Phil Donahue, the trailblazing figure who revolutionized U.S. daytime television with his long-running syndicated talk show, passed away at the age of 88, according to a statement from his family reported by NBC's Today show on Monday.
Donahue died on Sunday, surrounded by his loved ones, following an illness, as reported by the Today show.
Launching in 1970, Donahue's show arrived at a time when daytime television primarily catered to a female audience with soap operas, game shows, and homemaking programs. His program broke new ground by addressing topics once considered taboo for TV, such as abortion, the sexual revolution, and race relations.
Known for his boyish charm, boundless energy, and distinctive white hair, Donahue was celebrated for his intense questioning of guests and his practice of engaging directly with his audience.
The success of The Phil Donahue Show opened the door for other daytime talk-show hosts, most notably Oprah Winfrey, whose show eventually surpassed Donahue's in the ratings. Winfrey herself has credited Donahue, stating, If it weren't for Phil Donahue, there never would have been an Oprah show.
Following Donahue's pioneering work, the daytime talk show landscape saw a surge in programs known for their sensationalism and occasional outbursts of violence. Hosts like Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Maury Povich became prominent, with Donahue referring to them as his illegitimate children, though he expressed affection for them all.
As the field became increasingly competitive and boisterous, Donahue's show gradually lost its prominence, leading to its cancellation in 1996 after 26 years and thousands of episodes, marking the longest run for a syndicated U.S. talk show.
During its peak, The Phil Donahue Show was praised as a national forum for America's housewives by People magazine in 1979. Donahue believed his audience valued the issues raised by the show and the opportunity to engage emotionally and intellectually. He emphasized that his program was about the honest exchange of ideas, typically focusing on one topic per hour-long episode.
Donahue, who frequently spoke of his Roman Catholic upbringing, was one of the first television personalities to bring national attention to the issue of child sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church. He first tackled the subject in a 1988 episode and revisited it in later seasons, providing victims with a platform to share their stories.
In his later years, Donahue hosted a talk show on MSNBC from 2002 to 2003 and co-directed the 2006 documentary Body of War, which critiqued the U.S. invasion of Iraq by focusing on an American soldier paralyzed in the conflict.
While his show often delved into serious and controversial topics, Donahue occasionally lightened the mood with episodes on misdiagnosed allergies and humorous interactions with celebrity guests, ranging from comedian Jerry Lewis to shock rocker Marilyn Manson. In one episode on cross-dressing, Donahue even donned a skirt.
Donahue's contributions to television were recognized with nine Daytime Emmy Awards for best talk-show host.
Born on December 21, 1935, in Cleveland, Ohio, Donahue was the son of a furniture salesman and a department store clerk. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he worked his way up in broadcasting, eventually being given the opportunity to host his own program, The Phil Donahue Show, on a Dayton, Ohio, television station in 1967. The show caused a stir with its first guest, an atheist, and went on to achieve national syndication in 1970. Donahue later moved the show to Chicago in 1974 and then to New York in 1984 to be closer to his second wife, actress Marlo Thomas, daughter of actor-comedian Danny Thomas.
Donahue's first marriage to Marge Cooney ended in divorce in 1975. The couple had four sons and a daughter. He married Marlo Thomas in 1980.
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