Voice Of Post

Talk show pioneer Joe Franklin dies at 88, Longtime radio and TV show host Joe Franklin died Saturday at the age of 88.

Franklin died of cancer, according to his former producer, Steve Garrin, the Associated Press reported.

Long before Jay Leno or Conan O'Brien, Franklin sat behind a desk and interviewed movie stars and up-and-coming musicians.

According to Franklin's website he was, "in many ways, the pioneer of the modern TV talk show format."

Franklin began hosting The Joe Franklin show in 1950. During his career he talked to more than 300,000 guests including Woody Allen, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli, according to his website.

Franklin was often parodied on Saturday Night Live by Billy Crystal, and played himself in the movies Manhattan, Ghostbusters, 29th Street, and Broadway Danny Rose.

Billy Crystal tweeted about Franklin's death on Sunday, writing that, "Joe Franklin was a New York original, I grew up watching Memory Lane and loved imitating him on SNL. A sad day for all who knew him."

Franklin was known for interviewing stars before they were famous. He was credited with giving breaks to Al Pacino and Bill Cosby. Comedian George Wallace tweeted, "JOE FRANKLIN dies. The first to take a chance on all of us. Thank you. We love you JOE."