Phil Donahue, pioneering daytime TV talk show icon, dies at 88 following a long illness
Phil Donahue, the renowned "King of Daytime Talk" and creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show, passed away on August 18th at the age of 88, said People.
According to a statement reported by the Today show, Donahue died peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family, including his wife of 44 years, actress Marlo Thomas, as well as 'his sister, children, grandchildren, and his beloved golden retriever, Charlie'. The statement noted that he had died following a long illness.
Donahue's family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.
Born on December 21, 1935, in Cleveland, Donahue began his media career in the late 1950s in talk radio and television. He launched his eponymous talk show in 1967 in Dayton, Ohio, gaining credibility and acclaim for tackling controversial topics and taking viewers behind bars for a weeklong series at the Ohio state penitentiary in 1971.
The Phil Donahue Show was known for devoting its full hour-long broadcasts to single, often controversial, issues such as child abuse in the Catholic Church, feminism, and race relations. It was also the first talk show to allow audience members to directly ask questions of the guests. In 1974, after relocating the show to Chicago and renaming it simply "Donahue", the host was able to further innovate the daytime talk show format and find his niche.
In 1985, The Phil Donahue Show moved to New York City, broadcasting live from 30 Rockefeller Plaza. From this new location, Donahue continued to break new ground in daytime television, interviewing a wide range of notable figures including politicians, activists, musicians, athletes, and actors.
Donahue was a pioneering host, being the first to tape episodes of his show in the Soviet Union in 1987. In 1990, he conducted one of the first televised interviews with Nelson Mandela, who appeared on the show via satellite from Zambia. The show also hosted a notable debate between Democratic presidential candidates Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown in 1992, which broke new ground by being done without an audience, moderator, or commercial breaks.
Over the years, Donahue's show featured many other high-profile celebrity guests, from Sammy Davis Jr. to Richard Pryor. His innovative approach and impact on the talk show genre earned him 20 Emmy Awards, 10 for outstanding host and 10 for the show itself. Donahue paved the way for other influential daytime talk show hosts like Geraldo Rivera, Oprah Winfrey, and many others.
In May 2024, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden, alongside Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky and actress Michelle Yeoh.
