Merv Griffin (July 6, 1925 - August 12, 2007)

Merv Griffin was one of a kind. There will never be another entertainer like him. He tried his hand at acting appearing in 13 films between 1952 and 1983. On television he appeared as himself on such shows as "The Tonight Show", "I've Got a Secret", "What's My Line", "Dinah's Place", "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour", "Sanford and Son", "Saturday Night Live", "Newhart", "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", "The Golden Girls", "The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno", "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart", "The Megan Mullally Show", and "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Everyone on the face of the planet knows though that in 1962 he was given his own desk and microphone and would go on to sit in that chair for the next 24 years. His show had some extrodinary people appear...Orson Welles, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Rose Kennedy, Clarence Nash, John Wayne, Jane Fonda, Ronald & Nancy Reagan, Joan Collins, Barbara Walters, Jerry Seinfeld, Don Rickles, Gale Gordon, Lucie Arnaz and the list goes on and on.... Merv also left us two wonderful gifts in the form of "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" Both of which will forever be embedded in pop culture. On that day in August 2007 we lost a great man, a great entertainer, a great personality and true class act.

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