Television personality, game-show producer, and real estate magnate Merv Griffin was born in San Mateo, California on July 6, 1925. After graduating from San Mateo High School in 1942, he registered for some classes at San Mateo Junior College and the University of San Francisco, but dropped out to focus on his music. He had many careers in this lifetime including a singer with a hit song, I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts; a movie actor, and finally he moved to television. His longtime television career included variety-show appearances, game show host, talk show host, and the creation and production of the game shows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. After leaving the television business, he focused on real estate. He wrote two memoirs and won 17 Daytime Emmy awards including a lifetime achievement award in 2005. He died from prostate cancer on August 12, 2007.
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