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.

KNOWN FOR

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1991
The Daily Show
2003
Late Show with David Letterman
2004
Saturday Night Live
1982
Jeopardy!
1984
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
CBS News Sunday Morning
2006
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2006
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2004
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1962
The Golden Girls
1992
The Carol Burnett Show
1969

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
65
Writing
3
Producing
5
Crew
1
2024
DEVO
as Self (archive footage)
2023
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
as Self (archive footage)
2022
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
as Self (archive footage)
2021
Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation
as Self - TV Host (archive footage)
2021
The Real Charlie Chaplin
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
My Guest is Orson Welles
2020
My Darling Vivian
as Self (archive footage)
2019
I Am Richard Pryor
as Self - TV Host (archive footage)
2018
Whitney
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2018
Game Changers
as Self (archive footage)
2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
as Self - TV Host (archive footage)
2017
The Fabulous Allan Carr
as Self (archive footage)
2014
Mystical Traveler: The Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger
as Self (archive footage)
2013
Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
as Self (archive footage)
2008
Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon
as Himself
2006
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2006
CBS News Sunday Morning
as Self
2006
The Megan Mullally Show
as Self - Guest
2005
An-THOR-Logy 1976-1985
as Himself
2005
The Tony Danza Show
as Self
2005
Fat Actress
as Merv Griffin
2005
E! True Hollywood Story
2005
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self
2004
TV Land Moguls
2004
Alf's Hit Talk Show
2004
Late Show with David Letterman
as Self (voice) (uncredited)
2003
The Daily Show
as Self
2000
Murder at the Cannes Film Festival
as Self
1998
Hercules
as Merv Griffin (voice)
1995
Hope and Gloria
as Merv Griffin
1992
The Golden Girls
as Merv Griffin
1991
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1989
Newhart
1986
Rickles... On the Loose
as Self
1986
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
as Self
1985
Alice in Wonderland
as Conductor
1984
The Lonely Guy
as Himself
1983
The Man with Two Brains
as The Elevator Killer
1983
The Funny Farm
as The Voice Of... (Voice)
1982
Slapstick of Another Kind
as Anchorman
1982
Saturday Night Live
as Self (uncredited)
1980
One Trick Pony
as Acappella Singer
1979
The Seduction of Joe Tynan
as Himself
1979
Presenting Susan Anton
1976
Two-Minute Warning
as Merv Griffin - National Anthem Singer
1976
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
as Self
1975
Sanford and Son
1974
Dinah!
as Self
1971
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
1971
The Pet Set
as Self
1969
Hello Down There
as Himself
1969
The Emmy Awards
as Self
1969
The Carol Burnett Show
as Self
1968
Will the Real Norman Mailer Please Stand Up?
as Self
1966
Inside Daisy Clover
as Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self - Host
1962
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
as Self - Guest Host
1962
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
as Self
1954
Phantom of the Rue Morgue
as Georges Brevert
1954
The Boy from Oklahoma
as Steve
1953
So This Is Love
as Buddy Nash
1953
Trouble Along the Way
as Football Broadcaster (voice)
1953
Three Sailors and a Girl
as Sailor (uncredited)
1952
Cattle Town
as Governor's secretary