Jerry Springer

Throughout an illustrious career, Jerry Springer has become a cultural and civic icon. Springer’s notoriety is due in large to the hosting of his eponymous show, The Jerry Springer Show, for 27 seasons. Springer’s career also includes time as a lawyer, the mayor of Cincinnati, an award-winning newscaster, author, Broadway actor, executive producer, ballroom dancer, and much more.

Born in London, Springer’s family immigrated to New York when he was five years old. It was during a dinner meeting with New York Senator, Robert Kennedy, in 1968 that changed Springer’s life. He signed on with the Kennedy campaign and shortly thereafter felt the horror of Kennedy’s assassination along with the rest of the world. It was this catalyst that sprung Springer into the political world, spearheading the movement in Ohio to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 which led to the ratification of the 26^th Amendment to the Constitution that lowered the voting age for all Americans.

In 1982, Springer made the move in television as the anchor and managing editor of WLWT, where he turned the shows viewing figures around and landed eight regional Emmys® for The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Columbus/Dayton/Cincinnati Chapter (what is now the Ohio Valley Chapter). His work ethic and success caught the eye of several executives and in 1991 started his own talk show in Cincinnati, The Jerry Springer Show, which grew to become a syndicated national TV show.  Reaching a level of success that was remarkable in 1998, Springer became a household name with the show entering its 27^th season in September 2017.

Springer diversified over the recent years taking part in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and has become a theatre actor with stints in London’s West End and New York’s Broadway with the musical Chicago. Springer blended the theatre with the loved format of his talk show launching Jerry Springer: The Opera, which premiered in London and won a Laurence Olivier Award.