Talk Show Pioneer Phil Donahue Dies at 88
Phil Donahue, dubbed “the king of daytime talk,” died Sunday. He was 88. Donahue, who spent nearly 30 years as a daytime talk show, paved the way for other, such as Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams and Ellen DeGenere, per…
Phil Donahue, dubbed “the king of daytime talk,” died Sunday.
He was 88.
Donahue, who spent nearly 30 years as a daytime talk show, paved the way for other, such as Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams and Ellen DeGenere, per the Associated Press.
NBC’s “Today” show said Donahue died at his home after a long illness.
His family was with him, including his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his golden retriever, Charlie, his family said in a statement to Today.
Donahue was the first to use audience participation in a talk show. He usually hosted one guest for an hour, typically during a full hour with a single guest, ABC News reported.
“Just one guest per show? No band?” he was often routinely asked and he wrote in his 1979 memoir, “Donahue, my own story.”
“The Phil Donahue