His death was announced onThe Today Showthis morning.Todayshared a statement from Donahues family.
See the announcement below.
Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness.
Phil Donahue in 1978 and 1993Everett Collection
Within four years, he also had a radio call-in show calledConversation Piecefor WHIOs affiliated radio station.
His usually genial demeanor did not, however, mean that Donahue avoided hot-button issues.
Raising his voice, he told the author, Dont be so sensitive!
They married in 1980.
His low-rated MSNBC show was soon canceled.
Donahue received the Daytime Emmy Award for lifetime achievement in 1996.
He received a Peabody Award in 1981 and has been inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
Is the caller there?
became a national catchphrase.
He was the first and only journalist at the time to open that discussion.
Another son, Jim, died at 51 in 2014 of an aortic aneurysm.
