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Mike Douglas Dies At 81
August 11, 2006 at 5:07 PM (PT)
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Condolences to family and friends of TV talk/variety show host and big band singer MIKE DOUGLAS, who died FRIDAY on his 81st birthday in PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL.
DOUGLAS, best known for his longrunning talk show for WESTINGHOUSE BROADCASTING originating from KYW-TV (first in CLEVELAND and then in PHILADELPHIA after the 1965 NBC-GROUP W channel swap), started his career as a teenaged singer at WKY-A/OKLAHOMA CITY, and later, after serving in the NAVY in WORLD WAR II, joined KAY KYSER's band as singer for the "KOLLEGE OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE" on radio and TV. After hosting a show for WGN-TV/CHICAGO, he launched his variety show at KYW-TV in 1961, entering syndication in 1963. The show was syndicated by GROUP W until 1981 (when he was replaced by JOHN DAVIDSON) and after another year of independent syndication, DOUGLAS retired.
DOUGLAS, born MICHAEL DELANEY DOWD, JR., had a hit in 1965-66 for EPIC with "THE MEN IN MY LITTLE GIRL'S LIFE," which reached number 6 on the BILLBOARD chart, and sang the lead vocal on KYSER's number one hit "OLE BUTTERMILK SKY" in 1945.

