Phil Donahue: Daytime TV pioneer

Phil Donahue pioneered the daytime TV talk show.

Source: https://brioux.tv/blog/2024/08/19/phil-donahue-1935-2024/

(May be subject to copyright)

Originally, for me, it was just the show that was on before “Wheel of Fortune”, back in those days where I could watch cable TV at my cousin’s place in Lethbridge during the summer.

“Donahue” was just a name, and a white haired man with a microphone hosting a talk show coming from Chicago.

At 10 years old, I did not realize Phil Donahue was pioneering that talk show format, tackling some of the same issues I came to care about years later as an adult.

I was thinking about that today, when I heard Phil Donahue had passed away a couple days ago on August 18.

He was 88 years old.

Pioneer
Wikipedia provides a good history. Phil Donahue was named the new host of a daytime TV talk show in Dayton, Ohio in 1967. The station kept the live format and studio audience, but Donahue took the show in a new direction. Each show would focus on a single guest and topic for the entire 60 minutes. After introducing the guest and explaining the topic, Donahue would invite the members of the studio audience to ask questions of the guest. He would then act as moderator of the discussion between the guest and the audience.

He would interview guests on a variety of topics from politics and social issues to religion.

The show ran until 1970, when Donahue took his show into national syndication. It taped shows on the road then moved to Chicago in 1974. On January 26, 1975, Donahue celebrated his 1,000th episode.

Marlo Thomas, who would become Donahue’s wife in 1980, first appeared on the show in 1977 to promote a movie she was in. She was the daughter of comedian Danny Thomas. Her next appearance was on January 13, 1979 to celebrate the show’s 2,000th episode.

Donahue celebrated his 3,000th episode on January 11, 1982. In 1985, The show moved to New York and, on November 13, 1985, the show celebrated its 4,000th episode.

On September 16, 1987, the show commemorated its 20th anniversary and 5,000th episode.

As the 1980s closed, Donahue showed few signs of slowing down.

The years after
“Donahue” celebrated its 25th anniversary on November 15, 1992 and its 6,000th episode on December 6, 1992.

It was noted more and more talk shows sprang up, and many became more like tabloids, while Donahue continued to take the high road.

Soon, for a variety of reasons, ratings declined, and Donahue decided to retire.

The show aired its series finale in syndication on September 13, 1996. “Donahue” had been on the air for 29 seasons and 6,715 episodes.

Phil Donahue was nominated for 20 Daytime Emmy awards, winning eight in the Outstanding Talk Show Host category.

On January 5, 1996 Donahue announced he was retiring from broadcasting to spend more time with his wife Marlo Thomas, his five children from a previous marriage, and his grandchildren.

In July of 2002, Donahue returned to television after a seven-year retirement to host a show called “Donahue” on MSNBC. The show was cancelled a few months later on February 25, 2003.

He would go on to direct a documentary, and do some other projects.

Phil Donahue died at his home in Manhattan on August 18, surrounded by family, after a long illness.

Parting thoughts
Phil Donahue revolutionized the daytime talk show, so much so his format became the norm. It is difficult to fathom what it looked like before Donahue came along.

Oprah Winfrey said there would not have been an “Oprah Winfrey Show”, had “Donahue” not come along.

That is pretty high praise from someone considered the queen of daytime TV.