Mike Douglas dead on his 81st birthday

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the life and legacy of Mike Douglas, a former TV talk show host who passed away on his 81st birthday. Participants reflect on his impact in the entertainment industry, his personality, and his connections to other television figures, particularly Merv Griffin. The conversation touches on various aspects of his career, including his talk show and potential involvement with game shows and music.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express familiarity with Mike Douglas and his influence, noting that he was a household name for a significant period.
  • One participant mentions Rosie O'Donnell's acknowledgment of Douglas as an inspiration for her own talk show.
  • There is uncertainty regarding Douglas's ownership of game shows, with some suggesting he may be confused with Merv Griffin, who is known for owning several game shows.
  • Participants discuss Douglas's musical career, questioning whether he recorded an album or if that was also attributed to Merv Griffin.
  • One participant recalls having seen the Mike Douglas show and describes his charming personality, while also noting the show's production location.
  • References are made to Douglas's Christmas album and his occasional singing on his show.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on Douglas's significance in the entertainment industry and his charming persona, but there is disagreement and uncertainty regarding specific details about his career, such as his connection to game shows and music recordings.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions about the specifics of Douglas's career, including the ownership of game shows and the details of his music recordings, which depend on further clarification of historical facts.

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Mike Douglas, former TV talk show host, dead at 81 in West Palm

Associated Press
Posted August 11 2006, 1:00 PM EDT

WEST PALM BEACH -- Mike Douglas, who drew on his affable personality and singing talent during 21 years as host of a syndicated television talk show, died Friday on his 81st birthday, his wife said.

He died at 5:30 a.m. at a Palm Beach Gardens hospital, Genevieve Douglas said. She wasn't sure of the cause yet, but said he was admitted Thursday. [continued]

I would imagine that most people here don't even know who this is, but his was a household name for about twenty years.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
I would imagine that most people here don't even know who this is, but his was a household name for about twenty years.

I actually do (which means I've just dated myself). Rosie O'Donnell unbashly mentioned that she fashioned her talk show based on the Mike Douglas Show.

BTW, didn't he also used to own several game shows, including Wheel of Fortune? Or was it Jeopardy?

Zz.
 
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I think that's right. You might say that he was a really big wheel in Hollywood?
 
ZapperZ said:
I actually do

As do I, and I can still picture him.
 
ZapperZ said:
BTW, didn't he also used to own several game shows, including Wheel of Fortune? Or was it Jeopardy?
I'm not sure whether he had any or not. You might be getting him mixed up with Merv Griffin, who owns several and also had a talk show about the same time.
 
Danger said:
I'm not sure whether he had any or not. You might be getting him mixed up with Merv Griffin, who owns several and also had a talk show about the same time.

Oooh.. that could be it.

Now tell me also that Mike Douglas did record a singing album, didn't he? Or was that also Merv Griffin? :)

Zz.
 
I've actually seen the Mike Douglas show, which at the time was produced in Philadelphia. :rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mike_Douglas_Show
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Douglas

He really did have a very charming and affable personality, well at least on TV, and he was very involved in the entertainment industry.

The Merv is Mr. Game Show.

Mike and Merv did cross paths in Beverly Hills, and both were singers.

He [Griffin] earned enough to form his own record label, Panda Records, and his self-released album Songs by Merv Griffin was the first American album recorded on magnetic tape.
from Wikipedia's article on Merv.

Douglas recorded a Christmas album in 1979, and before that, I think he recorded some singles. He occasionally sang on his show.
 
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