson broadcast in Medford, Ore., because they "tantalized the audience by talking about homosexuality. [citation needed], He attended San Mateo High School, graduating in 1942, and continued to aid in financing the school. Although a former choirboy, he now finds the Catholic church "racist," "sexist" and "destructive." Phil Donahue was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was his childhood goal to be a "good broadcaster." Brynn Hartman Struggled with Self-Esteem and Her Husband's Absence Who Was Phil Hartman's Wife? [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". [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. Marlo was 40 when she married the talk show host, and it was her first marriage. Such candor is not new to Donahue, but it usually comes from his guests and audience. The background to this was on November 12, when Resorts reached a tentative agreement with certain bondholders, several bondholders petitioned the United States Bankruptcy Court in Camden, New Jersey, to put the company into involuntary bankruptcy to protect legal claims they might have against Trump, the real estate investor Griffin outbid for Resorts the prior year. The show, originally titled What's the Question?, premiered on NBC on March 30, 1964, hosted by Art Fleming, and ran for 11 years. By 1986, Griffin was ready to retire. Being born on 6 July 1925, Merv Griffin was 82 years . Round, which became the iconic melody of the theme for the syndicated version of the show hosted by Alex Trebek in 1984. In 1991, he was sued by TV host Deney Terrio alleging sexual harassment. [4] When he was a child, Griffin used to play Hangman games with his sister during family road trips. 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. Griffin and Grove were brought together by Byron Paul, producer of U.S.A. Canteen, and Irving Mansfield, Summer Holiday's creator. and Wheel of Fortune, and a wealthy media mogul. Phil Donahue & Marlo Thomas on their wedding day . Text. Griffin's home was sold for $7million. 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. Issues that provoke censorship are almost always sexual. He eventually started his own show The Merv Griffin Show in 1962 which proved to be a huge success. He married Julann Griffin, whom he divorced after some time. That's what I'm paid to do.". 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. 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. Merv Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996 which was treated successfully. The kiss was a first in Hollywood film history since the introduction of the Production Code in 1934. But answering questions in person, he chooses words carefully, as though any slip will damage his good-guy reputation. In 2005, he told . By 1945, he had enough money to form his own label, Panda Records. 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. This being an era when male actors felt homosexuality was a danger to their career, lawyers shot down that book fast.. 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). In 1975, NBC canceled Jeopardy! 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. Danny said the female audience was lucky to spend an hour with "two of the world's most attractive men." [46] He was a longtime member of the Republican Party.[47]. Finally, Griffins closet had him firing gay men whod actually made it up through the ranks of his own company, simply because they were openly gay. He was best known for hosting the Goodson/Todman classic, Play Your Hunch, and for creating the two long-running hit series, Jeopardy! National magazines ran complimentary stories. The couple divorced in 1976. Both lawsuits were eventually dismissed. You can count on the fingers of one hand, or at most two, the number of high-powered stars, executives and public figures who have come out. Griffin was affiliated with the international fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. Born in Kansas City, MO, Menorah Hospital to Helen Hollenbeck Ford and Fred C. Ford. He started his professional life by joining the radio as well as by singing in collaboration with a big band. Griffin never acknowledged he was gay, though it became widely known in Hollywood, even as Eva Gabor played his beard. Phil Donahue is the Cronkite of the morning, an oasis in a wasteland, the trusted host who, according to TV Guide, "hit daytime television like a hormone injection directly into the carotid artery of the American housewife." On November 21, 2022, Marlo Thomas celebrated her birthday by turning 85! There was Peter Lawford, Robert Walker, Gordon Scott the then-Tarzan. . [18][19], That summer, Griffin became acquainted with music publisher Loring Buzzell. (1980) Francie Shaffer. ", Donahue has been quoted as telling his staff, "I want all the topics hot . Two revivals of Jeopardy! The live 55-minute program was not successful, however, and was cancelled in 1963. In 1965, Griffin launched a syndicated talk show for Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting) titled The Merv Griffin Show. His first crush was Errol Flynn, whom he saw passed out naked on a couch. Pallbearers included Griffin Group vice-chairman Ron Ward, President Robert Pritchard, and Vice President Michael Eyre, as well as Tony Griffin. While it would seem everything has changed today, little actually has. In 1954, Griffin appeared in several Cincraft Productions sponsored films including a musical, Milestones of Motoring with Joe E. Brown and Rita Farrell. 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. (for which he still creates puzzles and questions.) "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. 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. Paul had already signed Grove for the show and was looking for a male co-host. Merv Griffin had an encounter with Betty Kelly. Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul behind Merv Griffin Enterprises. was merv griffin married to marlo thomas. 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. 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. Type. 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! 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." 05:12 PM ET 06/12/2014. He's not afraid to sound stupid, either. He next appeared in the movie So This is Love in a main role. 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! The theme returned to the show in 2021 at the start of season 39. "I like having a man in my life. and Wheel remain on the air today. 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. We steal a lot from other shows," Donahue says. So she had to figure out how to be nice and good and realized early on that she shouldn't try to fill a mother-like role because they might resent that. Around the office, Mervs being gay was understood but rarely discussed (and certainly never with him). The song reached the #1 spot on the Hit Parade and sold three million copies.[13]. Though hed quietly led a gay life and had his pool parties filled with hot young men in years past, as well as a parade of boyfriends that was viewed as private information that was not discussed in mixed company. It gained traction in 1991 when he was targeted in a pair of lawsuits: by Dance Fever host Denny Terrio, alleging sexual harassment; and by assistant Brent Plott seeking $200 million in palimony. It was these games which inspired him to create the game show Wheel of Fortune in 1975. Merv Griffins Dangerous Closet, by The Gist, http://signorile2003.blogspot.com/2007/08/merv-griffins-dangerous-closet.html. 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). He could duck it for a while, but it would always find him. It eventually went on to win eleven Emmy Awards. Says Donahue, "Well, what does that mean? [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. 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. The Amazing Johnathan left the show after 65 episodes because of a contract dispute, and it was scrapped before it was nationally syndicated. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and numerous Emmy Awards, out of which it won eleven. during the weekend of August 1819, 2007. 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. Griffin frequently chatted with audience members. 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.