Phil Donahue, the groundbreaking daytime talk show host who reshaped television, died at age 88 on August 18, 2024, at his Manhattan home after a long illness. He was surrounded by his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, his sister, four children, grandchildren, and their beloved golden retriever, Charlie

Born on December 21, 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio, Donahue launched his career in radio and local TV before debuting The Phil Donahue Show in Dayton in 1967. The show went national in 1970, eventually running for 29 seasons and over 6,700 episodes across Dayton, Chicago, and New York
He pioneered audience participation and tackled tough issues—abortion, race, the Vietnam War—creating a format that influenced every talk show after him, including Oprah Winfrey
Donahue won 20 Daytime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award (1980), and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1993. In May 2024, President Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Off-screen, he was known for his warmth, intellect, and devotion to philanthropy—especially his work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital alongside his wife
Donahue’s legacy endures in every empathetic, issue-driven talk show that followed.