Phil Donahue's Death Highlights Golden Era of Daytime TV Talk Show Hosts Such as Geraldo, Rolonda and Jerry

The death of legendary celebrity journalist Phil Donahue has reignited interest in the free-wheeling days of talk shows, when hosts such as Phil, Geraldo and Rolonda transformed afternoon television.

Donahue died Sunday at age 88. He was married to actress Marlo Thomas for decades.

Inside Edition correspondent Les Trent talked with Rolonda Watts, who hosted her own talk show from 1994 to 1997. She learned a lot from icons such as Donahue, who was the first to lead a program that featured audience members directly interacting with guests.

"It was Phil Donahue who made me run up and down those steps in high heels and a little skirt," Watts said, laughing.

Geraldo Rivera said Donahue taught him a few things, as well.

What he learned, he said, was "the daytime audience had a brain as well as a heart."

Then there was Jerry Springer, whose audience was known to yell at guests, who were known to sometimes throw chairs and fists at each other.

Springer, the former mayor of Cincinnati, died last year at age 79 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. His controversial show ran for 28 seasons, beginning in 1991.

A private funeral service for Donahue is scheduled for Aug. 29 in New York City.

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