Merv Griffin

Biography

Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. During the 1960s, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show, and created the game shows Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Click, and Merv Griffin's Crosswords. He is considered an entertainment business magnate.

Career Overview

Merv Griffin has 57 screen credits in a career dating back to 1949. Signature works include The Merv Griffin Show, Will the Real Norman Mailer Please Stand Up?, So This Is Love. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Acting
Gender: male
Known Credits: 57
Birth Date: 1925-07-06 00:00:00
Birth Place: San Mateo, California, USA

Known For

Frequent Collaborators

Norman Mailer (1 collaborations)
"Cousin Brucie" Morrow (1 collaborations)
James Toback (1 collaborations)
Kathryn Grayson (1 collaborations)
Joan Weldon (1 collaborations)
Walter Abel (1 collaborations)
Rosemary DeCamp (1 collaborations)
Jeff Donnell (1 collaborations)
Douglas Dick (1 collaborations)
Ann Doran (1 collaborations)

Credits

actors (50 credits)
- DEVO
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2024
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2022
- My Guest is Orson Welles
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2021
- The Real Charlie Chaplin
  Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2021
- Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation
  Self - TV Host (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2021
- My Darling Vivian
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2020
- I Am Richard Pryor
  Self - TV Host (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2019
- Whitney
  Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2018
- Game Changers
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2018
- The Fabulous Allan Carr
  Self (archive)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2017
- John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
  Self - TV Host (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2017
- Mystical Traveler: The Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2014
- Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2013
- Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2008
- An-THOR-Logy 1976-1985
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2005
- The Tony Danza Show
  
  - Episode 156 (2005) ... Self actor actors
  
  2004
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show
  
  - Ryan Seacrest/Merv Griffin (2006) ... Self actor actors
  
  - Merv Griffin/Topher Grace (2004) ... Self actor actors
  
  2003
- Murder at the Cannes Film Festival
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Hercules
  
  - Hercules and the Big Show (1999) ... Merv Griffin (voice) actor actors
  
  - Hercules and the Disappearing Heroes (1998) ... Merv Griffin (voice) actor actors
  
  1998
- The Daily Show
  
  - Gabrielle Union (2003) ... Self actor actors
  
  - Merv Griffin (2003) ... Self actor actors
  
  1996
- Late Show with David Letterman
  
  - Drew Barrymore, Jack Hanna (2004) ... Self (voice) (uncredited) actor actors
  
  1993
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
  
  - Jennifer Love Hewitt, Merv Griffin, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley (2006) ... actor actors
  
  1992
- All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- Rickles... On the Loose
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- The Golden Girls
  
  - Questions and Answers (1992) ... Merv Griffin actor actors
  
  1985
- The Lonely Guy
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1984
- The Man with Two Brains
  The Elevator Killer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1983
- The Funny Farm
  The Voice Of... (Voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1983
- Slapstick of Another Kind
  Anchorman
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1982
- Newhart
  
  - Hi, Society (1989) ... actor actors
  
  1982
- One Trick Pony
  Acappella Singer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1980
- The Seduction of Joe Tynan
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- CBS News Sunday Morning
  
  - Front Lines (2006) ... Self actor actors
  
  1979
- Two-Minute Warning
  Merv Griffin - National Anthem Singer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1976
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
  
  - Episode 153 (1976) ... Self actor actors
  
  1976
- Saturday Night Live
  
  - Robert Blake/Kenny Loggins (1982) ... Self (uncredited) actor actors
  
  1975
- Sanford and Son
  
  - Earthquake II (1975) ... actor actors
  
  1972
- Hello Down There
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1969
- Will the Real Norman Mailer Please Stand Up?
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1968
- The Carol Burnett Show
  
  - Merv Griffin and Andy Griffith (1969) ... Self actor actors
  
  1967
- Inside Daisy Clover
  Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1966
- The Merv Griffin Show
  Self - Host
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  - Episode 126 (1986) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  - Episode 60 (1986) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  - Episode 2 (1986) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  - Episode 1 (1986) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  - Episode 139 (1985) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  1962
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
  
  - Episode 1 (1991) ... Self actor actors
  
  1962
- Phantom of the Rue Morgue
  Georges Brevert
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1954
- The Boy from Oklahoma
  Steve
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1954
- Three Sailors and a Girl
  Sailor (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1953
- So This Is Love
  Buddy Nash
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1953
- Trouble Along the Way
  Football Broadcaster (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1953
- Cattle Town
  Governor's secretary
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1952
- The Emmy Awards
  
  - The 21th Annual Emmy Awards (1969) ... Self actor actors
  
  1949
production (3 credits)
- Shade
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2003
- Jeopardy!
  
  - Show #5975 (2010) ... executive producer production
  
  - Show #5974 (2010) ... executive producer production
  
  - Show #5973 (2010) ... executive producer production
  
  - Show #5972 (2010) ... executive producer production
  
  - Show #5971 (2010) ... executive producer production
  
  1984
- Wheel of Fortune
  
  - Destination Relaxation 5 (2008) ... producer production
  
  - Destination Relaxation 4 (2008) ... producer production
  
  - Destination Relaxation 3 (2008) ... producer production
  
  - Destination Relaxation 2 (2008) ... producer production
  
  - Destination Relaxation 1 (2008) ... producer production
  
  1983
creators (2 credits)
- Jeopardy!
  
  creator
  
  creators
  
  1984
- Wheel of Fortune
  
  creator
  
  creators
  
  1983
writing (1 credits)
- The Merv Griffin Show
  
  - Episode 127 (1979) ... writer writing
  
  - Episode 69 (1979) ... writer writing
  
  - Episode 14 (1979) ... writer writing
  
  - Episode 1 (1979) ... writer writing
  
  - Episode 239 (1977) ... writer writing
  
  1962
crew (1 credits)
- Wheel of Fortune
  
  - Home Sweet Home (2018) ... creator crew
  
  - Home Sweet Home (2018) ... creator crew
  
  1983