Product Details

• Actors: Merv Griffin
• Directors: Various
• Format: Box set, Black & White, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, Special Edition, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Alpha Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 11, 2006
• Run Time: 530 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BF2KH0
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,061 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Merv Griffin Show - 40 of the Most Interesting People of Our Time" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A goldmine of archived interviews with some of the most entertaining and influential people in 20th-century America, The Merv Griffin Show: 40 of the Most Interesting People of Our Time is both a pleasure and an educational resource. Using material gathered from a quarter-century of The Merv Griffin Show (1962 to 1986), this three-disc boxed set captures a number of newsworthy figures in very relaxed circumstances, open and funny, speaking freely about their careers or views on world affairs. Griffin, often kidded by Johnny Carson (whose brother, Dick Carson, directed Griffin's program) for producing what The Tonight Show host often called "Merv's fabulous theme shows," actually looks, in retrospect, like a very capable interviewer who can challenge his guests without the sting of confrontation. Thus, when Griffin asks Richard Nixon in 1967 if running for the presidency a second time won't be difficult because of Nixon's reputation as a "loser," the question doesn't seem provocative so much as probing--yet the effect is the same, i.e., getting Nixon to answer a tough query.

Each interview excerpt feels substantial; there are no quick sound bites here. Among the great moments is frequent guest Orson Welles's last appearance on the show in 1985, taped mere hours before his death. Welles, at 70, speaks of old age and the burden of regret and a stricken conscience. He also reflects on great pain from his career and personal life, without getting specific or maudlin. And, uncharacteristically, he speaks frankly and lovingly about women from his past, including Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich. There's also footage from Griffin's visit with Ingrid Bergman in Cannes, 1973, during the actress' brief reign as president of that year's film festival jury. Absolutely lovely and luminous, Bergman discusses contemporary movies, the end of the star system, and returning to the stage. From 1981 is a pleasant chat with David Niven, virtually co-interviewed by Griffin and chatty, previous guest Robert Blake. Roger Vadim and then-wife Jane Fonda drop by in 1967 on their way to begin production of Barbarella; Grace Kelly, in 1976, destroys the myth of royal idleness while discussing her schedule in Monaco; and Lord Laurence Olivier speaks warmly about his children and playing girls in his early, pantomime roles.

Jack Benny and John Wayne are each honored with lengthy, rich segments, the Duke with a montage of clips from numerous appearances (the best from a black-tie show in New York, where Hollywood's most iconic movie cowboy never seemed more cosmopolitan), and Benny spending an hour telling delightful stories from his movie career. (He adored Ernst Lubitsch, who directed him in To Be or Not to Be.) The world of politics and journalism is represented by Martin Luther King Jr., whose 1967 interview explains principles of nonviolence; Robert F. Kennedy, also from 1967, who articulates the frustration of young people and details America's quagmire in Vietnam; Walter Cronkite, championing real television journalism in the days before cable news; and Gerald R. Ford, who tells an astonishing story about meeting his father--very briefly, only once--during his teens. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

As host of his eponymous talk show for nearly a quarter of a century, Merv Griffin said his audience saw him as "every mother's favorite son-in-law." Merv was the man who brought glamour and laughter into America's homes, but didn't shy away from spotlighting serious cultural leaders, controversial figures of the day, or mostly unknowns like Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Cruise. The three-discs of this initial set are filled with almost nine hours of remarkable interviews, including four United States Presidents (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan); Hollywood royalty like John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman and Orson Welles; and titled royalty like Princess Grace. Culled from the 5,500 shows and 25,000 guests that appeared on the award-winning, critically acclaimed talk-show during its historic broadcast run, The Merv Griffin Show: 40 Of The Most Interesting People Of All Time. Merv Griffin was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2005 Daytime Emmys, adding another Emmy to the sixteen he already owns; he also was the sole honoree at the 2005 Museum of Television and Radio Gala, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York attended by more than a thousand industry leaders and celebrities. Provocative, intimate and always entertaining, The Merv Griffin Show: 40 Of The Most Interesting People Of All Time hearkens back to an era when the art of conversation was truly an art!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who are the 40?, December 22, 2005

By	Paul J. Mular (San Carlos, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I always feel these 'clip' DVDs always show too little. And there seems to be alot to cram on three discs.
I'd also like to know who the 40 are since the information I gathered has 45 named guests :

DISC 1:

1)Ingrid Bergman
2)Richard Burton
3)Tom Cruise
4)John Wayne
5)Sophia Loren
6)Orson Welles
7)David Niven
8)Grace Kelly
9)Joan Collins
10)Sammy Davis Jr.
11)Janet Leigh
12)Lee Marvin
13)Jane Fonda
14)Tom Hanks
15)Arnold Schwarzenegger
16)Roy Rogers
17)Michael Caine
18)Christopher Reeve
19)Denzel Washington

DISC 2:

20)Jack Benny
21)George Carlin
22)Jerry Seinfeld
23)Jackie Mason
24)Phyllis Diller
25)Don Rickles
26)George Burns
27)Richard Pryor
28)Jay Leno
29)Carl Reiner
30)Totie Fields
31)Monti Rock III
32)Billy Crystal
33)Danny DeVito
34)Tony Danza
35)Clarence Nash (Voice of Donald Duck)

DISC 3:

36)Barbara Walters
37)Walter Cronkite
38)Rose F. Kennedy
39)Robert F. Kennedy
40)Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with
41)Harry Belafonte
42)Gerald Ford
43)Ronald Reagan
44)Jimmy Carter
45)Richard Nixon

And where is Moe Howard (of the Three Stooges)? He made many appearances in his retirement years!

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Here's Merv..., April 20, 2006

By	Robert Sinclair (Toronto, Ontario) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As wonderful as it is to see the concept of mining the vast library of "The Merv Griffin Show", this set will likely leave true fans feeling like they've been teased and then cut loose. I'm not a big fan of "segments-only" compilations, but I was even more disappointed to see that many of the segments were also edited. In addition, any music elements have been totally removed to avoid dealing with rights issues/payments.

I would much rather have seen these shows released in the same manner as the Dick Cavett sets which gave you the entire show and gave you a real historic snapshot of talk shows from that era.

On a positive note, it still is worth seeing some of these interviews again despite the fragmented presentation. The shows Merv did for CBS (1969-72) were all destroyed/erased by CBS, so it is a special treat to see his October 1969 interview with Rose Kennedy since it is one of the few fragments of the CBS era that are left in existence. This color kinescope was likely acquired from a White House archive.

One error exists on the set: a 1968 interview with Carl Reiner is incorrectly credited as being from 1983.

Considering that Merv owns the rights to his Westinghouse shows (1965-69) and his Metromedia Shows (1972-86), it would have been nice to have seen complete shows more thoughtfully presented.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amazing retrospective from the best of the talk show hosts!, July 4, 2006

By	Alijandra (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderful compilation of the best from a much loved talk show and host of his day.

I have been treasuring the interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Bobby Kennedy, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Orson Welles (a couple of hours before he unexpectedly died), Sammy Davis, Jr., Jimmy Carter, Jack Benny and more!

Back when Merv was doing his show, there seemed to be more of a sense of freedom in expressing oneself, and less of the politically correct climate we have now. That doesn't mean that there weren't views expressed that would make you cringe (ie, Richard Nixon's appearance), but a sense of non-censureship, and the natural likeableness and non-phoniness of Merv prevail. It often feels like you are listening in on a luncheon talk or a living room visit with the host and his guests.

What is amazing is that a guest can come on and talk for minutes on end without getting interrupted by host or commercial breaks. That really is important when listening to King, or Bobby Kennedy particularly. The interview with King, by the way, is probably the most impactful of all.

What helps is that Merv, himself, is such an interesting person. (definitely the male Oprah of his day). His magnetism comes through on the small screen. And definitely in real life. I once exchanged a long look with him at a Bay Meadows horse racing event, back in the stable area. He apparently had a horse running that day. I can tell you that the man has a charismatic aura!

A must-see for lovers of celebrities who actually earned their celebrity status!