Long before there was Oprah Winfrey, Sally Jessy Raphael & Jerry Springer, there was Phil Donahue. The legendary daytime talk show host who was a pioneer of the genre has passed away at age 88.

Born in Cleveland December 21, 1935 and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame in 1957, Donahue started up his talk show in Dayton, OH in 1967. He moved his show here to Chicago in 1974 and relocated the long running talk show to New York in 1984. "Donahue" as it was known aired for 29 years overall, with 26 years in syndication from 1970 until it signed off in 1996.

Donahue's daytime talk show covered quite a few topics, from newsmakers to celebrities. In addition to incorporating the studio audience, Donahue also introduced a radio style asking "Is the caller there?"

In addition to hosting his long running talk show, Donahue was also a regular contributor to NBC News' "Today Show" from 1979-88.

Donahue also hosted shows on CNBC with Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner from 1991-94 and again on MSNBC from 2002 until its cancellation in 2003.

The 88 year old Donahue died of a lengthy illness at his home on New York's Upper East Side with his wife of over 40 years, actress Marlo Thomas, among those by his side.

As for the all important links...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Donahue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phil_Donahue_Show
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/phil-donahue-whose-pioneering-daytime-135536692.html?.tsrc=notification-brknews