Talk show host, singer Mike Douglas dead at 81

Fri Aug 11, 1:19 PM ET

Veteran television personality Mike Douglas, whose daytime talk show ran for two decades until 1982, died on Friday, his 81st birthday, at a hospital in North Palm Beach, Florida, a business associate said.

The associate, Bob Patterson, said he had no further details about the circumstances of the entertainer's death.

Douglas, who began his career as a singer and performed with bandleader Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge, also was the singing voice of Prince Charming in the animated Disney film "Cinderella."

"The Mike Douglas Show" debuted in 1961 as a local program in Cleveland and was soon syndicated nationally, moving first to Philadelphia and later to Burbank, California, and was the top-rated daytime talk show for most of its run.

In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a stint as guest hosts and had Chuck Berry on as a guest.

Chuck Berry is famous for not using a touring band and hooking up with different ad hoc local groups everywhere he plays. And sometimes the results are less than inspiring– like the jumped up mess that was heard that day on the set of the Mike Douglas show.

Lennon and Berry seem to be singing in different keys, the band sounds like it’s playing another song. Instead of a great rock moment, it’s three and a half minutes of atonal boogie.

But what makes watching this performance so wonderful, is Yoko! During some random boogie moments Yoko grabs a nearby microphone and lets loose with some spirited Yoko-style caterwauling.

A few times Mr. Berry’s eyes almost pop out of his head as this roots rock classic is injected with kooky downtown performance art on national television. One online critic describes the look on Berry’s face “as if somebody just poured an ice-cold beverage down his pants.” It’s that good.

Died on his birthday. RIP Mike.

He deserves credit for being open minded, that's for sure. I have an old video where a 1973 Gene Simmons, playing the demon thing to the hilt as he sits next to Totie Fields.

I grew up watching Mike Douglas back in the 70's/early 80's & his show is better than anything on today, without a doubt.  I remember when Ted Nugent was on back in 78 & MD was mentioning taking his kids to this loud rock show.  It was the Osmonds & Nugent said the Osmonds, in amazement, of course.  I never saw the ones with John & Yoko until 94 when they were on VH1 & seeing him with Chuck Berry was fantastic, but I know it probably freaked out some housewives watching daytime TV at the time.