Phil Donahue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Donahue
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Donahue in 1981
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Phillip John Donahue
December 21, 1935 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | August 18, 2024 (aged 88) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | University of Notre Dame (BBA) |
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| Years active | 1957–2024 |
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| Children | 5 |
Phillip John Donahue (December 21, 1935 – August 18, 2024) was a famous American TV host and producer. He created and hosted The Phil Donahue Show. This show was special because it was one of the first popular talk shows where the audience could join in.
His show ran for 29 years, starting in 1967 and ending in 1996. Phil Donahue often talked about important topics that people had different views on. These included things like protecting shoppers, civil rights, and war.
Many people, including Oprah Winfrey, say that Phil Donahue was a huge influence. Oprah said that her own show wouldn't exist without him. He was known as the "king of daytime talk."
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Early life and education
Phil Donahue was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1935. His family was Irish Catholic. His father sold furniture, and his mother worked in a shoe store.
He went to Our Lady of Angels Elementary School. In 1953, he was part of the first graduating class at St. Edward High School. This was a private Catholic school for boys. He later earned a degree in business from the University of Notre Dame in 1957.
Career highlights
Starting in radio and TV
Phil Donahue began his career in 1957. He worked as a production assistant at a radio and TV station in Cleveland. One day, he got a chance to be an announcer when the regular one didn't show up.
After a short time sorting bank checks, he became a program director for a radio station in Michigan. He then worked as a reporter for CBS Evening News. Later, he became a news anchor at WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio. His interviews with famous people like Jimmy Hoffa were shown across the country.
While in Dayton, he also hosted a radio call-in show called Conversation Piece. He interviewed many important figures, including presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and human rights activist Malcolm X.
The Phil Donahue Show
On November 6, 1967, Phil Donahue started The Phil Donahue Show in Dayton. At first, it was only shown on a few local stations. But by 1970, it was shown on TV stations all over the country.
The show moved from Dayton to Chicago in 1974. Then, in 1984, it moved to New York City. After 29 years and nearly 7,000 episodes, the last original show aired on September 13, 1996.
While hosting his own show, Donahue also worked as a contributor for NBC's The Today Show from 1979 to 1988.
Connecting the U.S. and Soviet Union
In the 1980s, during the Cold War, Phil Donahue did something amazing. He co-hosted a series of TV discussions with Soviet journalist Vladimir Posner. These were called the U.S.–Soviet Space Bridge.
It was the first time people from the Soviet Union and the United States could talk directly to each other on TV. Donahue hosted an audience in the U.S., and Posner hosted one in the Soviet Union. People from both countries asked each other questions. Donahue said they "reached out instead of lashed out," meaning they chose to connect instead of argue.
From 1991 to 1994, Donahue and Posner also hosted a weekly show together called Posner/Donahue. They became good friends.
Later TV work
In 2002, Donahue returned to TV to host a show on MSNBC. However, the show was canceled in 2003.
An internal memo from MSNBC was later shared. It said that Donahue was canceled because he spoke out against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The memo suggested his show might become a place for anti-war views. Donahue later said that the network wanted two conservative guests for every liberal one on his show.
Film work: Body of War
In 2006, Phil Donahue co-directed a documentary film called Body of War. He worked with filmmaker Ellen Spiro. The film tells the story of Tomas Young, a soldier who was badly injured in the Iraq War. It shows his struggles after returning home.
In 2007, the film was considered for an Oscar nomination.
Awards and recognition
Phil Donahue won many awards for his work. He was nominated for 20 Daytime Emmy Awards. He won eight of these for Outstanding Talk Show Host for The Phil Donahue Show.
He also received a Special Recognition Award in 1993 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. In 1980, he won the Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2024, President Joe Biden gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Personal life
Phil Donahue married Margaret Cooney in 1958. They had five children: Michael, Kevin, Daniel, Mary Rose, and James. They divorced in 1975.
In 1980, he married actress Marlo Thomas. They did not have any children together. Sadly, his youngest son, James, passed away in 2014 at age 51.
Phil Donahue died at his home in New York City on August 18, 2024. He was 88 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Phil Donahue para niños
