RIP Mike
August 11, 2006 12:31 PM   Subscribe

Mike Douglas dead.
posted by KevinSkomsvold (42 comments total)
 
Just saw this over at RRC. One of the posters there summed it up nicely: "If Oprah had a penis, sang show tunes, and had a budget of $16 dedicated to set design, she'd be Mike Douglas."
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 12:32 PM on August 11, 2006


.
posted by blucevalo at 12:32 PM on August 11, 2006


Need to find some screenshots of that set, because it was truly awesome ... at least to the discerning taste of 8-year old eyes.
posted by grabbingsand at 12:36 PM on August 11, 2006


.

Among my many after-school TV-viewing staples along about middle school or so.
posted by pax digita at 12:36 PM on August 11, 2006


Lovely comment, but I remember Douglas' show well and Oprah never had his charm.

When I was very small his was one of the few shows my mother took the time to watch. She had interviewed him when he was with Kay Kyser and thought him a "good guy."
posted by ?! at 12:37 PM on August 11, 2006


Some memorable moments courtesy of YouTube:
Mike Douglas w/Tom Waits.
Mike Douglas w/Zappa. (part 2).
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 12:42 PM on August 11, 2006 [2 favorites]


I still remember his unique renditions of "Lido Shuffle" and Earth Wind & Fire's "September." Good night, Mike.
posted by gubo at 12:42 PM on August 11, 2006


My after-school intro to show-biz schmooze. For some reason, this kid is what I remember most about the show.
posted by davebush at 12:45 PM on August 11, 2006 [1 favorite]


Lovely comment, but I remember Douglas' show well and Oprah never had his charm.

Yes. Agreed. He was a staple in my house growing up and it was the first time remember seeing Zappa on a daytime talk show. He seemed like a gentle soul.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 12:45 PM on August 11, 2006


Cancelled.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:48 PM on August 11, 2006


*
posted by pracowity at 12:49 PM on August 11, 2006


You can see a bit of one of the sets here (along with Sebastian Cabot, the Lemon Piers, and Ann Miller) and more at the Mike Douglas Show site.
posted by ?! at 12:51 PM on August 11, 2006


Though Lemon Piers sounds groovy it was the Lemon Pipers.
posted by ?! at 12:53 PM on August 11, 2006


.
posted by Dr-Baa at 1:02 PM on August 11, 2006


But Michael Douglas is still alive, right?
posted by Eideteker at 1:02 PM on August 11, 2006


Wow, That's a shock. It shouldn't be, he died on his 81st birthday.

May he rest in peace.

Loved the Mike Douglas' Frank Zappa show. Decent interviewing, good questions, not smug, not pretentious. He seemed like a decent human being.
posted by nickyskye at 1:05 PM on August 11, 2006


also a staple of my early years. forever wedded to memories of my grandparents babysitting my brother and I during the summer while my parents worked shifts. good times.

if I think hard, I can still picture Dinah Shore as a frequent guest dressed in some horrendous 70s polyester outfit in shades best described as "peach" "lime" or "hot pink"

and, as the article avers, he seemed eminently humble and intensely interested his guests...

rest in peace, Mike.
posted by I, Credulous at 1:07 PM on August 11, 2006


I first heard about Monty Python on the Mike Douglas Show. They appeared when they were promoting "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." They showed the Black Knight sequence. My twelve year old self loved it and I've been a fan ever since.

Thanks Mike.
posted by marxchivist at 1:28 PM on August 11, 2006


My childhood memories...are times gone by. There's nothing like the Mike Douglas Show, Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett or Match Game, Joker's Wild and Tattletales anymore.

Sigh.

Thanks for whatever I saw on your show Mr. Douglas, because while I can't remember the specifics, I can still remember the really bad "I Like Mike" promo they had on back in Cleveland.
posted by DonnieSticks at 1:36 PM on August 11, 2006


He also let John and Yoko co-host the show for a week that one time.

There was often a lot of good stuff on that program.

.
posted by First Post at 1:39 PM on August 11, 2006


.
posted by fixedgear at 1:59 PM on August 11, 2006


Yeah, definitely a childhood staple. See ya Mike.
posted by doctor_negative at 1:59 PM on August 11, 2006


Earworm time.

The Man in My Little Girl's Life

It seems like only yesterday that I can hear my little girl say,
"Daddy, there's a boy outside. His name is Rod. He wants to play in our backyard.
Can he Daddy? Can he Daddy? Oh, please Daddy?"

The man in my little girl's life.
The man in my little girl's life.

Was it really so long ago, she come to me and she'd want to know,
"Dad? There's a boy outside. His name is Lee. He wants to carry my books for me.
Can he Daddy? Is it all right Dad? He's got freckles, Dad!"

The man in my little girl's life.
The man in my little girl's life.

Then came pony tails and jeans, and my little girl was in her teens.
"Popsie? There's a boy outside. His name is Tom. He wants to take me to the Prom!
OK, Popsie? He's cute, Popsie! We'll be home early, Popsie!"

The man in my little girl's life.
The man in my little girl's life.

Before I knew it time had flown, and my little girl had grown. Now it was,
"Father. There's a boy outside. His name is Eddie. He wants to know if we can go steady!
Can we Father? Yes father? Oh, can we borrow the car, Pop?"

The man in my little girl's life.
The man in my little girl's life.

Yes, it seems like only yesterday, I heard my lovely daughter say,
"Dad? There's a boy outside. His name is Jim. He asked me if I'd marry him.
I said yes, Dad. Got something in your eye, Dad? I love him, Dad."

The man in my little girl's life.
The man in my little girl's life.

posted by iconomy at 2:01 PM on August 11, 2006


Does this explain why Letterman was a repeat last night?

Oh. and

.
posted by ZachsMind at 2:07 PM on August 11, 2006


Frank Zappa was so cool, even when he was a fish out of water.
posted by found missing at 2:50 PM on August 11, 2006


Some memorable moments courtesy of YouTube:
Mike Douglas w/Tom Waits.
Mike Douglas w/Zappa. (part 2).


Let's not forget Gene.
posted by davelog at 3:15 PM on August 11, 2006


.

I used to watch him with my Grandma.

...Douglas's legacy may be seen in the next generation of talk show hosts. Rosie O'Donnell was a big fan of The Mike Douglas Show, and has said that she admired and tried to emulate his warm and seemingly sincere attempt to make every guest feel truly welcome. Others have suggested that David Letterman's heightened insincerity and occasional iciness -- almost a parody of the standard-issue talk show -- was originally intended as mockery of Douglas' style. ...
posted by amberglow at 3:18 PM on August 11, 2006



posted by wendell at 3:19 PM on August 11, 2006 [1 favorite]


I don't think Letterman is mocking Douglas, he's just self-loathing.
posted by wfc123 at 3:47 PM on August 11, 2006


Oh no not that at all. I mean Letterman's known to be good friends with Mike Douglas. Mike's been on Dave's show. I'd think Letterman would want a day off if he heard the news.
posted by ZachsMind at 3:56 PM on August 11, 2006


I've head he was the voice of Prince Charming in Cinderella (I think that's the one, as opposed to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty etc)
posted by edgeways at 3:58 PM on August 11, 2006


upon refresh, color me embarrassed. =)
posted by ZachsMind at 4:00 PM on August 11, 2006


I watched Mike Douglas many times as a kid. Mr. Douglas was the epitome of politeness -- something sadly lacking in TV land today.

Rest in peace, dude. Nice guys don't always finish last.
posted by bim at 5:13 PM on August 11, 2006


davebush! Strange you should mention Mason Reece. That's my (and my brother's) most vivid memory of the MD show. We especially remember when Mason was the co-host for a week and when Mike announced that Harry Chapin would be performing his hit, "Cat's in the Cradle," Mason starting crying and saying, "no, no, no" and Mike became so concerned, he held Mason in his arms and cut to Harry. Don't know what happened, but I think Mike said something later about how lots of families may find something familiar in Chapin's song (about a workaholic and disinterested father). Quite a moment! I'll always remember Mike's compassion toward Mason.
posted by uniongrrl at 5:28 PM on August 11, 2006


(Letterman's been on vacation for two weeks.)

I attended the MD show when it was produced in Los Angeles. Co-host was a pre-Dallas Victoria Principal, Robby Benson (who sang! he sucked!), Tony Orlando, and some other guy who did some crazy song/dance and ended up being cut from the show.

My impression of Mike: very nice, very tan, and much thinner than I expected. He reminded me of my dad (except for the thin thing).

Bless ya, Mike!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 6:01 PM on August 11, 2006



posted by Tenuki at 6:09 PM on August 11, 2006


RIP. It was my after-school viewing preference when I was 8 or so.

And I've gotten high with Mason Reese and seen him getting a lapdance (on different occasions). Really.
posted by AJaffe at 7:33 PM on August 11, 2006


We're losing some true classics, and more to come at an accelerated pace, I'm afraid. Thank goodness for the intarweb and YouTube so that we can watch them forever.
posted by davidmsc at 7:38 PM on August 11, 2006


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posted by Smart Dalek at 8:06 PM on August 11, 2006


that reminds me of an old joke ... the vatican announced there would be changes in the mass with more singing, better sets and mike douglas as co-host ...
posted by pyramid termite at 9:06 PM on August 11, 2006


Cool jpg pracowity.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 1:36 AM on August 12, 2006


Great interview with Tom Waits - not only was Douglas a charming interviewer, but someone with guts and intelligence. Who else in the 70's would have put Waits on TV and talk with him without fear or condescension.

RIP, Mike.
posted by cptnrandy at 9:08 AM on August 12, 2006


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