Phil Donahue, the pioneering daytime talk show host whose empathetic style forever changed television, died peacefully on August 18 at the age of 88, surrounded by his wife of 44 years, Marlo Thomas, and their family. Donahue began his broadcasting career in the late 1950s, but it was the launch of The Phil Donahue Show in 1970 that cemented his legacy.
As the first host to invite unscripted audience participation and tackle subjects that other programs shied away from—from women’s rights to the Vietnam War—he created a new blueprint for talk television. His candid, conversational approach inspired a generation of hosts, including Oprah Winfrey, and helped elevate daytime TV from fluff to forum.