Thursday, August 17, 2006

Mike Douglas

Mike Douglas, best known for having one of the first daytime talk shows on television, The Mike Douglas Show from 1961-1980, has passed away at age 81. He started his career as a singer with the Kay Kyser Band from 1945 to 1950.

From an oldies music fan's perspective, he is remembered for his spoken word hit record, The Men In My Little Girl's Life. Released on Christmas Day, December 25, 1965, this recording reached Number Five on the charts nine weeks later in 1966. As listeners of Treasure Island Oldies know, this songs gets played every year on the Father's Day Special.

During his highly successful TV show, he hosted a vast number of celebrities, including a young pre-teen Tiger Woods, as well as legends like Bob Hope, Barbra Streisand, and even John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who co-hosted the show with Mike for an entire week.

His friends in showbusiness have said that Mike Douglas was one of the nicest and friendly men they ever met.

Mike Douglas, R.I.P.