As host of his eponymous talk show for nearly a quarter of a century, Merv Griffin said his audience saw him as "every mother's favorite son-in-law." Merv was the man who brought glamour and laughter into America's homes, but didn't shy away from spotlighting serious cultural leaders, controversial figures of the day, or mostly unknowns like Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Cruise.
The three-discs of this initial set are filled with almost nine hours of remarkable interviews, including four United States Presidents (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan); Hollywood royalty like John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman and Orson Welles; and titled royalty like Princess Grace.
Culled from the 5,500 shows and 25,000 guests that appeared on the award-winning, critically acclaimed talk-show during its historic broadcast run, The Merv Griffin Show: 40 Of The Most Interesting People Of All Time
DISC 1: GREATEST HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS
- Orson Welles
- Ingrid Bergman
- Richard Burton
- Sophia Loren
- Sammy Davis, Jr.
- David Niven
- Tom Cruise
- Jane Fonda
- Roger Vadim
- Denzel Washington
- Sir Laurence Olivier
- Michael Caine
- Joan Collins
- Tom Hanks
- Lee Marvin
- Janet Leigh
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Grace Kelly
- Christopher Reeve
- John Wayne
- Clarence Nash (Voice Of Donald Duck)
- Roy Rogers
DISC 2: GREATEST COMEDIANS
- Jack Benny
- Don Rickles
- Jerry Seinfield
- Jackie Mason
- Danny DeVito
- Carl Reiner
- George Carlin
- Jay Leno
- Richard Pryor
- Phyllis Diller
- Totie Fields
- George Burns
- Billy Crystal
- Tony Danza
- Monti Rock III
DISC 3: EXTRAORDINARY GUESTS
- Walter Cronkite
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Robert F. Kennedy
- Richard Nixon
- Gerald R. Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald & Nancy Reagan
- Barbara Walters
- Rose Kennedy
Merv Griffin was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Daytime Emmys, adding another Emmy to the sixteen he already owns; he also was the sole honoree at the 2005 Museum of Television and Radio Gala, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York attended by more than a thousand industry leaders and celebrities.
Provocative, intimate and always entertaining, The Merv Griffin Show: 40 Of The Most Interesting People Of All Time hearkens back to an era when the art of conversation was truly an art!
Having spanned three decades and hosted over 25,000 guests, THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW had plenty of material for the compilers of this selection of highlights to choose from. The three-part series features the most memorable guests to appear on Griffin's show, including politicians such as Ronald Reagan, Robert F. Kennedy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger; classic filmstars such as David Niven, Sophia Loren, and Janet Leigh; comedians such as a young Jerry Seinfeld (who would latter tip his hat to Griffin in an episode of SEINFELD titled "The Merv Griffin Show") and Billy Crystal; and early appearances from future stars like Tom Cruise and Richard Pryor. The genial Griffin always brought out the best in his subjects, and this five-hour long package is a great way to experience a true master of the talk-show format.
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