Merv Griffin Show, The

1 9 6 2 – 1 9 8 6 (USA)
5,520 x 90 minute episodes

Born in San Mateo, California, Merv Griffin became a band singer shortly after graduating from school, and his recording of I’ve Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts sold millions of copies.

In the late 1950s, Griffin hosted the game shows Play Your Hunch (1958 – 1962) and Keep Talking (1959 – 1960).

The Merv Griffin Show made its debut in 1962 as a daytime show on NBC, soon becoming America’s favourite TV chat show. In 1969, Griffin moved from NBC to CBS as a late-night rival for the Johnny Carson Tonight Show.

He switched back to syndication in 1972. The show declined in its later years, airing on fewer stations and often with lower ratings than in its heyday.

Griffin also produced a series of shows that became long-running, financially successful enterprises, including Jeopardy! in 1964, Wheel Of Fortune in 1975, Dance Fever in 1979 and Ruckus in 1991.

After 5,520 shows, The Merv Griffin Show came to an end on Friday 5 September 1986. Merv Griffin Enterprises was sold to the Coca Cola Corporation in 1986 for $250 million.

Profits from his highly successful game shows made Merv Griffin one of the world’s wealthiest entertainers and he ventured into real estate, purchasing the Beverly Hilton Hotel in 1987.

Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated in 1996. The cancer eventually returned, leading to his death on 12 August 2007, at the age of 82.

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