Merv Griffin was one of the most unlikely but enduring show-business figures of his generation. As a serviceable baritone, he made a novelty recording hit with "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts". He was skillful and very able to parlay his chatty personality and astute business sense into almost unparalleled successful TV program personality.

After working as a talk and quiz show program host, he became a national face as the host of "The Merv Griffin Show", which ended its 23-year run in 1986. This popular program, which featured celebrity interviews and performances, was never shown in reruns. Thus, this limited his reach only to those who saw it as it aired.

Merv Griffin Enterprises was responsible for producing such shows as "Jeopardy!" (launched in 1964), "Wheel of Fortune" (1975) and the disco dance program "Dance Fever" (1979). These shows proved that he was a very influential contribution to U.S. pop culture. Because Griffin loved the television broadcasting industry so much, he continued to work as a producer until he died in 2007 at the age of 82.

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