Phil Donahue, legendary talk show host, died on August 18 at age 88.

After a protracted illness, he died quietly at home in the company of his loved ones.

The Phil Donahue Show, which Donahue founded and hosted, is his most well-known work.

When the program debuted in 1967, it gained notoriety for addressing contentious subjects.

Talk show audience participation was first introduced by Phil Donahue.

After relocating to Chicago in 1974, the program saw a sharp rise in viewership.

It moved to New York in 1985 and carried on innovating daytime television.

Donahue spoke with Nelson Mandela and other notable figures in his groundbreaking interviews.

Donations to the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were requested by his family.

Marlo Thomas, an actress, was his wife for 44 years.