American television host, musician, singer, actor, and media mogul.
He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in film and on Broadway.
He first became famous with his hit song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts".
From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show.
He also created the game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.
Sources
"California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V25T-H8X : 13 December 2014), Mervyn Edward Griffin, 06 Jul 1925; citing San Mateo, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.
"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCNL-FDM : accessed 13 February 2021), Mervin E Griffin Jr. in household of Mervin E Griffin, San Mateo, San Mateo, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 29, sheet 3B, line 60, family 75, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 216; FHL microfilm 2,339,951.
"Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1M-93G5 : 24 November 2020), Mervyn Edward Griffin and Julann Elizabeth Wright, 18 May 1959; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Norfolk, , Virginia, United States, certificate 11040, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V317-B6L : 12 January 2021), Mervyn E Griffin, 12 Aug 2007; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
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