Don Dahlman was the father of The Phil Donahue Show, later known as simply Donahue.

Dahlman was responsible for turning Donahue — who at the time was a Dayton, Ohio, radio talk show host — into a TV star, by luring the interviewer to his network.

The show premiered on November 6, 1967, and became the precursor to the daytime talk show boom of the 1980s and 1990s. It featured celebrities and musical acts, but also discussed current social topics. In addition, it allowed viewers at home to call in and ask questions of the show’s guests.

Dahlman sold the show into syndication in 1970.

He died July 22, 2016. He was 97.