Biography
Though primarily recognized as a talk show host and business mogul, Merv Griffin actually generates greater royalty income from his television theme compositions than the majority of recording artists earn across their entire discographies. Originating from San Mateo, California, Griffin initiated his career by composing tunes, competing in talent contests, performing vocals on San Francisco's KFRC radio station, and traveling alongside Freddy Martin and His Orchestra. The initial major success alongside Martin arrived via the quirky tune "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," which attained the top chart position in 1950 and moved more than three million units. Additional successes for Griffin and Martin included "Music! Music! Music!" together with "Never Been Kissed," yet an encounter with Doris Day during their nightclub performance redirected his focus toward acting. Day facilitated a screen test for Griffin, ultimately securing him a contract at the Warner Brothers film studio. While chasing acting opportunities, Griffin made occasional vocal appearances on variety programs before transitioning into hosting duties. His 1962 substitution for Jack Paar on the Tonight Show sufficiently impressed NBC to launch The Merv Griffin Show, prompting Griffin to begin developing his own productions. The 1964 debut of Jeopardy! marked his first major production triumph, featuring the brief "thinking music" he composed—one of the most familiar and profitable pieces in existence, despite lasting merely 14 seconds. Griffin's second major production success, Wheel of Fortune, arrived in 1975, opening with Alan Thicke's "Big Wheels" theme. That composition persisted until 1983, at which point Griffin's own "Changing Keys" took its place. A further positive influence on music emerged during the 1980s as Cal Ruddman from the industry newsletter Monday Morning Quarterback became a frequent guest on Griffin's program, introducing performers such as Devo, A Flock of Seagulls, and the Fixx—acts considered too unconventional for most TV outlets at that time. Griffin divested his production company, Merv Griffin Enterprises, to Columbia Pictures Television in 1986 for $250 million, representing the biggest purchase of a single-owner entertainment firm up to that point, after which he withdrew from public view to concentrate on creating and producing game shows along with additional television content. He resurfaced in 2001 via the release of his album It's Like a Dream through the Gold Label, and Collectables assembled his initial recordings two years later as The Complete Columbia Recordings. On May 14th, 2003, BMI presented him with the President's Award recognizing his accomplishments in songwriting.
Albums
