TV game show impresario Merv Griffin is in a Los Angeles hospital being treated for a recurrence of prostate cancer, his company The Griffin Group said on Thursday.
Griffin, 82, a singer and talk show host who also created and produced the popular game shows “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune,” is being treated at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Marcia Newberger, spokeswoman for The Griffin Group, said in a statement.
“Merv Griffin is resting comfortably at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles where he is being treated for a recurrence of prostate cancer discovered during a routine examination a few weeks ago,” the statement said.
Griffin’s son Tony said his father’s sense of humor and optimistic outlook remain intact. “He’s getting great care and his medical team want to monitor his progress in a controlled setting.”
Griffin said in a statement: “I’d rather play Jeopardy! than live it. I was ready for a vacation; however, this wasn’t the destination I had in mind.”
Griffin started his career as a singer, went on to become a chat show host with “The Merv Griffin Show” in the 1960s and created the still-running TV game shows “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” in 1964 and 1975 respectively.