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ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip
Hundreds mourn death of entertainer Merv Griffin
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-18 09:17
Tony Griffin (C) helps carry the casket of his father Merv Griffin after
funeral services at the
Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills, California August 17,
2007.[Reuters]
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Hundreds of friends, family members and dignitaries gathered in Beverly
Hills on Friday to mourn the death of entertainer Merv Griffin, including
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former first lady Nancy Reagan.
Griffin, a former television talk show host and creator of popular game
shows "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," died earlier this week of
complications from cancer at age 82.
He hosted "The Merv Griffin Show" for more than 20 years on TV, and was
known for his wit, charm and friendly demeanor as he chatted with
Hollywood's biggest stars.
Speaking to a packed church, Schwarzenegger remembered his first
appearance on Griffin's show in 1974, when the actor-turned-politician
was still a champion bodybuilder.
"My English wasn't that good at the time -- not that it is perfect today
-- but it was scary to get on his show because it was the first talk show
I'd ever done in America," said Austrian-born Schwarzenegger. "But I tell
you that he took really good care of me."
Reagan, a longtime friend of Griffin, sat in the front row with the
entertainer's son, Tony, his wife and kids. Behind them were
Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver.
Hollywood celebrities included Pat Sajak and Vanna White, who both star
on "Wheel of Fortune," as well as "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek. Also at
the funeral service were actors Dick Van Dyke, Jack Klugman and Dick Van
Patten.
Rev. George O'Brien of the Church of the Good Shepherd, where the
memorial service was held, also noted Griffin's grace and wit when
eulogizing the well-liked entertainer.
"In a world where there is precious little affability and friendship and
concern and compassion ... his life is a reminder that maybe we ought to
act differently," O'Brien said.
Griffin rose to fame singing the 1950 novelty hit "I've Got a Lovely
Bunch of Coconuts," and he spent 23 years hosting the talk show that for
years was the most successful syndicated U.S. TV program.
He parlayed his celebrity into a billion-dollar fortune as a businessman,
owning game shows and developing numerous hotels, resorts and other real
estate ventures.
In mid-July, Griffin entered a Beverly Hills hospital after being
diagnosed earlier this year with a recurrence of prostate cancer that he
had beaten more than a decade ago.
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