Phil Donahue

Phil Donahue was an American talk show host, writer, and film producer best known for creating and hosting The Phil Donahue Show. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he began his broadcasting career in 1957 and later anchored news in Dayton, Ohio, where he also hosted Conversation Piece. In 1967 he launched The Phil Donahue Show, which became the first popular talk show to include audience participation and ran for 29 years, moving from Dayton to Chicago and then New York City before ending in 1996. He also contributed to NBC's The Today Show from 1979 to 1988 and hosted a talk show on MSNBC from 2002 to 2003. His honors included a Peabody Award in 1980, eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Host, and induction into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993. He was interviewed for Finding Vivian Maier (2013).