Legendary Talk Show Host Phil Donahue Dead at 88

A name the younger generation probably does not even know has passed on.

Phil Donahue, a staple on TV when we were kids, has passed away.

He was 88 years old.

A Daytime Legend

I can remember seeing Donahue on TV every day when I came home from school as a kid.

“The Phil Donahue Show” seemed like it was on forever, airing from 1967 to 1996.

According to a statement by the family provided to the “Today” show, Donahue died surrounded by family and friends, including his wife of 44 years, actress Marlo Thomas.

Donahue was called the King of Daytime Talk for a reason.

Before there was Oprah and before there was Jerry Springer, Donahue was the man in terms of daytime TV interview talk shows.

As a matter of fact, Oprah paid tribute to him after his passing, writing, "There wouldn’t have been an Oprah Show without Phil Donahue being the first to prove that daytime talk and women watching should be taken seriously.

“He was a pioneer. I’m glad I got to thank him for it. Rest in peace Phil.”

Donahue entered the business in his 20s, working his way up from a production assistant to eventually becoming an announcer, then moving on as an anchor at WHIO-TV in Dayton, OH.

This is where the genius of Donahue as an interviewer started to be noticed, which led to Donahue having a call-in show called “Conversation Piece.”

During that time, he interviewed John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali.

He eventually moved his show over to WLWD, now WDTN, where The Phil Donahue Show was born.

Donahue would usually host a single guest, interview the guest as well as taking questions from audience members.

On the success of his show by making it attractive to mostly female viewers, Donahue once stated, “The show became a place where women discussed issues that didn't naturally come up, and certainly not in mixed company.

“Much of what we talked about on the air is what women had been talking about in ladies' rooms.”

Rest in peace, Phil, and thanks for all the memories.