Griffin dismissed Plott's claims, chalking it up to the fact that Plott was only trying to extort him by lying: "This is a shameless attempt to extort money from me. [50][51], Funeral services were held on August 17, 2007, at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Trending News However, Griffin's show continued to rank in second place behind Carson, even after the move. But Merv Griffin pioneered the concept and the original show debuted in 1964, running until 1975. Griffin said that he did not know his actual worth because it "would keep me from sleeping at night". Part of the deal was that Trump would buy Resorts' interest in the yet-to-be-constructed Taj Mahal project for $273million, and that Trump would own Resorts International Air, which included three Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. in 1964. The Jeopardy! The lawsuits were filed by Denny Terrio, the host of a show called "Dance Fever," and Griffin's former assistant Brent Plott who sought $200 million in palimony. Griffin disliked the censorship imposed by CBS and complained. Merv Griffin Enterprises - Audiovisual Identity Database - CLG Wiki Although Tony said his father was bigger than life, he was also a very private man who appreciated simple things. One of his ex-employees sued him for palimony [and] the case was thrown out of court. Legendary actors and directors who appeared on the program include Orson Welles, John Wayne, Judy Garland (who took over as guest hostess for Griffin on one program in January 1969, six months before her death), Doris Day (Griffin's longtime friend), Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise, Sophia Loren, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Gene Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola, Dustin Hoffman, Clint Eastwood and Grace Kelly. Using the company of his longtime friend Gabor, Griffin avoided being asked directly about his sexuality; however, he remained known as a "closeted gay talk show host." [7], During World War II, Griffin was declared 4F after failing several military physical examinations due to a slight heart murmur. Over the past 16 years of his life, however, Griffin deflected the sexuality questions with a quip, determining that his private life remained nobodys business. He did not get to do that with 'Merv Griffin's Crossword' that comes out in September. In 2012, Reelin' In the Years Productions started handling all rights to the series on behalf of The Griffin Group. He bought his contract back from Warner Bros. and decided to devote his attention to a new medium: television. But what a powerful message Griffin might have sent had he squired his male companions around town rather than Eva Gabor, his longtime good friend and platonic public pal. The guests on the Westinghouse show were an eclectic mix of entertainers, authors, politicians, and "personality" performers like Zsa Zsa Gabor. Tony remembers his father, who passed away Sunday at 82 from prostate cancer, as a man with boundless energy who could command attention wherever he went.
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