Merv Griffin
August 12
With his own talk show for a quarter of a century, Griffin was a beloved television personality who became one of the country's richest men by acquiring luxury hotels, radio stations, casinos, and thoroughbred race horses. After being hospitalized a month before his death, the creator of "Wheel Of Fortune," and "Jeopardy!" quipped, " 'I'd rather play 'Jeopardy!' than live it! I was ready for a vacation; however, this wasn't the destination I had in mind.' "
Archive 8/13/07 TV host, visionary dies at 82
August 12
With his own talk show for a quarter of a century, Griffin was a beloved television personality who became one of the country's richest men by acquiring luxury hotels, radio stations, casinos, and thoroughbred race horses. After being hospitalized a month before his death, the creator of "Wheel Of Fortune," and "Jeopardy!" quipped, " 'I'd rather play 'Jeopardy!' than live it! I was ready for a vacation; however, this wasn't the destination I had in mind.' "
(AP)