Game Show Network plans Griffin tribute

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SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Game Show Network will pay tribute this weekend to Merv Griffin, the U.S. media entrepreneur who built a game-show empire.

GSN, based in Santa Monica, Calif., will celebrate the television legacy of Merv Griffin, who died Sunday at 82, with a marathon of Griffin-produced shows and some of his on-air appearances, Zap2It.com reported Tuesday. Griffin served as host of a syndicated talk show for more than two decades and created "Jeopardy!," which debuted in 1964, and "Wheel of Fortune," which hit the air in 1975.

Meanwhile, the community Griffin called home for 20 years mourned his death.

Griffin lived in La Quinta, Calif., where he showed a commitment to art education, scholarships and cultural enrichment programs, city officials said in a news release. His contributions helped make the La Quinta Arts Festival a worldwide event.

"Merv Griffin wove his magic into the fabric of La Quinta over the years," Councilwoman Terry Henderson said. "He was not a reclusive resident; instead he became involved in local affairs, primarily with La Quinta Arts Foundation as (spokesman) and benefactor.”