Mike Douglas- An Appreciation

Mike Douglas, the very affable talk show host, who inspired many more- among others Tony Danza (who substituted for Douglas for a week), and Rosie O'Donnell, died today, on his 81st birthday.

The man born Michael Dowd (in Chicago) entertained millions with his daily show, The Mike Douglas Show. The show itself started out in Cleveland, on ther NBC affiliate WKYC in 1961 (go to http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=55478 ), then moved to Philadelphia in 1965. The show would typically air 90 minutes, and was live until 1965- when Zsa Zsa Gabor said one of George Carlin's Seven Words You (Previously) Couldn't Say On TV (that list has since dwindled down). At it's peak, it was seen in 230 cities.

He began his career as a singer for Kay Keyser, crooning to a largely female audience, and was also the singing voice for Prince Charming in Walt Disney's 1951 animated film Cinderella

Douglas' style was non-combative, with witty mix of talk and humor. One of the show's signatures was the weekly co-host. Another was his singing during the opening of his show (he wasn't that bad of a singer, in fact. After all, he did have one Top 40 hit, The Men in My Girl's Life 40 years ago). Douglas had on numerous co-hosts, namely Jackie Gleason- a frequent co-host and best buddy; Bob Hope; and others. He had then-little known comics David Letterman and Jay Leno on his show. Sports figures such as Muhammad Ali- and a then two-year-old golf prodigy named Eldon "Tiger" Woods. Politicians who would become president- namely Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford. The guest list was eclectic and very diverse.

There were, of course, outrageous moments, namely the week John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono co-hosted- the couple would bring some...I think, Buddhist musicians with them (the Lennons were heavily into the Buddhism at the time). And, of course, that aforementioned Zsa Zsa cussfest.

He wrote two memoirs, Mike Douglas: My Story (1978), and I'll Be Right Back (1999)

Douglas died this morning at around 5:30AM (2:30AM Pacific Time) at a West Palm Beach hospital, with his childhood sweetheart, and wife of 62 years, Genevieve at his side

Also click on to http://www.wptv.com/News/081106_mikeDouglasDies.cfm .

It's been years since I've watched his show. Of course, I was a child back then, in the 1970s and most of the 1980s. My first stepdad, Joe, wasn't that fond of the guy, but I would find Mike pretty entertaining. The thing that would stand out for me, of course, was that he would often go on location, to say, Miami Beach (before South Beach became the hottest thing in Florida), yukking up with Jackie Gleason, and his praise for Philadelphia- especially in 1976, when this country was celebrating its' bicentennial. And that darned theme song...it rings in my head as I write this.