merv griffin

It was 40 years ago, Jan. 6, 1975, A brash, young Chuck Woolery reached down and spun a giant wheel on the television game show "Wheel of Fortune." Vanna White was still a 18-year-old bubbly high school student. And Pat Sajak was a part-time DJ in Nashville.

Have to say, Channel 13's Facebook post pretty much sums it up for me. "Never would have guessed that Mrs. Garrett would have outlived them all! RIP, Mr. Drummond" Conrad Bain, who also starred on Maude in the 1970's, passed away yesterday in California. He was 89.

Breaking news from TMZ: Actor Ron Palillo, best know for playing Arnold Horshack on the 70's sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, has died of a heart attack at age 63. Palillo, was found by his partner about 4am this morning at his West Palm Beach home. He was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after.

Andy Griffith, the southern folksy actor who played two iconic tv characters in a 50 plus year entertainment career passed away this morning at age 86. He died at his North Carolina home this morning, according to TMZ. Griffith played Sheriff Andy Taylor on the Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968, and was Ben Matlock on Matlock from 1985 to 1996.

Sad news to pass along, according to TMZ, Donna Summer has passed away at 63. She had been suffering from breast cancer for the past year or so, but hadn't let on the extent of her illness. The "Queen of Disco" was in Florida at the time of her death working on a new cd. RIP Donna!

They always say famous people die in three's. First it was Dick Clark, now word from Down Under is 'Men at Work' sax and flute player Greg Ham has passed in his Melbourne home. He was 58. Men at Work was one of the biggest bands in the world in the early 80's, and the flute solo on "Down Under" is as recognizable today as any riff or beat in music history.

Matt Hendricks broke the news Wednesday Afternoon. Davy Jones from the Monkees dies of a heart attack at 66. I remember being a huge Monkees freak when I was elementary school. I remember running home and watching them on channel 41 in Battle Creek. Then loved 'em all over again in the 80's when they came back. The other Monkees reached out and gave their condolences. Even the Anti-Monkee Mike Nes

Famous people died this weekend. With your busy lives and the such, you might have missed these. One was James Arness, "Matt Dillion" from Gunsmoke fame. The actor was 88. He portrayed Dillon for 20 years, which on TV is an eternity. Ask Frasier Crane...uh, I mean Kelsey Grammer.

Hauldren passed away yesterday at 89. If you grew up anywhere in the Chicagoland area, or in an area where Channel 9 (WGN) was carried on your cable, you knew he was. When I was growing up in Kalamazoo, we ALWAYS had Channel 9 on our cable...Bozo, the Cubs, and Empire Carpet commercials...

That's the worst thing about being the oldest man in the world at any given time--your reign at the top will be short lived.

I have a T Mobile phone called a "T-Mobile Tap"..made by Huawei. Who-Wei? I guess they are big in Hawaii. And Singapore.

2 things...1) It's nice to see GR get some positive press after awhile...Newsweek be damned!