Virginia Graham

Virginia Graham, born Virginia Komiss, (July 4, 1912 – December 22, 1998)[1][2] was an American daytime television talk show host from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. On television, Graham hosted the syndicated programs Food for Thought (1953–1957),[3] Girl Talk, which debuted in January 1963 and ran until 1969; and The Virginia Graham Show (1970–1972).[4] She was also a guest on many other programs.

For the English writer, critic and poet, see Virginia Graham (English writer).
Virginia Graham
Graham in 1972
Born
Virginia Komiss

(1912-07-04)July 4, 1912
Chicago, Illinois, US
DiedDecember 22, 1998(1998-12-22) (aged 86)
Manhattan, New York City, US

Biography


Early life and education

Graham was born and raised in Chicago. Her father, an immigrant from Germany, became a successful businessman who owned the Komiss department store chain [5] She graduated from the private Francis Parker School in Chicago, and in 1931, received her degree from the University of Chicago, where she had studied anthropology. She later got a master's degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

Marriage

In 1935, she married Harry William Guttenberg, who owned a theatrical costume company. They remained married until his death in 1980. The couple had one daughter, Lynn Guttenberg Bohrer .[6]

She was described by noted writer Howard Thompson in The New York Times as "a bright, alert, talkative woman of ripe, tart-edged candor."[7] Another writer, Richard L. Coe, said she looked like "Sophie Tucker doing a Carol Channing performance."[8]

Career

After World War II, she wrote scripts for such radio soap operas as Stella Dallas, Our Gal Sunday, and Backstage Wife. She hosted her first radio talk show in 1951.[7] Graham was a panelist on the DuMont panel show Where Was I? (1952–53). She succeeded Margaret Truman in 1956 as co-host of the NBC radio show Weekday, teamed with Mike Wallace.[9]

In 1982, Graham played fictional talk show host Stella Stanton in the final episodes of the soap opera Texas. Her book about her husband's death, Life After Harry: My Adventures in Widowhood, became a bestseller in 1988. Guttenberg owned and operated a theatrical costume company.

Graham, a cancer survivor, was a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. A former smoker, she denounced smoking whenever the opportunity arose. Still, when asked on her program what she would do if she knew the world would end tomorrow, she confessed she would smoke.

Graham died of a heart attack on December 22, 1998.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1957A Face in the CrowdHerselfUncredited
1964The CarpetbaggersReporterUncredited
1977A Secret SpaceGrandma
1982Slapstick of Another KindGossip Specialist
1986The Perils of P.K.

Books
  • There Goes What's Her Name: The Continuing Saga of Virginia Graham (with Jean Libman Block), 1965.
  • Don't Blame the Mirror (with Jean Libman Block), 1967. Self-improvement, beauty advice.
  • If I Made It, So Can You, 1978.
  • Life After Harry: My Adventures in Widowhood, 1988.
  • Look Who's Sleeping in My Bed!, 1993. Memoir.
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References
  1. Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, US: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007.
  2. Severo, Richard (December 25, 1998). "Virginia Graham, Popular Host of Early Television Talk Shows". The New York Times. p. B11. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  3. "On Television." The New York Times, March 11, 1953, p. 41.
  4. "Program Shifts Set on Channel 7." Boston Herald, January 4, 1963, p. 13
  5. Christy, Marian (July 7, 1974). "Yes, Virginia, There's Always An Audience." The Boston Globe, p. 56.
  6. Christy, Marian (May 18, 1988). "Straight Talk From Virginia Graham", The Boston Globe, p. 29
  7. Thompson, Howard (July 11, 1965). "Life As the Girls Live It". The New York Times. p. X13.
  8. Coe, Richard L. (September 30, 1977). "Virginia Graham in 'Wednesday' at the Hayloft," The Washington Post, p. C28.
  9. Adams, Val (February 24, 1956). "M-G-M Bars Use of 'Annie' on TV". The New York Times. p. 51.
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