Merv Griffin
A private lake, Arabian horses, and his own racetrack to train them, with a reported net worth well over a billion dollars, he could retire here on his spectacular 250-acre ranch. But 77-year-old showbiz legend Merv Griffin likes to keep moving.
Griffin says, "Retirement to me is death."
In his new memoir "Merv, Making the Good Life Last," Griffin chronicles his chameleon like career from band singer to talk show host and TV producer who created the game show hits "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune," and a billionaire businessman who made headlines when he outlawyered Donald Trump for control of Resorts International Casinos back in the 80's. Griffin says, "They called it war at the shore."
Today, Merv the mogul is making the good life last at his desert ranch in La Quinta, California. He says, "I took this, it looked like a home for coyotes, and built this place."
Merv built his own Moroccan inspired paradise where he raises Arabian horses, some costing up to $200,000.
Looking back at the talk show that led him down the road to
super success, Merv says there were many magic moments on "The
Merv Griffin Show," from presidents to princes to superstars
and those on their way. Like a young kid named Richard Pryor.
Griffin says, "Richard Pryor was this sweet little kid.
Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth."
Today, Merv says TV is very different from his days in front
of the mike: too many talk shows and enough with the reality
rage. He says, "I don’t even know what reality is anymore.
People eating worms and falling off buildings and bouncing."
And although he admits sometimes he misses the limelight, Merv is content running his multibillion-dollar empire and living the good life here in his own private paradise.
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