Remembering Phil Donahue, a TV pioneer with deep Chicago connections
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.
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. As recalled by the Dayton Daily News, he hosted a program called "The Conversation Piece" at the station. He also worked as an anchor at CBS affiliate WHIO-TV in Dayton.
He later switched stations to WLWD-TV, now WDTN, and founded "The Phil Donahue Show" in 1967. Three years later, the program went into national syndication.
Donahue moved his show to Chicago in 1974 and began taping from WGN-TV 9. The program's name was changed to "Donahue." In January 1982, "Donahue" switched his base of operations in Chicago from Channel 9 to CBS Chicago, taping from the station's old studios at 630 N. McClurg Ct. in Streeterville in the historic Studio 1 – which had served as the venue for the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate in 1960.
As Donahue taped his show at CBS Chicago, guests would also sometimes appear live on the Channel 2 News the same day.
Channel 2 reporters also appeared on "Donahue" to discuss news topics and the station's investigative reports. Former Channel 2 News reporter Terry Anzur made two appearances—one to discuss the Cabbage Patch doll shortage that led to violence at stores around the country during the holiday season in 1983, and the other to talk about a series on fitness scams.
CBS even kept an old sign that used to direct the Donahue audience to show their tickets for admittance to the studio.
Penny Rotheiser worked as Donahue's publicity director for 15 years.
"At that time, it was very much a female audience at home," Rotheiser said. "It was women taking care of kids who wanted to know what was going on in the world, and we gave it to them."
With a live studio audience, Donahue focused his show on a single guest or topic, and he didn't stray away from controversy—addressing issues such as abortion, nuclear war, the Equal Rights Amendment, and LGBTQ+ rights such as the adoption of children by lesbian couples. He was also the first TV host to feature a person who had AIDS in the early days of the epidemic.
On his shows, Donahue always made a point of drawing out the audience and getting them involved.
To reach an even bigger audience, Donahue decided to move his show to New York City at the beginning of 1985. Just before that, he sat down in the old CBS Chicago newsroom to talk with Walter Jacobson on the Channel 2 News about his time in Chicago.
"We were worried about a lot of things coming here to Chicago, about whether or not people would like us," Donahue told Jacobson. "Now, clearly, we have benefited so much from being in Chicago."
Donahue and his show, of course, were a hit in Chicago—and around the country.
Besides his work, Donahue's biggest love was his wife, actress and activist Marlo Thomas. They were married 44 years this past May.
That same month, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor in the U.S.—meant for people who have made a significant impact on society.
"To me, this is the end of an era," Rotheiser said. I think he was a very special man, and I think, obviously, the public thought so too."
Donahue raised five kids in Winnetka while taping his show from Chicago.