Mike Douglas, former TV show host, dies

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Mike Douglas, who drew on his affable personality and singing talent during 21 years as host of a syndicated television talk show, died Friday on his 81st birthday, his wife said.

He died at 5:30 a.m. at a Palm Beach Gardens hospital, Genevieve Douglas said. She wasn't sure of the cause yet, but said he was admitted Thursday.

She said he became dehydrated on the golf course a few weeks ago and had been treated on and off for that since. He lived in North Palm Beach.

(snip)

The afternoon talk show, which aired from 1961 to 1982, featured Douglas' ballad and big-band singing style, other musicians, comedians, political personalities and sports figures. His interviews included seven men who were then, had been or would become president



edit to add link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_en_tv/obit_douglas

Had some good guests back then.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060811/ap_en_tv/obit_douglas

I used to watch his show when I was a kid in the '70s. RIP, Mike.

I posted quickly here, since some people in GD were confused, thinking either actors Michael Douglas or his father, Kirk, died.

He was never snarky or sarcastic. Right for the times he was a star in.

my group of friends and I did. The place was a nice middle class place where alot of the after-work crowd went. Some big spenders but mostly just the average Joe unwound there. Mike fit right in and welcomed conversation from us all. He was a good addition to the crowd.

I believe his passing is a loss to us all.

Peace to his family.

It was during one wee aberrant time in my career when I worked at the then-fledgling CNN in L.A. LONG before they became what they became, and they were still sneered at, called "Chicken Noodle News" by a lot of other people in the industry who were rawther, well, short-sighted, shall we say. By then, Mike Douglas was in the waning days of what had been an impressive career. He was depressed, you could tell, because all he had by then was this "Mike Douglas - People NOW" show in the same time block that Larry King now occupies. It was as though they threw him a bone. One time, his whole show got preempted because news needed the satellite time to feed something so HQ in Atlanta could get it right away instead of waiting til Mike Douglas's show was over, an hour or so later. I remember the assistant bureau chief at the time going to him and explaining it - "Mr. Douglas, we needed the satellite time. I'm very sorry, but it couldn't be helped. But we saved 60 dollars." The "60 dollars" was what was saved by not having to order up extra satellite time to feed the news story. It just hurt like hell to watch this gentle veteran, such a pro, listen to this pathetic excuse and nod graciously. When the assistant bureau chief went back into the news room, Mike Douglas was still standing there in the hallway, shaking his head. He was understandably upset about having his whole frickin' show dumped for this. And he muttered - a couple of times - "...but we saved 60 dollars. SIXTY dollars." I was SO embarrassed by that, and I'd had nothing to do with it. But it was just fucking EMBARRASSING!!! By then, someone of the caliber of Mike Douglas deserved to be treated with - oh, say, maybe a LITTLE more respect. That was such an awful, painful moment. And he handled it so gracefully. Somebody else woulda thrown a tantrum or something. And you KNEW, deep down, just by looking at him, how it had hurt him to the heart. Even so, he had class and old-style elegance, and treated everyone around him, down to the lowest underlings and rookies, with great respect and comaraderie. He was a genuinely nice man.

Mike Douglas deserved better than that. A LOT better. And frankly, Larry King was HARDLY an improvement. May he rest in peace, and may God give him a MUCH better timeslot!

I used to watch him too. I remember when people like Dick Cavett, David Frost, Phil Donohue, and Johnny Carson were hosting talk shows in addition to Douglas. There seemed to be less hatred and more intelligence on the airwaves in those types of shows, with perhaps the exception of Joe Pyne (who was nonetheless entertaining).

What a memory you have!

When he was a really little kid!

I remember I thought it was weird when he would sing a song. He didn't seem like the singer type to me.

But he seemed like a nice guy, and he was a big celebrity for many years.

RIP.

"The Man In My Little Girl's Life" Also was a Big Band singer in the 40's.

I remember watching his show when I was growing up.

Yes, I did too watch his show every afternoon during the '70's. Excellent program with excellent co-hosts for the week.

clueless Mike was always asking Liberace when he was going to get married

she used to watch the show every afternoon. I believe it came on at 4:00, she'd start fixing dinner right after it was over. Those were the days.

back home (if you know what I mean). Kinder and gentler and all that...

My mother loved his show. I specifically remember the day when JFK was assasinated. I came home from school early. I think she either had been watching the Mike Douglas show or was watching it when I got home.

You are so right. Those were the days. I was in about the 9th grade. Now all you have on TV is crap and sap.

I remember reading they were very close friends for many years.

he was part of Nancy's harem. :smoke:

That is who I was thinking of ~ Merv, the big Republican.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's all pretty ironic, isn't it?

"It's Big Gay Republican Merv's Big Gay Republican Casino".

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Then he moved it to LA or NY. My mom used to catch his show nearly every day.

RIP Mike Douglas.

many laughs and seemed like a swell guy. Rest in Peace.

...of mom in her recliner with a big glass of ice tea, enjoying her favorite afternoon tv host and guests like Charo, the cast of 'Three's Company' and Robert Goulet singing 'To Dream the Impossible Dream'.

RIP, Mike. Say 'hi' to mom for me...



(hey, whadya know, my first post!)

This was in the days befor cable TV. I always liked him. Entertaining but respectful to his guests.

Welcome to DU by the way!

:hi:

:hi:

:hi: Been perusing these boards for a loooooong time now. Thought it was about time I got more 'involved.'

Good to be amongst (mostly) like-minded folks

Mom really enjoyed him and he could hold the kids attention too. He had eye for talent and an affiable personality. He seemed a nice average Joe that was a good conversationalist.

About those ballads...I was watching a show on Woody Guthrie. They played a lot of his songs. My 16 yo daughter was so shocked that I knew so many of the lyrics (which she thought were cool song). She was amazed that even Grandma knew so many song and wanted to know why. I had to think a bit but I told her that when growing up, it was common for folks to sing a lot. A piano was an open invitation for anyone that could play. If they could play a common song, you'd have a crowd around singing after a few minutes of play. The cartoons that they showed before movies would have sing a long verses (now follow the bouncing ball). Of course she thought it was hysterical. Mike Douglas was very reflective of this public singing.

One of the 'gifts' I gave my daughter was whistling...which, like ballad singing, you don't hear very often anymore. She is the only kid I have seen (and I work around many kids) that whistles when she is happily working away. I don't even think she is aware of it.

I think now days everyone feels so left out these days that they have to shout to be heard. Good conversation, like courtesy, among differing viewpoints has become extinct.

RIP Mike, I'll raise a glass, and my voice, to toast you tonight.

If you have the DVD of Cinderella, there is an interview with him on it that is really wonderful. RIP, Mike.

You read that right -- he had John and Yoko on all week, when Nixon was trying to get them thrown out of the country for whatever.

That took some significant guts.

Another Philly celeb, a news anchor, Larry Kane, who had befriended Lennon in 1963 on the Beatles' first world tour, also kept the couple in the local news.

I used to watch Mike Douglas when I was a kid. It was kind of like a nighttime variety show in the daytime, but with more interviews. The week with J&Y was quite interesting, even though I didn't "get" most of the political minutiae they talked about.

We'll miss Mike here, that's for certain ...

--p!

Mike Douglas had many left of center guests on his show. He also had many conservatives on his show. Douglas seemed like a nice guy who let both sides of the political spectrum on his show. The current media could take a lesson from Mike.

I remember when they were on for the week. Yoko liked to take the phone book and pick out names at random and call the people. Then say who she was and try to have a conversation with them about peace and love. It was surreal!!

Mike really did have a lot of good guests on over the years.

I agree that he was a very likeable person and a very talented host.

onto the top of the building where his show was taped for years and years here in Philly. My building used to have a luncheonette, and it was not unusual to sit down at the counter next to Tony Bennett or Rip Taylor, or even john and Yoko once. He had moved here from Cleveland in the infamous KYW-TV/WRCV-TV double switcheroo which from a broadcaster's perspective, was fascinating. It involved an FCC ruling that the original move had been against the rules. Not to digress from the OP, but there was a fellow named Gary Gears who was with WRCV and KYW for decades as the voice-over and studio announcer. Part of the deal was that he and a couple others were guaranteed jobs for life I believe.

Anyway, Mike ran a decent show and through some very interesting times. Yes and Tiger Woods was on with Bob Hope and I believe, Bing Crosby, but I could be wrong about the latter. Definitely Hope, though.

NT

The Michael Douglas Show was much better than Merv's show.

I think Mike was also a much better person.

Watched his show regularly in my younger years. Loved his voice, ( I learned songs like "When Sonny Gets Blue" by listening to Mike) and he did indeed have such an amazing variety of guests. The one guest visit that always stuck with me was the comedian David Brenner, 'cause of the too too funny joke David told. He was sitting on a bench in the train station and someone had left a newspaper on the bench. The paper was under him as he sat. A guy comes up and says "Hey, you readin' that paper?" He gets up, turns a page over, sits back down, and says "Yes, I am."

Very sad news, sorry to hear it.

From NY Times

The program also produced a pivotal moment in American political history: the creative mind behind the scenes at “The Mike Douglas Show” in the 1960’s, the producer Roger Ailes, became a crucial media adviser to Nixon in his successful run for president in 1968 after meeting him on the show. He went on to play a similar campaign role for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and is now chief executive of the Fox News Channel and chairman of Fox Television.