19. Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin was more than just a celebrity. He created celebrities. He was a big band singer, the first American performer to record on magnetic tape, and a popular nightclub act. After his act was watched by America’s darling, Doris Day, she arranged a film tryout for him in Hollywood. He became a television game show host in the late 1950s, and a talk show host in the 1960s. In 1964 Griffin created a new game show, in which the answers were presented to the contestants, who had to come up with the correct question. Called Jeopardy, its original host was Art Fleming. Griffin used his musical training to compose the show’s iconic theme music.
In 1984 Griffin revived the canceled Jeopardy for syndication, and hired little-known Canadian game show host Alex Trebek to host. Trebek’s run on the show made him a considerable celebrity as well. Griffin also created the game show Wheel of Fortune, which ran on daytime network version from 1975 to 1991. In 1983 Griffin created a nighttime version of the show, for syndication, starring Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Griffin eventually amassed a fortune which included not just his television properties but resort hotels, an Irish estate, and thoroughbred race horses.