Griffin attended San Mateo High School, graduating in 1942, and continued to aid in financing the school. His abilities as a pianist played a part in his early entry into show business. Raised as a Catholic, Griffin started singing in his church choir as a boy, and by his teens was earning extra money as a church organist. It was these games which inspired him to create the game show Wheel of Fortune in 1975. As a child, Griffin used to play Hangman games with his sister during family road trips. Griffin was born July 6, 1925, in San Mateo, California, to Mervyn Edward Griffin Sr., a stockbroker, and Rita Elizabeth Griffin (née Robinson), a homemaker.
Griffin also created the game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune through his own production companies, Merv Griffin Enterprises and Merv Griffin Entertainment. From 1962 to 1986, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. (J– August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul.
