Obituaries
Remembering Phil Donahue, A TV Pioneer With Deep Chicago Connections
Donahue is remembered fondly to this day among those who worked with him in Chicago.
August 20, 2024
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Legendary daytime talk show host Phil Donahue, who died Sunday night at the age of 88, produced his show from Chicago for years before moving to New York—paving the way for Oprah Winfrey and every other TV talk show host.
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While his move to New York took place nearly 40 years ago, Donahue is remembered fondly to this day among those who worked with him in Chicago.
Donahue, a Cleveland native and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, worked a few jobs in radio and television before joining WHIO radio in Dayton, Ohio in 1959. He hosted a program called "The Conversation Piece" at the station, as recalled by the Dayton Daily News. He also worked as an anchor at CBS affiliate WHIO-TV in Dayton.
