Who was Merv Griffin? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr.

Died At Age: 82

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Julann Wright

father: Mervyn Edward Griffin, Sr.

mother: Rita Elizabeth Griffin

children: Tony Griffin

TV Presenters Talk Show Hosts

Height: 5'9" (175 cm), 5'9" Males

Died on: August 12, 2007

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Cause of Death: Prostate Cancer.

Ancestry: Irish American

Notable Alumni: San Mateo Junior College

U.S. State: California

City: San Mateo, California

Founder/Co-Founder: Merv Griffin Enterprises, Merv Griffin Entertainment

More Facts

education: University of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco, San Mateo Junior College

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Childhood & Early Life

Merv Griffin was born on 6th July 1925 in San Francisco, California, to Mervyn Edward Griffin and Rita Elizabeth Griffin. His father was a stockbroker while his mother was a homemaker. As his family was Roman Catholic, he started signing in the church from an early age. He also used to earn money as an organist.

He attended San Mateo High School from where he graduated in 1942. Then he continued his higher education at the University of San Francisco. During the World War II, he was found to have a slight heart murmur because of which he failed several military examinations.

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Career

Merv Griffin began his career as a singer on the radio at the age of 19. His performance on the radio was heard by American musician Freddy Martin, who asked him to tour with his orchestras, which he did for a few years.

By 1945, he had enough money to form his own label, Panda Records. Soon after, he released his first album ‘Songs of Merv Griffin’. It became the first US Album to be recorded on a magnetic tape. Over the years, he also became very popular by performing in nightclubs. His first song ‘I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts’ was a huge success, selling over 3 million copies.

His first work on the big screen was an unaccredited role in the 1953 horror sci-fi movie ‘The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms’. He next appeared in the movie ‘So This is Love’ in a main role. He continued to appear in films like ‘The Boy from Oklahoma’ and ‘Phantom of the Rue Morgue’. However, he soon became disillusioned with movies and bought his contract back from Warner Bros, after which he decided to focus on television.

From 1958 to 1962, Griffin hosted a game show called ‘Play Your Hunch’ which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. He next hosted the game show ‘Keep Talking’ and also temporarily ‘The Price is Right’ and ‘To Tell the Truth’. In addition, he served as a producer for several game shows such as ‘Reach for the Stars’ and ‘One in a Million’.

He eventually started his own show ‘The Merv Griffin Show’ in 1962 which proved to be a huge success. It eventually went on to win eleven Emmy Awards. He used to tackle bold subjects and also invited controversial guests such as George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Bertrand Russell. He often received criticism for booking such guests.

He started the game show ‘Jeopardy!’ in 1964. The show was a huge success and earned immense popularity. Over the years, it made a record of winning 33 Emmy Awards.

He created another game show ‘Wheel of Fortune’ which aired from 1975. The show enjoyed tremendous popularity and was adapted into several international versions which aired in 60 countries.

When he eventually decided to retire, he sold his production company ‘Merv Griffin Enterprises’ to Columbia Pictures Television, after which he was named by Forbes as one of the richest Hollywood performers in history.

Aside from his game shows, he also ventured into real estate and purchased the Beverley Hilton Hotel and later the Resorts International.

Major Works

One of Merv Griffin’s most important works was his talk show ‘The Merv Griffin Show’. It received good ratings and featured several guests such as Ted Sorensen, Woody Allen, George Carlin, Norman Mailer, and Bertrand Russell. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and numerous Emmy Awards, out of which it won eleven. He had dedicated two of his shows to the topics of Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Another successful and significant work in his career was the game show ‘Wheel of Fortune’. The show was a humongous success and became the longest running game show with over 6000 episodes. It stood at the 2nd position on TV Guide’s list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. It won several awards and nominations and has been adapted into numerous international versions.

Personal Life

Merv Griffin was married to Julann Griffin from 1959 to 1976. The couple had one son. Even though they divorced, they continued being good friends.

In 1991, he was sued by TV host Deney Terrio alleging sexual harassment. Brent Plott, who had been his employee, also accused him of harassment. However, Griffin stated that both the lawsuits were extortions. Both lawsuits were eventually dismissed.

Merv Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996 which was treated successfully. However, it returned years later and led to his death on 12th August 2007. 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.

Merv Griffin Biography