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As a result, Griffin would do his best to keep his life private, but his staff and workers reported to know about his secret identity: "Around the office, Merv's being gay was understood but rarely discussed. [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. [It] could be [because of] his Catholic background, his Republican persuasion, and his generation, which internalized shame and guilt.". for ABC), Griffin was one of the many guest hosts who presided over Tonight in the interim. He graced the pages of different magazines but kept his private life in the closet, and soon rumors started flying around. A gentleman named Brent Plott from Florida, who was thirty-seven at the time, sued Griffin for $200 million, claiming a breach of contract. According to Facts Verse: "Griffin was married and hid his sexuality. Merv Griffin at the 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in California 1986 | Source: Getty Images. CBS canceled The Merv Griffin Show in 1972, but it continued in syndication and as part of the Metromedia network of independent TV stations until 1986. Trending News They divorced in 1976 after 17 years of marriage. Griffin later sold his production empire "Merv Griffin Enterprises" to Coca-Cola for a staggering amount of $250 million in 1986. Stations had the option of carrying either a 60-minute or a 90-minute version. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It's a great show." The late Merv Griffin was many things -- businessman, talk show host, singer, entertainer, game show creator. 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 perfect example lies in an episode from September 1965 which featured the zany comedian Phyllis Diller followed by an interview with Capt. [48] In 2005, Griffin accepted the degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the National University of Ireland, Galway; and in 2008 was posthumously inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. 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. He retained the title of creator of both his game shows. [53], Some of the songs Griffin recorded were:[citation needed]. And we we just went over our lives. Eva Gabor circa 1980 in New York City on January 01, 1980. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! According to Bowers, Griffin told him about a gas station that doubled as a sort of brothel for gay men where "you would go to get in trouble. Acknowledged as one of the premier talk shows in the history of television, The Merv Griffin Show ran daily for some 25 years from October 1962 to September 1986. | Photo: Getty Images. personality and media mogul who in his time hosting, - IMDb Mini Biography By: Nicholas E. Terry and Jon C. Hopwood. "Here's a secret nobody knows: Whenever he did a game show, he would be on that set from the moment it started till 4 or 5 in the morning rewriting it the first night. 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. This is believed to be why he went around town in the company of people like Eva Gabor, with whom he reportedly had a platonic relationship. display: none; You know, this wasn't his type of ending, I don't think.". [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. Griffin said that he did not know his actual worth because it "would keep me from sleeping at night". and Wheel remain on the air today. | Photo: Getty Images. display: none; Add photos, demo reels Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Awards 1 win & 7 nominations Known for Wheel of Fortune 6.7 TV Series Producer When she drops in to visit for Thanksgiving in "Peter's Sister". The guests on the Westinghouse show were an eclectic mix of entertainers, authors, politicians, and "personality" performers like Zsa Zsa Gabor. Seeing his strong ratings, CBS offered him a network series opposite the powerhouse Tonight Show, and his program moved there in the fall of 1969, with his debut guest lineup consisting of Hedy Lamarr, Ted Sorensen, Leslie Uggams, Moms Mabley, and Woody Allen. She arranged for a screen test at the Warner Bros. Studios for a role in By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953). You know I really never get down. When political activist Abbie Hoffman was Griffin's guest in April 1970, CBS blurred the video of Hoffman so viewers at home would not see his trademark American flag pattern shirt, even though other guests had worn the same shirt in the past, uncensored, and Pat Boone appeared in an automobile commercial on that very broadcast wearing a similar flag-motif shirt. Lovella was born on September 15 1931, in Byers, Clay, Texas, United States. During its 21 years on the air, The Merv Griffin Show received 21 Emmy Award nominations and won 12 times. 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 had an older sister named Barbara. Produced in association with Program Partners and the William Morris Agency, it began airing September 10, 2007. Four U.S. Presidents -- Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan appeared, as did Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Jonas Salk and Robert F. Kennedy. He was commended for booking such guests, but also widely criticized for it. Paul had already signed Grove for the show and was looking for a male co-host. | Photo: Getty Images. 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. He was a singer, actor and longtime host of "The Merv Griffin Show." He created "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," but to his only child, Tony Griffin, he was just dad. }, First published on August 13, 2007 / 9:29 AM. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Before he sold his enterprise, Griffin was a very determined investor with radio stations and media outlets acquisitions. They would later become friends for 55 years, until Griffin's death in 2007. It was nice.". [52] He was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, where his epitaph reads "I will not be right back after this message". That turned into "Wheel of Fortune," Tony said. Griffin would invite Reagan over to his hotel for dinner to celebrate, and he also introduced her to Astrologer Joan Quigley. The syndicated versions of both Jeopardy! Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. If youre Griffin, why would you think a judgmental culture would be any more tolerant as you grew into middle and old age? The pair went out on regular dates that were said to be strictly "platonic" up until she died in 1995. She soon appeared in the 1941 movie "Forced Landing," which was not very successful. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Merv Griffin, the former talk-show host who became a Hollywood billionaire by investing in real estate and creating the popular game shows "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of. Robert (Bob) Murphy, Griffin's best friend since sixth grade, was the producer of The Merv Griffin Show, and eventually became president of Merv Griffin Enterprises. category. He was also gay, writes RAY RICHMOND, who wonders what sort of impact it might hav [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. He was overweight as an adolescent and a young man, which disappointed some radio fans when they saw him in person. Before Jeopardy!, Griffin created and produced a game show called Word for Word, that debuted in 1963. That was it. After reading off the list of guests for that evening's show, Treacher would introduce Griffin with the phrase: "and now, here's the dear boy himself, Meeeer-vyn!". He was a singer, actor and longtime host of "The Merv Griffin Show." The couple started hanging out as friends before proceeding to wed in May 1958. Both ultimately were dismissed. Although amused at first, she realizes that Karen takes things too far and decides to work with Peter to even the odds. Merv Griffin was a singer and band leader, movie actor, television [3] Selected edited episodes, distributed by Paul Brownstein Productions, are airing on the GetTV channel.[4]. #inline-recirc-item--id-abae3194-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-abae3194-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Griffin secured an agreement with NBC, which allowed him to set up a production company. It was then that Merv, who loved puzzles, came up with the idea for a show called "Jeopardy!" Merv Griffin Reportedly Led Secret Gay Life despite a Wife & Son - Man [5] The family was Irish American. in 1964. [20] When they had their first child, Cynthia Leigh Buzzell, on September 11, 1955, Griffin was named her godfather. His month-long downward spiral was not only difficult for the family to watch, but also hard on Merv himself. Karen Griffin is Peter 's sister, a wrestler who performs under the name of "Heavy Flo." When she drops in to visit for Thanksgiving in "Peter's Sister". It aired in a variety of time slots throughout North America; many stations ran it in the daytime, others aired it in primetime, and a few broadcast it opposite Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. His 7-year-old grandson Donovan Mervyn was an honorary pallbearer, as was Nancy Reagan. Since then, all 18-year-old Griffin did was show business. | Photo: Getty Images. 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. Legendary actors and directors who appeared on the program include Orson Welles, John Wayne, Judy Garland (who took over as guest hostess for Griffin on one program in January 1969, six months before her death), Doris Day (Griffin's longtime friend), Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise, Sophia Loren, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Gene Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola, Dustin Hoffman, Clint Eastwood and Grace Kelly. "The Merv Griffin Show" David Soul and Karen Soul, Milt Kamen - IMDb From that point on, Griffin would do the announcing himself, and walk on stage with the phrase: "And now, here I come!". Despite having a remarkable career based on his charisma and charm, the authentic Griffin was never able to make an appearance. GSN honored Griffin by airing ten-episode marathons of Wheel and Jeopardy! [15] He also had an uncredited role as a radio announcer in the horror/science fiction film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953). In addition, Griffin sometimes dedicated an entire show to a single person or topic, allowing for greater exploration of his guests personality and thoughts. He's a guy that gets up and goes and has fun and entertains. Merv Griffin (Creator) - TV Tropes 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. His new show began the following Monday and proved to be more successful than its network counterpart. Furthermore, the network was uncomfortable with the guests Griffin wanted, who often spoke out against the Vietnam War and on other taboo topics. 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. Within a few months, Griffin was fired by CBS. Merv Griffin - NNDB Merv Griffin - Wikipedia He attended San Mateo Junior College and then the University of San Francisco. Using the company of his longtime friend Gabor, Griffin avoided being asked directly about his sexuality; however, he remained known as a "closeted gay talk show host." ", Merv Griffin on the island of Alcatraz during the Native American occupation of Alcatraz in San Francisco 1969 | Source: Getty Images. He said, "I'm a quarter-sexual. 76 Merv Griffin Family Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The sisters were also famous for their love lives; Eva married and divorced four times. Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 - August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. However, the live 55-minute program was not successful and was cancelled in 1963. Eva Gabor was born in Budapest to an upper-middle-class family, and she began her career as an ice skater and caf singer. Merv Griffin, 82, dies of prostate cancer - Today 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. The lawsuits were filed by Denny Terrio, the host of a show called "Dance Fever," and Griffin's former assistant Brent Plott who sought $200 million in palimony. Other notable guests that rarely made TV appearances showed up to talk to Griffin include Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell and Salvador Dal. Elke Sommer, Dylana Jenson, Karen Valentine, Steve Allen, Sand: With Merv Griffin, Steve Allen, Dylana Jenson, Mort Lindsey. after moving it twice on its daytime schedule, despite having an additional year on its network contract. "This is a guy who, you know, he's 82 and he's running a company like he's, you know, 42 or 32," Tony said. "He just it (cancer) devastated him. [17] Buzzell was engaged to popular singer Lu Ann Simms, with a wedding date set for July 24, 1954. Griffin resigned after learning a colleague that had been a teller for three decades was earning the same meager pay. Griffin similarly bought and upgraded the Beverly Hills hotel located in Beverly Hills and opened a nightclub, which he named the "Coconut Club" and modeled after the famous Coconut Grove. Karen Griffith (I) Producer Additional Crew IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Karen Griffith is known for Wheel of Fortune (1983), Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (2021) and Jeopardy! Griffin and Eva planned to get married and picked Nancy Reagan to be the matron of honor. Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. 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. He also loved music, so he wrote the theme songs to all his shows. This quote from Griffin was later confirmed in the same year The New York Times captured it by CNN Entertainment Correspondent Lola Ogunnaike. At one of his nightclub performances, Griffin was discovered by Doris Day. The kiss was a first in Hollywood film history since the introduction of the Production Code in 1934. Cowan even went so far as to say that he would be "surprised" if Eva and Griffin got married. Griffin was married to Julann Wright, and together they had a son named Anthony. Sports figures interviewed by Griffin on the show include Muhammad Ali, Joe Namath, Roger Maris, Willie Mays and Reggie Jackson. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Then he conceived the idea of a game show where contestants would be given answers but have to come up with the questions or lose their money if they could not. "[43], Griffin was a constant companion of actress Eva Gabor from the mid-1980s until her death in 1995, though she told the press in 1990 that they had never been lovers.[44]. The Wheel marathon included two episodes with cameo appearances by Griffin: Sajak's departure from the daytime version in 1989 and a 199293 episode that ended with Griffin, his band "The MervTones," and White singing at a dinner club in Orlando, Florida.