| Merv Griffin |
|
| Born |
Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr.
July 6 1925(1925--)
San Mateo, California,
United States |
| Died |
August 12 2007 (aged 82)
Los Angeles, California,
United States
Prostate Cancer |
| Resting place |
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery,
Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation |
Actor, Talk Show Host, Entertainer, Pianist, Raconteur |
| Spouse |
Julann Wright (1958-1976) |
| Children |
Tony Griffin |
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6 1925 –
August 12 2007) was an American talk show host, game show
host, entertainer, pianist, television personality and raconteur.[1] He began his
career as a singer and also appeared in movies and on Broadway; he later became host of
his own TV show, The Merv Griffin Show, and created the long-running
award-winning game shows Jeopardy! and
Wheel of Fortune, becoming an entertainment business magnate.
Early life
Griffin was born into a middle class Irish American family on July 6, 1925 in San Mateo,
California to Mervyn Griffin Sr., a stock broker and Rita Griffin (née Robinson), a homemaker. Raised as a
Roman Catholic, Griffin started singing in his church choir as a boy, and by his
teens was earning extra money as a church organist. He attended San Mateo High School, class of 1942, and continued to aid in
financing the school.[2]
During World War II, Merv was declared 4F after failing several military physical exams due to
increased weight and having a slight heart murmur. Drafted for service during the Korean
War, he was slimmed down and passed the physical, but was deemed too old (he'd just turned 27 and the cut-off age for the draft
was 26).
Career
Singing at 19
Griffin started as a singer on radio at age 19, appearing on San Francisco Sketchbook, a nationally syndicated program based at KFRC. Griffin was slightly overweight
as a teenager, which disappointed his radio fans seeing him for the first time to the point of laughter. Embarrassed by this rude
reaction, Griffin resolved to lose weight and change his image. True to his word, Griffin lost 80 pounds in a remarkable four
months and matured into a handsome big band vocalist. Freddy Martin was a fan of the radio
show and asked Griffin to tour with his orchestra, which he did for four years.[3]
Within a year, Griffin earned enough to form his own record label, Panda Records, which produced Songs by Merv Griffin,
the first American album ever recorded on magnetic tape. 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. The song reached the number one spot on the Hit Parade and sold
three million copies.[4]
During one of his nightclub performances, Griffin was discovered by Doris Day. Day arranged
for a screen test at Warner Brothers Studios for a
role in By the Light of the Silvery Moon. Griffin didn't
get the part, but the screen test led to supporting roles in other musical films such as So This is Love in 1953.[5] The film caused a minor controversy when Griffin shared an
open-mouthed kiss with Kathryn Grayson. The kiss was a
first in Hollywood film history since the introduction of the
Production Code in 1934.[6]
Griffin would go on to film more pictures, namely, The Boy From Oklahoma and Phantom of the Rue Morgue, but soon
became disillusioned with movie making. Griffin bought his contract back from Warner Brothers and decided to focus on a new
medium: television.[2]
Game show host
From 1958 to 1962, Griffin hosted a game show produced by Mark Goodson and
Bill Todman called Play Your Hunch. The show
appeared on all three networks, but primarily on NBC. He also hosted a prime time game show for
ABC called Keep Talking. In 1963, NBC
offered him the opportunity to host a new game show, Word for Word, which Griffin produced. He also produced Let's Play
Post Office for NBC in 1965; Reach For the Stars for NBC in 1967; One In a Million for ABC in 1967, and in
1990, an ambitious but unsuccessful attempt at making a game show out of the venerable board-game, Monopoly.
Arguably, Griffin's oddest game show was 1991's Ruckus, hosted by comedian-magician The Amazing Johnathan. Ruckus was a wild, slapstick affair that took stunts and
questions-and-answers to a bizarre level. The show emanated from Griffin's Resorts Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. However, WNBC in New York City was the
only station that agreed to air the program. By the end of the show's 13 week run, plans were in the works to get the show
syndicated nationally, but the project fell apart when the host walked away over a contractual dispute. Ruckus ended as a
cult favorite, especially among children, teenagers and college students.
Talk show host
Griffin scored a coup when 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 parlayed that into a guest-hosting
spot on The Tonight Show, then hosted by Paar, and his own daytime talk show on
NBC in 1962.
In 1965, Griffin launched a syndicated talk show for Group W (Westinghouse
Broadcasting): The Merv Griffin Show. The show aired in a variety of
time slots throughout North America; many stations ran it in the daytime, some broadcast it opposite Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, and it was carried for
many years in prime time on WNEW in New York. Griffin's
announcer/sidekick was the veteran British character actor Arthur Treacher, who had been
his mentor. Treacher would introduce Griffin with the phrase: "And now, the dear boy himself," after reading off the list of
guests for that evening's show. After Treacher left the show, Griffin would do the announcing himself, and walk on stage with the
phrase: "And now..., here I come!" According to an obituary article on August 24, 2007 in Entertainment Weekly, The Merv Griffin
Show was on the air for 21 years and won eleven Emmy Awards during its run.
Griffin was not shy about tackling controversial subjects, especially the Vietnam War.
The guests on the Westinghouse show were an eclectic mix of entertainers, authors, politicians, and "personality" performers like
Zsa Zsa Gabor. Griffin also booked controversial guests like George Carlin, Dick Gregory, Richard
Pryor, Norman Mailer, and Bertrand
Russell. Griffin received critical acclaim for booking such guests, but was also widely criticized for it. When
anti-war activist Bertrand Russell used Griffin's show to
condemn the war in Vietnam, Griffin was criticized for letting Russell have his say.
Arnold Schwarzenegger made his talk show debut in the United States on Griffin's
talk show in 1974 after moving from Austria and becoming a bodybuilder. Griffin would also frequently chat with audience
members.[2] One regular audience member,
Lillian Miller (or "Miss Miller", as she was known), would become a fixture on Griffin's
program throughout its run.
Mer'v best friend, Robert (Bob) Murphy (since the sixth grade) was the producer of The Merv Griffin Show and eventually
became President of Merv Griffin Enterprises.
Late-night host
CBS gave Griffin a late-night show opposite Johnny Carson in 1969, a move which proved disastrous. The network was
uncomfortable with the guests Griffin wanted, who often spoke out against the Vietnam war
and on other taboo topics. When political activist Abbie Hoffman was Griffin's guest in
April 1970, CBS blurred Hoffman out so viewers at home couldn't see his trademark American flag pattern shirt. Griffin disliked
the censorship imposed by CBS and complained.[2]
Sensing that his time at CBS was ending, and tired of the restrictions imposed by the network, Griffin secretly signed a
contract with rival company, Metromedia. The contract with Metromedia would give him a
syndicated daytime talk show deal as soon as CBS canceled Griffin's show. Within a few months, Griffin was fired by CBS. His new
show began the following Monday and ran until the mid 1980s. By 1986, Griffin was ready to retire and ended his talk show run.
Due to profits from his highly successful game shows, Griffin had became one of the wealthiest entertainers on the
planet.[2]
Game show creator
The logo for
Jeopardy!, the successful game show Griffin created
Griffin created and produced the succesful television game show Jeopardy! in 1964, a
reverse on the classic quiz show format in which contestants are given answers and must supply the questions. The show premiered
on NBC on March 30, 1964, hosted by Art Fleming and lasted for 11 years. Merv wrote the 30-second piece of music heard during the "Final
Jeopardy" portion of the show.
In 1975, NBC canceled Jeopardy! after moving it twice on their daytime schedule and despite having an additional year
on its network contract left to fulfill. Griffin was produced the show's successor, Wheel of Fortune. Premiering on January 3,
1975, Wheel became a modest hit on daytime television with Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford as host and hostess. But it
became a phenomenon when on September 13, 1983, Wheel
hit the syndication market with Pat Sajak and Vanna White
in the same respective roles. Two different revivals of Jeopardy! would be 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 on September 10, 1984 starring Alex Trebek.
Both Wheel and Jeopardy! remain on the air today.
Upon his retirement, Griffin sold his production company, Merv Griffin
Enterprises, to Columbia Pictures Television unit for
US$250 million, the largest acquisition of an entertainment company owned by a
single individual at that time. Following the sale, Forbes named him the richest
Hollywood performer in history. He retained the title of creator of both shows.
The two powerhouses spun off numerous programs, and Griffin often would sign on as a creative consultant. The spinoffs
included Wheel 2000, and Jep!, both
for children; Rock & Roll Jeopardy! for purveyors of pop music
trivia; a teen-oriented game called Click! and in association with
Wink Martindale, Headline Chasers.
In 2007, Griffin's production company, Merv Griffin Entertainment, began pre-production on a new syndicated game show
Merv Griffin's Crosswords (originally titled Let's Play
Crosswords and Let's Do Crosswords). The show taped in Los Angeles
after initial reports that it would be produced at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. The show was produced in association with Program Partners and the
William Morris Agency and will air beginning September 10, 2007. NBC-owned-and-operated
stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas will carry the
show, with many stations airing two episodes per day.
Business ventures
Griffin ventured into real estate, purchasing the Beverly Hilton Hotel in
Beverly Hills. He also purchased Resorts Hotel and Casino, formerly Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel in Atlantic
City from Donald Trump in 1988. An active desert resident, he has been a supporter
of the La Quinta Arts Festival and the owner of the Merv Griffin Givenchy Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, now The Parker. He
owned a ranch near La Quinta, California where he raised thoroughbred racehorses, as well as St. Clerans Manor, a boutique
hotel, set in an 18th century estate once owned by director John Huston, near Craughwell,
County Galway Galway, Ireland. In the 1980s, Griffin purchased Paradise Island in the Bahamas for US$400 million from
Donald Trump, but he later sold it for just US$125 million.[7][8]
In March 2001, Griffin returned to singing with the release of the album It's Like a Dream.
Private life
Griffin kept many details of his personal and business life private. On being wealthy he said that "if people know you're rich
they don't talk with you when you walk down the street." He kept his wealth as an open secret amassing media outlets, hotels and
casinos with a net worth widely estimated at more than a billion dollars. Griffin stated he didn't really know his worth because
it “would keep me from sleeping at night.”
He and former First Lady Nancy
Reagan exchanged birthday greetings each July 6, for they shared the same birthday.
Griffin was also an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan in 2004. He was friends with the both the
Reagans for many years.[9]
Sexual orientation
I tell everybody that I’m a quartre-sexual. I will do anything with anybody for a quarter.[10]
—Merv Griffin
Two same-sex palimony and sexual harassment lawsuits in 1991 brought questions about
Griffin's sexuality to a national level. In 1991, Griffin was hit with both a US$200 million palimony lawsuit by former "secretary/driver/horse-trainer/bodyguard" Brent Plott, and an US$11.3 million
sexual harassment lawsuit from Dance Fever host "Denny" Deney
Terrio; both suits were ultimately dismissed with prejudice (the Plott claim
after Griffin filed a countersuit).[10]
A 2006 article in Rolling Stone magazine by John Colapinto stated: "Merv does not refute the underlying implication in
both cases: that he is gay. Nor does he admit to it. Instead, he mentions the high-profile relationship that he began with
actress Eva Gabor at the time of his legal troubles. They were photographed everywhere:
Atlantic City, La Quinta, Hollywood premieres. Griffin says that they discussed marriage, and he parries any direct questions
about his sexual orientation. You're asking an eighty-year-old man about his sexuality right now!, he cries. Get a
life!".[7]
Griffin was outed immediately after his death in the tabloid media, and in the mainstream media by the Hollywood Reporter.[11]
While his homosexuality was an open secret in Hollywood, the article caused a minor scandal.
Pressure from various sources resulted in its being pulled and republished in a less blunt tone, although its basic assertions
remained unchanged.[12]
Illness and death
Griffin's prostate cancer, treated originally in 1996, returned and he was admitted
to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los
Angeles, where his condition deteriorated leading to his death on August 12,
2007.[13][14] Griffin is survived by his son, Tony, from Griffin's only marriage to
Julann Wright during 1958 from 1976, and two grandchildren.[15]
Funeral services
Griffin's casket in Beverly Hills' Church of the Good Shepherd; former first lady Nancy Reagan is at the far right, and son Tony
Griffin is to her left
Funeral services were held for Griffin in on 17 August 2007 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. The well attended service included former First Lady, longtime friend Nancy Reagan, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and
wife Maria Shriver, fellow actors/television stars Pat
Sajak, Vanna White, Jack Klugman,
Dick Van Patten, Dick Van Dyke, Alex Trebek and Griffin's son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Tricia Griffin. A post-burial reception was held
at the Beverly Hilton, a property once owned by Griffin.[16] He was buried in a mausoleum at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.
GSN honored Griffin airing 10-episode marathons of Wheel of Fortune and
Jeopardy! during the weekend of August 18-19, 2007. The Wheel marathon included two episodes with cameos by
Griffin–Pat Sajak's departure from the daytime version in 1989 and a 1992-93 episode that
ended with Griffin, the MervTones, and Vanna White singing at a dinner club in
Orlando, Florida. The Jeopardy! marathon consisted of a rerun of a college
tournament of champions.
Selected popular songs
References
- ^ Spokeswoman:
'Jeopardy' inventor Merv Griffin dies at 82. Associated Press (2007-08-12). Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
- ^ a b c d e Merv Griffin. The Notable Names
Database. Soylent Communications. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ All Movie Guide. Merv Griffin Filmography.
Fandango. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
- ^ The Griffin Group; Wikipedia; IMDB. TV Land Remembers Merv Griffin. TV Land.
Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ Richard Natale. "Hollywood legend
Merv Griffin dies", Variety, 12 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ Erik Pedersen. "'Visionary' H'wood host, tycoon Merv Griffin dies", The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Aug 2007. Retrieved on
2007-09-09.
- ^ a b John Colapinto. "Dear Mister
Fantasy", Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
- ^ Gaming Hall of Fame Award. Fine Awards. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b
- ^ Richmond, Ray Merv Griffin died a closeted homosexual, Hollywood
Reporter 16 August 2007
- ^ E&P Staff. "Reuters Drops Article About 'Gay' Merv Griffin", Editor and Publisher, 18 August 2007. Retrieved on
2007-09-09.
- ^ Merv Griffin in grave condition. azcentral (9 August 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ David Zurawik. "Merv Griffin
dies at age 82", Baltimore Sun, 12 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
- ^ Kakie Urch; Bruce Fessier; Erica Solvig. "Remembering
Merv Griffin, 1925-2007", The Desert Sun, 12 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ "Hundreds Pay Final
Respects To Merv Griffin", KNBC Los Angeles, 17 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
External links
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