Getty Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer, the talk show host known for his sometimes raucous television show, has died at the age of 79, according to TMZ.
Springer was also a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” and “The Masked Singer,” in addition to his long running talk show, described by ABC 7 New York as “a three-ring circus of dysfunctional families.”
His cause of death was pancreatic cancer, according to TMZ, which quoted a family spokesperson as saying Springer died of a “brief illness.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Jerry Springer Was Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer a Few Months Before His Death, Reports Say
GettyJerry Springer appears at an event.
According to TMZ, Springer learned he had pancreatic cancer only a few months before his death but “took a turn for the worse” before dying on April 27, 2023.
Springer died at home in Chicago on the morning of Thursday, April 27, 2023, TMZ reported, adding that the death was peaceful.
2. Jerry Springer Was Active on Instagram Only Weeks Before His Death
Springer was still posting photos on Instagram showing him out and about six weeks before his death.
“Thank you to @mortampa for a great time at the Rough Riders St. Patrick’s Parade in Ybor City! I’ll be back 🍀” he wrote in one of his final posts.
Fans are now leaving comments under that Instagram page. “long live da greatest,” wrote one. “It was so great to meet you and spend some time in the studio with you, jerry! thanks for coming out,” wrote another.
3. Jerry Springer Was an Ohio Politician Before He Turned to Television
GettyJerry Springer.
According to his biography on Britannica, Springer was a politician in the 1970s, serving as a Cincinnati city councilmember before being “forced to resign from the council over a controversy involving prostitution.”
He won that seat back and was that city’s mayor before running unsuccessfully for Ohio’s governorship, Britannica reported. That’s when he decided to focus on television.
Springer also worked on Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, according to Britannica.
According to the Jewish Virtual Library, Springer’s television talk show started out with a political bent, focusing on issues like “gun control and homelessness” when it started in 1991.
However, it soon ended up focusing on human drama, running for 27 years. Springer was also a radio host, starting in 2005, and he was in the top five on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2006, according to the Jewish Virtual Library, which reported that he also had appearances in theatrical productions over the years.
4. Jerry Springer Was Born in England to Parents Who Fled the Holocaust
GettyJerry Springer.
According to his IMDb profile, Springer was born Gerald Norman Springer in London England, on February 13, 1944.
His parents were Margot and Richard Springer, according to IMDb. IMDB reported that Springer was “born in a London Underground station after his family fled the Holocaust,” and the family moved to Queens, New York, when Springer was a young child.
The Jewish Virtual Library says that, when Springer was born, “his parents were taking shelter in the station from German bombing runs. His parents, Margo and Richard Springer, were Polish Jews who escaped from Germany during the Holocaust.”
According to the Jewish Virtual Library, “Springer’s paternal grandmother and great-uncle died at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, and his maternal grandmother was gassed at the Chelmno extermination camp.”
5. Jerry Springer Was Divorced & Leaves Behind 1 Child
Springer was divorced in 1994 from his wife, Margaret ‘Micki’ JoAnn Velten, whom he married in 1973, and they had one daughter, Katie Springer, IMDb reported.
“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” said Jene Galvin, a family spokesperson told ABC 7 New York after his death.
“He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”
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