Merv Griffin

[Andrew Martin Portala]

Merv Griffin passed away today 8/12/07. http://www.cnn.com/
He had some of the greatest magicians in world on his show.
Blackstone Jr.
Jimmy Grippo
Dick and Diana Zimmerman
Mr. Electric
Norm Nielsen
Doug Henning
Siegfried and Roy ? I think
Glenn Falkenstein
Micheal Ammar
Maybe Harry L. ?
Anyone else ??

[Harry Lorayne]

Darned, but I'm sorry to hear this. Merv was a friend. I did his show many, many times. If his people turned me down when a publisher's publicity person called, I'd call Merv personally and he'd always say "Whenever you like, Harry." I traveled with him and others when he did appearances for Westinghouse all over the country. I'd MC the show - start by saying that the audience knew all the people they were about to see, but those people didn't know them, so I'd introduce them - and called off the names of everyone in the audience. Darn, this is upsetting. HARRY LORAYNE.

[Roger M.]

As a kid I watched Merv religiously.
The shows I most looked forward to were the weeks he was broadcasting from Caesars Palace in Vegas (remember those?).

It was many years later I walked up the Strip my first night ever in Vegas (in the late 70's, so still the 'old' Vegas) and thought of all the Vegas performers from all the Vegas showrooms I'd seen on his show.

When I walked past Caesars Palace in its turquoise/green exterior days I took a moment to remember the hundreds of shows I'd seen of Merv broadcasting from inside that very building.

My first exposure to magic and magicians was on Merv's show.

Personally, I often wonder just how much watching Merv and later Carson influenced me and the career choices I made (I've worked onstage in technical entertainment for over 30 years).

Merv was like family in our living room most every afternoon, and it's sad to see he's passed.

[Guest]

I fill out the list tonight, cause there were some gems that I've got on DVD...Merv always liked Carl Ballentine...that style of comedy magic... Didn't he rep the Amazing Jonathin for years?

[Pete Biro]

JOhnny Thompson "The Great Tomsoni" worked for Merv many times, but Merv always mis-pronounced his name, so John would answer, "Thank you Mister GRIPPIN..." (in the Polish accent of course).

[Mitch Dutton]

Don't forget Orson Welles on Merv!OOOOooooooh!

[Guest]

And Johnny Carson.
Mr. Griffin devoted the entire 90 minutes to Mr. Carson. It'd be great to see that again.
Oooooh, do you like the lining?

[Guest]

Originally posted by Mitch Dutton:
Don't forget Orson Welles on Merv!OOOOooooooh!

I actually video taped the last show that Orson Welles did on Merv Griffin. He performed a mindblowing four ace effect. He had past away the following week I believe it was. Merv was a very entertaining host and loved magic.
Rennie

[Guest]

I remember him doing one of his "theme" shows, which was about magicians, with Blackstone, Jr., Professor Florey, and _______, on same show.

Of course Kreskin appeared many times.

I remember Roland______doing the bullet catch on a show from Cesars Palace, with Red Foxx shooting the rifle!

[Guest]

Max--

Merv's association with the Amazing Johnathan was as a producer
for two different projects.

One would have been in 1990 when Merv installed A.J. as an anchoring
headliner within his variety production show
"Red, Hot and Rowdy"
at his Resorts International Casino in Atlantic City.

This was a headliner role previously filled by the likes of
Jerry Van Dyke,
Rip Taylor and Phyllis Diller. The show with A.J. as the headliner notably
increased business.

IN 1991, Merv had an idea to create a game show built around Johnathan's act.
It was called Ruckus and 65 episodes were taped at Merv's casino.

The show ran from September through December on WNBC in New York City
at 7:30 PM.

The show never managed to break through nationally, but against its design,
it became a cult hit among children and college students. People from
the New York City and Philadelphia area still ask A.J. about it today.

The show was in pre-production for a second spate of episodes when
A.J. walked away on principle when his contract was breached.

Coincidentally, Merv and Johnathan have longtime ties to the San Francisco Bay Area.

They also had similar childhoods insofar as they spent much of their
spare time eschewing sports in favor of drafting many of the
surburban
kids around them to invent new games and
to
put on a regular spate of production shows. Of course, Merv's shows
had more singing in them and A.J.'s had significantly more fake blood
but the similarity remains.

One of the more interesting things I ever heard Merv say was that
he was happiest when he was worth only 10 million dollars. He felt
that attaining wealth in excess of that amount amounted to little more
than a headache without providing any additional upside.

Johnathan always had a lot of admiration and respect for Merv and
kind words were sent along to Merv this past month.

[Guest]

Trivia Question.
Name the last Magician to be on " The Merv Griffin Show"?

[Pete Biro]

As a singer Griffin had a major hit to start his career. Name that tune. He also WROTE the theme song for Jeapordy.

[Guest]

Name that tune?

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts. And yes, for some reason i knew this even before it has been in all the obits this week.

I once heard Merv sing it imporomptu on the tonight showa few years ago talking about his big break back then.

Nick

[Guest]

The original, of course, was "I've Got a Loverly Bunch of Coconuts".

///ark

[Guest]

"Coconuts" managed to make it to #8 on the Pop charts. Later he recorded "Belle, Belle, My Liberty Belle" and "Twenty-three Starlets and Me" which didn't fare as well.

He'll long be remembered for his TV show ....

Adrian

[Guest]

I have very fond memory of his show because this was my primary outlet to see magician when I was young.

I was around seven at that time and I had an agreement with my father: he would awake me whenever their would be a magician on the show, for the duration of their act. This is one of my sweetest childhood memory.

Richard

[Guest]

Do we have a winner yet? I'm going to guess either Phil Goldstein, or MaX Maven as the last magicial guest...

[Dustin Stinett]

Originally posted by Jon Stetson:
Trivia Question.
Name the last Magician to be on " The Merv Griffin Show"?

Penn & Teller

[Guest]

OK folks, my basement contains the following on Merv! Jason Randal,Robert Dorian,Nikki, "the Mistress of Ledgermain", Judy Carter,(appearing celery stalks), Nick Lewin, Harry Anderson and Leslie, Ricky Jay, Domanique, Jimmy Grippo, Max Maven, Sig and Roy.....I once again make the offer to anyone who wishes to view anything, 5:45am Orleans breakfast, about a $3.95 value...pick up my tab please...

[Guest]

Originally posted by andrew martin:
Merv Griffin passed away today 8/12/07. http://www.cnn.com/
He had some of the greatest magicians in world on his show.
Blackstone Jr.
Jimmy Grippo
Dick and Diana Zimmerman
Mr. Electric
Norm Nielsen
Doug Henning
Siegfried and Roy ? I think
Glenn Falkenstein
Micheal Ammar
Maybe Harry L. ?
Anyone else ??

I was moved by an early appearance by a magician who was introduced as finishing his run as the opening act for Bill Cosby. "Please welcome, Mr. David Copperfield." He performed the "Weekend in New England" number. Beautiful.

Matthew

[Guest]

Merv had a way of having fun with his guests.

When Copperfield's fourth TV Special was still a few months away, David revealed that he would try to make an airplane disappear.
Merv: "DISAPPEAR WHILE IT'S TAKING OFF???"
No.

Of course, at least one magical guest jested in return. Michael Ammar appeared several times, and one of the later times teased Merv about the hotel that Merv owned: Michael said "I loved your hotel, Merv, very high class." Merv smiled.
"So high class, Merv, that the towels were so big and fluffy I could hardly shut my suitcase."
Merv frowned!

My dad and I laughed about that one forever!

Love those appearances on Merv.