Merv Griffin Biography (1925-)

Full name, Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr.; born July 6, 1925 in San Mateo, CA; son of Mervyn Edward (a stockbroker; some sources cite professional tennis player) and Rita (maiden name, Robinson) Griffin; married Julann Elizabeth Wright(a secretary and comedian), May 18, 1958 (divorced, 1976); children: AnthonyPatrick. Addresses: Office: Griffin Group, 9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.; Publicist: Warren Cowan and Associates Public Relations,8899 Beverly Blvd., Suite 919, Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Producer, actor, singer, bandleader
Birth Details
July 6, 1925
San Mateo, California, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • The Arthur Murray Show, 1950
  • Featured vocalist, The Freddy Martin Show (also known as The Hazel Bishop Show), NBC, 1951
  • Regular, Summer Holiday (also known as Song Snapshots on a Summer Holiday), CBS, 1954
  • Host, Look up and Live, CBS, 1955
  • Vocalist, The Morning Show, CBS, 1956
  • Vocalist, The Robert Q. Lewis Show, CBS, 1955-1956
  • Host, Going Places, CBS, 1957
  • Substitute host, To Tell the Truth, 1958-1959
  • Substitute host, The Price Is Right, 1959
  • Keep Talking, CBS, 1958-1959, then ABC, 1959-1960
  • Host, Play Your Hunch, NBC, c. 1958-1962
  • Substitute host, The Tonight Show, NBC, 1962
  • Host, Talent Scouts, CBS, 1963
  • Host, Word for Word, NBC, 1963
  • Host, Hippodrome, CBS, 1966
  • Host, The Merv Griffin Show, CBS, 1969-1972, syndicated, 1972-1986
  • Voice of Griffin host, Hercules (animated; also known as Disney's Hercules), ABC and syndicated; also affiliated with Dance Feverand Saturday Prom.
  • Specials
  • Ringmaster, The 9th Annual Circus of the Stars (also known as Circus of the Stars), 1984
  • An All-Star Party for "Dutch" Reagan, 1985
  • Ringmaster, The 10th Annual Circus of the Stars (also known as Circus of the Stars), 1985
  • Rickles on the Loose, Showtime, 1986
  • An All-Star Party for Clint Eastwood, CBS, 1986
  • Ringmaster, The 11th Annual Circus of the Stars (also known as Circus of the Stars), CBS, 1986
  • Ringmaster, The 12th Annual Circus of the Stars (also known as Circus of the Stars), CBS, 1987
  • Host, Secrets Women Never Share, NBC, 1987
  • Host, Secrets Men Never Share, NBC, 1988
  • The 75th Anniversary of Beverly Hills (also known as Beverly Hills 75th Diamond Jubilee), ABC, 1989
  • Judge, The 1989 Miss America Pageant, NBC, 1989
  • Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come (also known as Frank Sinatra: 75th Birthday Celebration), CBS, 1990
  • Dinah Comes Home Again, TNN, 1990
  • Host, Echoes of the Big Bands with Merv Griffin, PBS, 1990
  • Host, Merv Griffin's New Year's Eve Special, syndicated, 1991
  • Host, Merv Griffin's Fourth Annual New Year's Eve Live TV Special,syndicated, 1995
  • Demi-Centennial (also known as Rosemary Clooney's Demi-Centennial), 1995
  • Host, Merv Griffin's New Year's Eve Special, syndicated, 1997
  • Episodic
  • Himself, "Earthquake II," Sanford and Son, 1975
  • Himself, "Hi, Society," Newhart, 1989
  • Himself, "Questions and Answers," The Golden Girls, 1992
  • Himself, Hope and Gloria, NBC, 1995
  • Himself, A Conversation with Dinah, The Nashville Network, 1989
  • Guest panelist, The Celebrity Game; also appeared as a detective,Scene of the Crime.
  • Awards Presentations
  • The 61st Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1989
  • Presenter, The 22nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, 1995
  • Other
  • Conductor, Alice in Wonderland (miniseries; also known as Alicethrough the Looking Glass), CBS, 1985
  • Murder at the Cannes Film Festival (movie), E! Entertainment Television, 2000
  • Appeared in Joe Garagiola's Memory Game, ABC; Let's Play Post Office, NBC; One in a Million, ABC; and Reach for the Stars.
  • Television Work
  • Series
  • Creator and executive producer, Jeopardy!, NBC, 1964-1975
  • Creator and executive producer, Wheel of Fortune (daytime version), NBC, 1975-1989, CBS, 1989-1991, and NBC, 1991
  • Creator and executive producer, The All New Jeopardy!, NBC, 1978-1979
  • Producer, Dance Fever, syndicated, 1979-1987
  • Creator and executive producer, Wheel of Fortune (nighttime version), syndicated, 1983-?
  • Creator and executive producer, Jeopardy!, syndicated, 1984-?
  • Creator and executive producer, Monopoly, ABC, 1990
  • Creator, Super Jeopardy!, ABC, 1990
  • Creator, Ruckus, 1991, The Game Show Network, 1998
  • Creator, Click, syndicated, 1997
  • Creative consultant, Wheel of Fortune 2000 (live-action and animated), CBS, 1997
  • Executive producer, The Ainsley Harriott Show, syndicated, 2000
  • Television Executive Producer
  • Other
  • Murder at the Cannes Film Festival (movie), E! Entertainment Television, 2000
  • Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, 2000
  • Inside the Osmonds (movie; also known as The Osmonds), ABC,2001
  • Film Appearances
  • Joe, Cattle Town, Warner Bros., 1952
  • Buddy Nash, So This Is Love (also known as The Grace Moore Story), Warner Bros., 1952
  • (Uncredited) Announcer, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Warner Bros., 1953
  • Voice, The Charge at Feather River, 1953
  • Sailor, Three Sailors and a Girl, 1953
  • George Brevert, Phantom of the Rue Morgue, Warner Bros., 1954
  • Steve, The Boy from Oklahoma, Warner Bros., 1955
  • Himself, Hello Down There (also known as Sub-a-Dub-Dub), Paramount, 1969
  • Performer of national anthem, Two Minute Warning, Universal, 1976
  • Himself, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Universal, 1979
  • A cappella singer, One-Trick Pony, Warner Bros., 1980
  • Himself, The Man with Two Brains, Warner Bros., 1983
  • Voice, The Funny Farm, New World/Mutual, 1983
  • Anchorman, Slapstick of Another Kind (also known as Slapstick), Entertainment Releasing Corporation/International Film Marketing, 1984
  • Himself, The Lonely Guy, Universal, 1984
  • Himself, Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's, Northern Arts Entertainment, 1998
  • Stage Appearances
  • (Stage debut) Finian's Rainbow, New York City, 1956
  • Radio Appearances
  • Series
  • The Merv Griffin Show, KFRC (San Francisco, CA), 1945-1948
  • RECORDINGS
  • Albums
  • It's Like a Dream, Gold Label, 2001
  • Recorded several solo albums, including Merv Griffin's Dance Party, Carlton, and A Tinkling Piano in the Next Apartment, MGM Records; recorded at least six albums with Freddy Martin's band. Singles include "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," 1950, "Never Been Kissed," and "Wilhelmina."
  • WRITINGS
  • Television Composer
  • Theme Music for Series
  • "The Jeopardy! Theme," Jeopardy!, NBC, 1964-1975
  • Wheel of Fortune (daytime version), NBC, 1975-1989, CBS, 1989-1991, and NBC, 1991
  • The All New Jeopardy!, NBC, 1978-1979
  • Wheel of Fortune (nighttime version), syndicated, 1983-?
  • Jeopardy!, syndicated, 1984-?
  • Super Jeopardy!, ABC, 1990
  • Wheel of Fortune 2000, CBS, 1997
  • Movies
  • Song "A Time for Tony," The Christmas List, The Family Channel, 1997
  • Composer
  • Songs Featured in Films
  • "The Jeopardy! Theme," Career Opportunities, Universal, 1991
  • "The Jeopardy! Theme," White Men Can't Jump, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992
  • "The Jeopardy! Theme," The Beverly Hillbillies, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
  • "The Jeopardy! Theme," The Santa Clause, Buena Vista, 1994
  • Books
  • (With Peter Barsocchini) Merv: An Autobiography, Simon & Schuster (New York City), 1980
  • (With Barsocchini) From Where I Sit: Merv Griffin's Book of People, Arbor House, 1982

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • Forbes, August 22, 1988; June 11, 1990; June 19, 1995, p. 45
    • TV Guide, June 9, 2001, pp. 51-56
    Electronic
    • Griffin Group, http://www.merv.com