Merv Griffin

Acting

Merv Griffin

Born — Died

1925-07-06 — 2007-08-12

Place of birth

San Mateo, California, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

67 titles

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 poster
7.6

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The Daily Show poster
6.4

The World's Fakest News Team tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.

The Daily Show

1996

Late Show with David Letterman poster
6.5

David Letterman uses mature humor to appeal to his audience in this weeknight series, which gets its music from a house band led by Paul Shaffer. Among the show's most-famous segments are the Top Ten List and Stupid Pet Tricks, the latter of which subsequently led to an additional recurring segment called Stupid Human Tricks.

Late Show with David Letterman

1993

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

The Merv Griffin Show poster
6.8

No synopsis available yet.

The Merv Griffin Show

1962

CBS News Sunday Morning poster
6.8

The sparkling notes of a trumpet fanfare and the familiar logo of the sun alert viewers that it's time for CBS's Sunday morning staple. Journalist Jane Pauley helms the show, taking over hosting duties from Charles Osgood, who spent 22 years on the job. A morning talk show, this program airs at a different pace and focuses much of its attention on the performing arts. After a quick update of the day's news and national weather, correspondents offer longer-length segments on a variety of topics, from architecture to ballet to music to pop culture to politics.

CBS News Sunday Morning

1979

Film credits

2020s · 6 titles

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody poster
7.0

The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

2022

The Real Charlie Chaplin poster
7.7

A look at the life and work of Charlie Chaplin in his own words featuring an in-depth interview he gave to Life magazine in 1966.

The Real Charlie Chaplin

2021

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation poster
2.5

The parallel lives of writer Truman Capote (1924-84) and playwright Tennessee Williams (1911-83): two friends, two geniuses who, while creating sublime works, were haunted by the ghosts of the past, the shadow of constant doubt, the demon of addictions and the blinding, deceptive glare of success.

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation

2021

DEVO poster
7.7

Originally formed amidst the chaos of the 1970 Kent State anti-Vietnam War protest killings, the not quite new wave band Devo scored a hit with "Whip It" and gained mainstream success with their message of societal "de-evolution."

DEVO

2024

My Darling Vivian poster
7.1

The story of Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's first wife and the mother of his four daughters. Includes never-before-seen footage and photographs of Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash, as well as footage featuring Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Tim Robbins, Whoopi Goldberg, John C. Reilly and many more.

My Darling Vivian

2020

My Guest is Orson Welles poster
NR

This is a collection of Welles’ TV appearances from the 70s and 80s, including the one he did with Merv Griffin just hours before he died. Included on the Criterion release of Citizen Kane

My Guest is Orson Welles

2021

2010s · 7 titles

Whitney poster
7.3

Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Whitney

2018

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood poster
7.1

The gripping story of legendary American actor John Travolta: his rise to stardom in the 1970s; his agonizing fall in disgrace in the 1980s; and his stunning artistic rebirth in the 1990s.

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

2017

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic poster
7.1

Mike Epps, Richard Pryor Jr. and others recount the culture-defining influence of Richard Pryor - one of America's most brilliant, iconic comic minds.

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic

2013

The Fabulous Allan Carr poster
5.0

Armed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood parties that defined the 1970s. A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film "Grease," until it all came crashing down after he produced the 1989 Academy Awards, a notorious debacle.

The Fabulous Allan Carr

2017

Game Changers poster
7.4

Alex Trebek hosts a documentary about television game shows featuring interviews with a number of game show hosts and producers.

Game Changers

2018

Mystical Traveler: The Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger poster
2.0

This inspiring documentary follows the life and times of Dr. John-Roger - NY Times #1 Bestselling Author and Spiritual Wayshower. From adolescence John-Roger was aware of much more than this physical level.

Mystical Traveler: The Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger

2014

I Am Richard Pryor poster
6.9

The life story of Richard Pryor (1940-2005), the legendary performer and iconic social satirist who transcended racial and social barriers with his honest, irreverent and biting humor.

I Am Richard Pryor

2019

1980s · 7 titles

The Man with Two Brains poster
6.2

A brain surgeon marries a femme fatale, causing his life to turn upside down. Things go more awry when he falls in love with a talking brain.

The Man with Two Brains

1983

The Lonely Guy poster
6.2

A writer for a greeting card company learns the true meaning of loneliness when he comes home to find his girlfriend in bed with another man.

The Lonely Guy

1984

Slapstick of Another Kind poster
3.1

A rich, beautiful couple give birth to deformed alien twins who, when their heads are together, are the smartest kids on the planet.

Slapstick of Another Kind

1982

One Trick Pony poster
5.5

An aging rock star trying to put together a new album in the face of an indifferent record label and a talentless producer. At the same time, he's struggling to save his failing marriage.

One Trick Pony

1980

Rickles... On the Loose poster
7.0

Special featuring Don Rickles in his live comedy act at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, mixed with footage of Rickles "on the loose" across the state of California.

Rickles... On the Loose

1986

No artwork available
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

All Star Party for Clint Eastwood

1986

The Funny Farm poster
6.0

The laughs are nonstop as a gang of ambitious young comics strives to make it in the exciting world of stand-up comedy at the famous comedy club in L.A., The Funny Farm. These budding comedy stars are as crazy offstage as they are on: Miguel, America s funniest illegal alien ; Miles, who can t decide if he s a black comic or a comic who happens to be black; Bruce, whose manic act borders on insanity; and Peter, the intense political satirist. The Funny Farm is a hilarious and insightful look into those who live the lives of comedians.

The Funny Farm

1983

1950s · 6 titles

Series credits

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster
7.6

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The Daily Show poster
6.4

The World's Fakest News Team tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.

The Daily Show

1996

Late Show with David Letterman poster
6.5

David Letterman uses mature humor to appeal to his audience in this weeknight series, which gets its music from a house band led by Paul Shaffer. Among the show's most-famous segments are the Top Ten List and Stupid Pet Tricks, the latter of which subsequently led to an additional recurring segment called Stupid Human Tricks.

Late Show with David Letterman

1993

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

The Merv Griffin Show poster
6.8

No synopsis available yet.

The Merv Griffin Show

1962

CBS News Sunday Morning poster
6.8

The sparkling notes of a trumpet fanfare and the familiar logo of the sun alert viewers that it's time for CBS's Sunday morning staple. Journalist Jane Pauley helms the show, taking over hosting duties from Charles Osgood, who spent 22 years on the job. A morning talk show, this program airs at a different pace and focuses much of its attention on the performing arts. After a quick update of the day's news and national weather, correspondents offer longer-length segments on a variety of topics, from architecture to ballet to music to pop culture to politics.

CBS News Sunday Morning

1979

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno poster
5.3

Jay Leno hosts some of the biggest celebrities in the world.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992

The Ellen DeGeneres Show poster
5.6

The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to just Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003

Tonight Starring Jack Paar poster
7.5

Tonight Starring Jack Paar is an American talk show hosted by Jack Paar under The Tonight Show franchise from 1957 to 1962. It originally aired during late-night. During most of its run it was broadcast from Studio 6B inside the RCA Building. The same studio would also host early episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Its theme song was an instrumental version of "Everything's Coming Up Roses", and the closing theme was "So Until I See You" by Al Lerner.

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

1957

Tonight Starring Jack Paar poster
7.5

Tonight Starring Jack Paar is an American talk show hosted by Jack Paar under The Tonight Show franchise from 1957 to 1962. It originally aired during late-night. During most of its run it was broadcast from Studio 6B inside the RCA Building. The same studio would also host early episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Its theme song was an instrumental version of "Everything's Coming Up Roses", and the closing theme was "So Until I See You" by Al Lerner.

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

1957

Newhart poster
7.2

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

Newhart

1982

Newhart poster
7.2

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

Newhart

1982

The Golden Girls poster
7.6

Four Southern Florida seniors share a house, their dreams, and a whole lot of cheesecake. Bright, promiscuous, clueless and hilarious, these lovely, mismatched ladies form the perfect circle of friends.

The Golden Girls

1985

The Carol Burnett Show poster
7.7

The Carol Burnett Show is an American variety/sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33. The series won 25 prime time Emmy Awards, was ranked No. 16 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time in 2002 and in 2007 was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All Time."

The Carol Burnett Show

1967

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman poster
7.3

In the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, suburban housewife Mary Hartman seeks the kind of domestic perfection promised by Reader’s Digest and TV commercials. Instead she finds herself suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune: mass murders, low-flying airplanes and waxy yellow buildup on her kitchen floor.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

1976

No artwork available
6.4

The Tony Danza Show was a daytime variety talk show that premiered on September 13, 2004 in syndication and was distributed by Buena Vista Television.

The Tony Danza Show

2004

Dinah! poster
7.0

Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1976.

Dinah!

1974

Hercules poster
6.8

Follow Herc's many labors during the years he spent training on how to be a hero under the tutelage of satyr Phil. Many of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses pay visit to the young hero-to-be and help or hinder him in his new adventures.

Hercules

1998

Sanford and Son poster
7.5

The misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer and his frustrated son.

Sanford and Son

1972

The Megan Mullally Show poster
4.7

Two-time Emmy Award-winner Megan Mullally, coming off eight seasons as wisecracking socialite Karen Walker on NBC's "Will & Grace," moves into the driver's seat as host for this daytime talk show. Each episode is an entertaining hour featuring a mix of celebrities, real people, music, and comedy. Megan will interview top celebrities and also introduce the world to guests of all kinds — from quirky characters to funny kids to offbeat experts.

The Megan Mullally Show

2006

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour poster
6.7

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour is an American variety show starring American pop-singer Cher and her husband, Sonny Bono. The show ran on CBS in the United States, when it premiered in August 1971. The show was canceled May 1974, due to the couple's divorce, though the duo would reunite in 1976 for the identically-formatted The Sonny & Cher Show, which ran until 1977.

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour

1971

Hope and Gloria poster
6.3

Hope and Gloria is an American sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Television and aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes. It starred Cynthia Stevenson and Jessica Lundy, respectively, as the titular characters, both working in an office environment in downtown Pittsburgh. The program also starred Alan Thicke as a local talk show host and featured Enrico Colantoni in one of his first regular roles on television. The series was broadcast in Britain on ITV during the 1996 summer holiday, going out Monday to Friday for seven weeks.

Hope and Gloria

1995

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields poster
7.5

Actor, model, and global superstar Brooke Shields’ journey from a sexualized young girl to a woman who embraces her identity and voice.

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields

2023

The Pet Set poster
6.7

Each episode of this part talk show, part docuseries begins with animal-loving celebrities showcasing their pets. The showcase transitions into a documentary segment on the species previously showcased, followed by a discussion with an animal expert, and concluding with host Betty White and sometimes her guest stars outside with a wild animal.

The Pet Set

1971

The Emmy Awards poster
7.9

An annual awards ceremony honoring the best in U.S. prime time television programming as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The Emmy Awards

1949

Fat Actress poster
5.0

Kirstie Alley's semi-autobiographical tale describes her struggles as a former television star with weight loss, getting roles, and finding love.

Fat Actress

2005

Alice in Wonderland poster
6.7

Sometimes she's too big. Or much too small. Sometimes things are backwards. And there's always too much pepper in the soup! Nothing is quite right since Alice chased a very unusual White Rabbit and stumbled into an adventure that grows curiouser and curiouser. One of the greatest childhood fantasies is captured in Irwin Allen's colorful production adapted from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Originally aired over two nights in 1985 on CBS.

Alice in Wonderland

1985

E! True Hollywood Story poster
8.1

E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and also well-known public figures. Among the topics covered on the program include salacious re-tellings of Hollywood secrets, show-biz scandals, celebrity murders and mysteries, porn-star biographies, and "where-are-they-now?" investigations of former child stars. It frequently features in-depth interviews, actual courtroom footage, and dramatic reenactments. When aired on the E! network, episodes will be updated to reflect the current life or status of the subject.

E! True Hollywood Story

1996

No artwork available
10.0

The Apprentice: Martha Stewart is a reality game show and a spin-off from the series, The Apprentice, that ran in the fall of 2005. Broadcast on NBC, the show featured business tycoon Martha Stewart. Tasks were centered around Stewart's areas of expertise: media, culinary arts, entertaining, decorating, crafts, design, merchandising, and style. The tone of the show was somewhat muted compared to the original, as Stewart brought her own sensibilities to the elimination process, often using her catchphrase: "You just don't fit in" in contrast to original series host Donald Trump's catchphrase: "You're fired." She also wrote a cordial letter to the candidate who was fired; many times she took subtle jabs at the fired candidate and gave frank reasons for why the candidate did not succeed on the show. Several segments featuring Stewart were filmed at her home in Bedford, New York because at the time, she was serving the five-month house arrest portion of her ImClone scandal conviction. Donald Trump, Mark Burnett and Jay Bienstock executive produced the show. Businessman Charles Koppelman and Stewart's daughter, Alexis Stewart accompanied the two teams during tasks and reported their observations to Stewart in the boardroom.

The Apprentice: Martha Stewart

2005

Alf's Hit Talk Show poster
6.5

ALF's Hit Talk Show is an American cable television talk show that aired on TV Land in 2004 for seven episodes. The host is the puppet character ALF, of 1980s television fame. At the beginning of each show, ALF is introduced by his "sidekick", Ed McMahon. The show ran in a 30-minute block and featured guests such as Drew Carey and Joe Mantegna. Prior to the series' debut, Entertainment Weekly described ALF's Hit Talk Show as "a one-shot, a lead-in" for TV Land's marathon of the original ALF sitcom.

Alf's Hit Talk Show

2004

Presenting Susan Anton poster
10.0

"Presenting Susan Anton" is a variety hour that spotlights the music and comedy talents of Susan Anton and helped catapult the beautiful blonde bombshell into the limelight.

Presenting Susan Anton

1979

No artwork available
7.5

No synopsis available yet.

TV Land Moguls

2004

Behind the camera