Phil Donahue, Titan of Daytime Talk TV, Dies at 88

Phil Donahue has passed away, his family told "The Today Show" on Monday. During its nearly 30-year run on syndicated television, "The Phil Donahue Show" set the standard for issues-based, high-caffeine daytime talk shows. He was 88.

The groundbreaking "Phil Donahue Show" premiered in 1969, changed its name five years later to "Donahue," and ran for 29 years. Sally Jesse Raphael, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, and yes, Oprah Winfrey, who cites Donahue as her inspiration, would be inspired by the host's penchant for energetically moving among the studio audience and soliciting opinions with a microphone in hand to create even wilder formats.

Donahue's frantic, audience participation style began to look downright civilized in comparison as his acolytes increased the circus atmosphere, and the show ended in 1996. However, Donahue was much more than just a talk show host, and even after syndication, he was still busy; In addition, he was a political activist who ran for Ralph Nader in 2000 and was a writer, movie producer, frequent TV guest, and political activist.

In 2002, Donahue made a comeback on MSNBC with a show called "Donahue." Seven months later, the show was canceled because a leaked network memo said that his opposition to the Iraqi invasion would make him a "difficult public face... in a time of war." Donahue claimed years later that the network, which was owned at the time by defense contractor General Electric, required two conservative guests for every liberal one, and that "I was counted as two liberals."

On "Donahue," which was not afraid to approach divisive, hot-button issues that were years ahead of their time, his political leanings were well-known, but he delicately danced the line of partisanship. Donahue played the devil's advocate from a position of sincere inquisition, making progress on issues like abortion rights and gay marriage without coming across as a scold.

Donahue won 20 Emmy Awards, 10 of which were for "Donahue" and 10 for Outstanding Talk Show Host. In addition, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year, was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1993, and won a Peabody Award in 1980.

In 1958, he wed Margaret Cooney, and the couple had five children together: Mary Rose, James, Kevin, Daniel, and Michael He remarried actress Marlo Thomas from "That Girl" in 1980 after they split up in 1975; They did not have any children together.

According to the family, Donahue passed away on Sunday night in New York at his Upper East Side residence with Thomas, his children, sister, and his golden retriever by his side.