Merv Griffin (1925–2007)

Died Today (August 12th): Merv Griffin (1925–2007)

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mervgriffin.jpgMerv Griffin (1925–2007)

Born: July 6, 1925 in San Mateo, California, USA
Died: August 12, 2007 (age 82) in Los Angeles, California, USA

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. Griffin was best known for creating the two most popular game shows in television syndication history, Wheel of Fortune (1983) and Jeopardy! (1984) that are watched by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. In the business world, he was identified as the visionary chairman of The Griffin Group.

Happy Birthday: Merv Griffin (1925–2007)

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mervgriffin.jpgHappy Birthday producer Merv Griffin (1925–2007)

Born: July 6, 1925 in San Mateo, California, USA

Died: August 12, 2007 (age 82) in Los Angeles, California, USA

QUOTES:

I’ve been in the public eye for more than fifty years as Merv Griffin, not as somebody else’s creation. I’ve never pretended to be someone I wasn’t. If there was anything really important that people didn’t know about me by now, then I would have to be world’s greatest actor. Forget Brando, forget Hoffman, forget DeNiro… I would have to be the best.
(on what he would like his headstone to read) Stay tuned.

If the host is sitting there thinking about his next joke, he isn’t listening.

You know I really never get down. My philosophy is that you have to constantly be turning the page, which prevents me from getting caught up in any negativity. It’s all about change for me. I just keep moving and enjoy the ride.

I tell everybody that I’m a quatre-sexual: I will do anything with anybody for a quarter. – when asked if he was gay

I worked for Mark Goodson early in my career and he was like the

Godfather of game shows. I asked him if it was a business worth getting into. He responded, “If you have an original idea, there’s no format in television that costs less and brings in more profit.” After I had some success, he reached out and congratulated me on “Wheel” and “Jeopardy!”, saying that I took his advice to heart. He was a visionary and a gentleman, a rare find in showbiz.