R.I.P., Merv Griffin

The man who brought you "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" (and who made more money by composing the "Final Jeopardy" song than you'll ever make in a lifetime) has passed away of cancer at the age of 82.

Several years ago, my Variety colleague Joe and I had lunch with Merv, back when he still owned the Beverly Hilton. He talked about his production company, about the ongoing success of "Wheel" and "Jeopardy" in syndication, and of course, his long-running talk show.

Above, here's a black and white clip of Merv filling in for Bill Cullen on the original "The Price is Right."