WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mike Dougl...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mike Douglas, the Chicago-born singer whose affable personality earned him 21 years as a television talk indicate host, died Friday on his 81st birthday.

He died in a Palm Beach Gardens hospital, said his wife, Genevieve Douglas. She wasn't assured of the cause but said he had been admitted Thursday.

Mr Douglas became dehydrated forward the golf course a scarcely any weeks ago and had been treated upon and off since. "He was coming along fine, we deliberation It was really a shock" she said.

Mr Douglas' afternoon exhibit to aired from 1961 to 1982 It featured his ballad and big-band singing name other musicians, comedians, sports figures and political personal- ities, including seven former, sitting or yet to be presidents.

"People still believe 'The Mike Douglas Show' was a talk indicate and I never correct them, on the other hand I don't think so," Mr Douglas said in his 1999 memoir, I'll Be Right Back: Memories of TV's Greatest Talk exhibit

"It was really a music display with a whole lot of talk and laughter in between numbers."

Mr Douglas did about 6000 indicates most 90 minutes long, and estimated that at its peak the syndicated exhibit was seen in about 230 cities.

"He was a genuine nice guy" longtime friend Larry King said Friday upon CNN. "It was easy to be around him. He had a relaxed measure about him, and he also had an incredible ability to win great guests."

Tom Kelly who co-authored the memoir, said about 30000 visitants appear on Mr. Douglas' point out to over the years.

"One big key-note to his great success was he had his subject in check," Kelly said. "He always give leave to the guest have the limelight. He was a fine performer. He could sing, he could do comedy he did it all, on the contrary he always gave the visitant the spotlight."

landlords Phil Donahue, Dinah Shore and Merv Griffin also build success about the same time. Mr Douglas said in his work that people often confused him with Griffin, another singer of Irish heritage.

In his memoir, Mr Douglas fondly recalled when Tiger groves who as a toddler was already drawing attention, appeared forward the same 1978 show as knock Hope, an avid golfer. "I don't know what kind of medicines they've got this kid on" trust quipped, "but I want some"

Born Michael Delaney Dowd in Chicago forward Aug. 11, 1925, Mr. Douglas began his career as a teenage singer and entertainer for tea clubs and radio programs.

He was the staff singer at radio station WKY in Oklahoma City before serving onward a Navy munitions ship in World War II.

Returning domestic circle he became a featured performer onward the radio and eventual television program "Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge."

Mr Douglas had more [i]or[/i] less hits with Kyser in the 1940 and made the unexpectedly charts one more time in 1966 with "The Men in My Little Girl's Life."

As the defence 'n' roll era began, his name became less marketable, so he sought a way to energize his career.

He briefly legioned "Hi, Ladies!," a daytime television program forward WGN in Chicago. In 1961 wooden Fraser, a Westinghouse Group W program director, recruited him to army a talk and entertainment program. The exhibit to syndicated starting in 1963.

In 1981 collection W replaced Mr. Douglas with John Davidson. "The Mike Douglas Show" continued in syndication until he retired in 1982

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in succession 1990, but surgery was successful

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