He was the “King of Daytime Talk,” and it wasn’t just because he attracted a major audience. As he educated and entertained millions of viewers on his namesake TV program, Phil Donahue revolutionized television commentary with his issue-driven approach and innovative format changes.
Known for his willingness to engage with a live audience and discuss controversial topics previously absent from the airwaves, Donahue led a decades-long career that took him across multiple networks and merited a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden earlier this year. The talk show host died Sunday at age 88 following a long illness, according to Today.
As Donahue the show became a syndicated hit and racked up 20 Daytime Emmy Awards, Donahue the man was paving the way for some of TV’s most recognizable hosts, the biggest of all being Oprah Winfrey. “If there had been no Phil Donahue show, there would be no Oprah Winfrey show,” Oprah wrote in 2002. “He was the first to acknowledge that women are interested in more than mascara tips and cake recipes—that we’re intelligent, we’re concerned about the world around us, and we want the best possible lives for ourselves.”
Donahue challenged TV norms
Born on December 21, 1935 in Cleveland, Donahue got his start on TV while attending the University of Notre Dame. He read early morning farm reports at the NBC affiliate on the campus in South Bend, Indiana.
However, his career didn’t take off until the early 1960s, when he joined a radio and TV station in Dayton, Ohio. After showing off his journalistic instincts by landing interviews with infamous businessman Billie Sol Estes and Teamsters head Jimmy Hoffa, Donahue began hosting his own 90-minute radio talk show. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Donahue used new phone technology that allowed listeners to call in and talk to guests, including Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner and activists like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
He carried this focus on audience interaction to the small screen in 1967, when he introduced a TV version of his radio show, simply titled The Phil Donahue Show. Unlike other talk programs that relied on gimmicks like an in-studio band and hosting sidekick, Donahue’s setup was simple: himself and a guest seated at folding chairs and engaged in conversation.
Donahue didn’t shy away from controversial topics and interviews, with his first show welcoming atheism activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and another in 1968 featuring an interview with a homosexual man the year before the Stonewall uprising. This helped inspire Donahue to support LGBTQ rights during his life.
A feminist, Donahue realized his female audience was at the heart of the show’s success and also began highlighting women’s issues. “I honestly believe we have spoken more thoughtfully, more honestly, more often to more issues about which women care than any other show,” Donahue once said.
The program went into syndication in 1970 and ran for the next 26 years, turning Donahue into a national figure. One of person watching intently was an aspiring TV host named Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah didn’t think she could surpass Donahue in ratings
By 1984, Oprah was a rising star herself. After hosting the successful talk program People Are Talking in Baltimore for eight years, she had moved to Chicago and began leading the morning show A.M. Chicago.
Donahue, whose show had relocated to the Windy City in 1974, was her primary competitor in the morning time slot. However, any thoughts of challenging him in viewership quickly vanished with her first episode on January 2, 1984. “To my surprise, the show was a bit of a disaster,” Oprah said in November 2005. “It was a mess. It was just one wrong thing after another... But I got through it. I got through it.”
Oprah quickly learned from her mistakes, and her empathetic interview style and sharp wit connected with audiences. Within a month, the show was No. 1 in the local ratings—even topping Donahue. “Nobody expected me to beat Phil Donahue, nor did I,” she said in 2011. “So when that happened it was like, ‘Whoa. What is that?’ That was a huge victory for me, an overweight Black woman with a Jheri curl. I didn’t think he could be beaten so I wasn’t trying to.”
By 1985, the program was re-branded to The Oprah Winfrey Show, the smash hit that helped turn Oprah into the global icon we know today.
Oprah followed Donahue’s lead in discussing taboos
The Oprah Winfrey Show aired nationally for 25 seasons, with the final episode taking place on May 25, 2011. During that time, she interviewed newsmakers ranging from singer Michael Jackson and actor Tom Cruise to former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
While the show adopted a more lighthearted structure over time to showcase Oprah’s personality, it began with a tabloid talk format. Similar to Donahue, Oprah didn’t shy away from taboo topics. In a 1986 episode featuring sexual assault victims, she revealed her own rape as a 9-year-old child. Three years later, Oprah interviewed Kathy Bray, whose son had died in an accidental shooting only weeks prior. The episode led viewers to to ponder the dangers of guns in the home.
“Until Phil Donahue, we all thought the [Leave It to Beaver] image of America was what everybody else was living,” Oprah said. “It was all entertainment, light and breezy, nobody would ever dare the thought of crying.”
During her show’s final season in 2011, Oprah invited Donahue as a guest along with other talk hosts such as Ricki Lake, Geraldo Rivera, and Montel Williams. They discussed, among other things, Donahue’s lasting influence on talk television.
Despite being competitors, Oprah always held respect for Donahue and presented him with a Daytime Emmy award for lifetime achievement in 1996. “I want to thank you for opening the door so wide, wide enough for me to walk through,” she said.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
