| Merv Griffin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Mervyn Edward “Merv” Griffin, Jr. |
| Born: | July 6, 1925 |
| Birth Hometown: | San Mateo, California |
| Died: | August 12, 2007 |
| Place of death: | Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation: | Host, Producer, Entrepreneur |
| Years active: | 1944-2007 |
| Known for: | Creating the game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune |
Mervyn Edward “Merv” Griffin, Jr. (b. July 6, 1925 – d. August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul behind Merv Griffin Enterprises. He was best known for hosting the Goodson/Todman classic, Play Your Hunch, and for creating the two long-running hit series, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Griffin was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died on August 12, 2007. Today his company (now called The Griffin Group) is run by executives who worked for Griffin for decades prior to his death. Unlike most game show producers and celebrities in general, Griffin has a tombstone that reads "I Will Not Be Right Back After This Message!"
Shows hosted
- Play Your Hunch
- Keep Talking
- The Price is Right (subbed in the 50s)
- Word for Word
Shows invented
- Click
- Dance Fever (1979-1987 version)
- Headline Chasers
- Jeopardy!
- Joe Garagiola's Memory Game
- Let's Play Post Office
- One In a Million
- Reach for the Stars
- Ruckus
- Merv Griffin's Crosswords
- Monopoly
- Wheel of Fortune
Pilots
- Shopper's Bazaar (original prototype of Wheel of Fortune)
- Buzzword
- Strike a Match
- Winfall
Shows Based on Merv's Inventions
- Super Jeopardy!
- Wheel 2000 (also known as Wheel of Fortune 2000)
- Jep!
- Rock & Roll Jeopardy!
- Sports Jeopardy!
- What is Jeopardy!?: Alex Trebek and America's Most Popular Quiz Show (hour-long documentary)
- Jeopardy!: The Greatest of All Time
- Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
- Jeopardy! National College Championship
- Celebrity Jeopardy! (2022 spinoff series)
- Jeopardy! Masters
Pictures
Created By Merv Griffin Texts
NOTE: On some shows, the text "Created by Merv Griffin" does not appear at the end credits of Headline Chasers, Monopoly & Sports Jeopardy!.
Jeopardy!
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Wheel of Fortune
Click
Rock & Roll Jeopardy!
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Celebrity Jeopardy!
