With Merv Griffin's passing, I was recalling how much he was enjoyed in my household when I was growing up. We all gathered to watch his afternoon syndicated talkshow which introduced me to a lot of old-time show biz folks and a lot of young up-and-comers as well.
It was a place where people like Totie Fields and Ann Miller could always drop in but Merv also gave big breaks to people like David Letterman and Garry Shandling, too.
Unlike the mild Mike Douglas, Merv always had a freewheeling sense of humor and I recall my dad especially roaring with laughter most days. Okay, dad was an easy target. But Merv did have great comic timing, as I was reminded when I watched this video of Merv singing his early novelty hit, "I've Got a Loverly Bunch of Coconuts."
Doing a quick search, I was amazed how much Merv there is on YouTube. I'm sorry to say my two favorite guests aren't there. I loved it when either of the two Orsons would stop by. Orson Bean and Orson Welles were both tremendous story tellers and you could tell Merv loved having them as guests.
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 Merv Griffin Dies 8/12/07
The entertainment world has lost a legend. Merv Griffin, who created the hit game shows "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" died of prostate cancer at the age of 82. |
