Merv Griffin

Actor

July 6, 1925 (82 years)

† August 12, 2007

San Mateo, California, USA

Biography

Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. During the 1960s, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show, and created the game shows Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Click, and Merv Griffin's Crosswords. He is considered an entertainment business magnate.

Filmography

6.4

The Daily Show

Self

The World's Fakest News Team tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.

7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

6.4

Late Show with David Letterman

Self (voice) (uncredited)

David Letterman uses mature humor to appeal to his audience in this weeknight series, which gets its music from a house band led by Paul Shaffer. Among the show's most-famous segments are the Top Ten List and Stupid Pet Tricks, the latter of which subsequently led to an additional recurring segment called Stupid Human Tricks.

6.9

Saturday Night Live

Self (uncredited)

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

7.0

CBS News Sunday Morning

Self

The sparkling notes of a trumpet fanfare and the familiar logo of the sun alert viewers that it's time for CBS's Sunday morning staple. Journalist Jane Pauley helms the show, taking over hosting duties from Charles Osgood, who spent 22 years on the job. A morning talk show, this program airs at a different pace and focuses much of its attention on the performing arts. After a quick update of the day's news and national weather, correspondents offer longer-length segments on a variety of topics, from architecture to ballet to music to pop culture to politics.

6.6

The Merv Griffin Show

Self - Host

No description available

7.6

The Golden Girls

Merv Griffin

Four Southern Florida seniors share a house, their dreams, and a whole lot of cheesecake. Bright, promiscuous, clueless and hilarious, these lovely, mismatched ladies form the perfect circle of friends.

7.1

Newhart

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

5.5

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Self

The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to just Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres.

5.4

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Jay Leno hosts some of the biggest celebrities in the world.

7.7

The Carol Burnett Show

Self

The Carol Burnett Show is an American variety/sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33. The series won 25 prime time Emmy Awards, was ranked No. 16 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time in 2002 and in 2007 was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All Time."

6.9

Hercules

Merv Griffin (voice)

Follow Herc's many labors during the years he spent training on how to be a hero under the tutelage of satyr Phil. Many of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses pay visit to the young hero-to-be and help or hinder him in his new adventures.

7.3

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Self

In the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, suburban housewife Mary Hartman seeks the kind of domestic perfection promised by Reader’s Digest and TV commercials. Instead she finds herself suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune: mass murders, low-flying airplanes and waxy yellow buildup on her kitchen floor.

7.5

Sanford and Son

The misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer and his frustrated son.

7.0

Dinah!

Self

Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1976.

4.7

The Megan Mullally Show

Self - Guest

Two-time Emmy Award-winner Megan Mullally, coming off eight seasons as wisecracking socialite Karen Walker on NBC's "Will & Grace," moves into the driver's seat as host for this daytime talk show. Each episode is an entertaining hour featuring a mix of celebrities, real people, music, and comedy. Megan will interview top celebrities and also introduce the world to guests of all kinds — from quirky characters to funny kids to offbeat experts.

7.4

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields

Self (archive footage)

Actor, model, and global superstar Brooke Shields’ journey from a sexualized young girl to a woman who embraces her identity and voice.

6.3

Hope and Gloria

Merv Griffin

Hope and Gloria is an American sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Television and aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes. It starred Cynthia Stevenson and Jessica Lundy, respectively, as the titular characters, both working in an office environment in downtown Pittsburgh. The program also starred Alan Thicke as a local talk show host and featured Enrico Colantoni in one of his first regular roles on television. The series was broadcast in Britain on ITV during the 1996 summer holiday, going out Monday to Friday for seven weeks.

6.7

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour is an American variety show starring American pop-singer Cher and her husband, Sonny Bono. The show ran on CBS in the United States, when it premiered in August 1971. The show was canceled May 1974, due to the couple's divorce, though the duo would reunite in 1976 for the identically-formatted The Sonny & Cher Show, which ran until 1977.

5.0

Fat Actress

Merv Griffin

Kirstie Alley's semi-autobiographical tale describes her struggles as a former television star with weight loss, getting roles, and finding love.