Legendary TV talk show host Bill Donahue has died. He is 88 years old.
Donahue died Sunday night after a long illness, his family confirmed “today” Monday morning.
The late star died at home surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie.
The family’s statement requested that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Or in lieu of flowers the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.
Three months before his death, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden.
The former host of “The Phil Donahue Show” was emotional as he was presented with a prestigious honor at the White House on May 3.
Born on December 21, 1935, Donahue grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and began his career in television and radio in the 1950s.
In 1967, his eponymous talk show premiered in Dayton, Ohio. A one-hour show that includes audience participation in serious issues such as abuse in the Catholic Church, the Ku Klux Klan and feminism.
The show moved from Dayton to New York City in 1985. Broadcasting from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Donahue welcomed prominent guests on his show, including Muhammad Ali, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, Muhammad Ali, Steve Martin and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Donahue was the first person to interview Nelson Mandela following the South African president’s release from prison in 1990.
The show also hosted the 1992 presidential primary debate between Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown.
“The Phil Donahue Show” ended in September 1996 after 29 years.
Donahue has won 200 Emmy Awards, 10 for Outstanding Host and 10 for Talk Show, for her game-changing work on television.
“We grew up with the feminist movement, the consumer movement, the gay rights movement, we grew up with the anti-war movement, the environmental movement,” Donahue said. He said In a 2001 interview.
In the latter part of the 20th century, I was able to go public on television and show people who could talk a lot about these very pressing issues, and my name was on it.
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