Program Partners

Ty Treadway to Host Merv Griffin's New Syndicated Game Show Let's Play Crosswords

Three-Time Emmy Award Nominee Joins All-Star Production Team

Los Angeles, CA — April 30, 2007 — Program Partners and Merv Griffin Entertainment have tapped Ty Treadway to host Let’s Play Crosswords. Treadway is best known for his role as Dr. Colin MacIver on One Life to Live and as co-host with Lisa Rinna (Dancing with the Stars) of SOAPnet’s lifestyle talk show, Soap Talk. The three-time Emmy Award nominee will join a strong team of game show production talent that was hand selected by Merv Griffin to kick off the series this September. He joins a select group of hand-picked Griffin game show hosts which includes Alex Trebek, Pat Sajak and Ryan Seacrest.

In endorsing his choice for host, Griffin stated: “Ty exudes the kind of energy that will keep audiences engaged and excited. We are looking towards a long and successful association.”

Raymond J. Brune and Andrew Yani, co-heads of TV for MGE, will oversee the half-hour syndicated strip with Merv. Brennan Huntington will be the show runner and Robert W. Rang will design the set. Emmy Award-winner Tony Garofalo is consulting producer.

Josh Raphaelson of Program Partners has said: “True to form, Merv has assembled an incredibly talented team behind Let’s Play Crosswords. We can’t wait to watch their artistry on the air.”

Already cleared in 30 of the top 40 U.S. Markets, Let’s Play Crosswords is a fast-paced, new generation “Q & A” game show in the great tradition of the genre from the legendary master of the game. Let’s Play Crosswords is presented by Merv Griffin Entertainment and Program Partners.

Let’s Play Crosswords Cast & Crew Highlights
Ty Treadway was previously known for his role as One Life to Live's handsome, enigmatic and hopelessly love-sick Dr. Colin MacIver, a role he took on in 2000. He joined former One Life to Live co-star Rinna to host Soap Talk in 2002, where the two went on to earn multiple Daytime Emmy nominations in such notable company as Live with Regis and Kelly, The View and Dr. Phil. Additionally, the charming, yet rugged actor has hosted several specials and has appeared in such popular series as Cold Case, JAG and Just Shoot Me.

Raymond J. Brune and Andrew Yani launched Kimo Jagger Productions in 2004 and entered into an exclusive producing partnership with Merv Griffin Entertainment in 2005, after creating the reality courtroom drama “Second Verdict” for PAX-TV. Separately, Brune has produced more than 15,000 hours of live network, cable and local television; among his honors are four Emmys and a Peabody Award. Yani was a well-known on-air personality for Channel One, “Extra” and “E! Entertainment News, and earned two Prism Award nominations.

Brennan Huffington’s prolific background includes multiple producer, director and creative development credits for such well-known television networks as GSN, ESPN, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, NBC, Lifetime and E!

Emmy Award winner Tony Garofalo is a long-standing member of Merv’s team having worked on Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, The Merv Griffin Show, and Dance Fever. His material has been used by such entertainment icons as Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Regis Philbin and Meredith Vieira.

Robert W. Rang is familiar to Merv Griffin and the television industry, having designed sets for Jeopardy!, Dance Fever and The Merv Griffin Show. Recently he lent his creative talent to design the red carpet and pre-show for the 79th Academy Awards and is currently designing the 2007 “Alma Awards” ABC special.

About Program Partners, Inc.
Program Partners, Inc. is an innovative television company that collaborates with networks, sponsors and audiences on original programming. Led by a core group of entertainment executives, including founders Ritch Colbert and Josh Raphaelson, Program Partners provides distinctive programs with high production values, while fostering new creative alliances with advertisers, broadcasters and global co-production entities. For more info about Program Partners, Inc., visit www.programpartners.com.

About Merv Griffin Entertainment, Inc.
Merv Griffin Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production arm of Merv Griffin’s umbrella organization, The Griffin Group. Over the years it has provided original programming and long-format films for television, as well as theatrical features. In addition to “Let’s Play Crosswords,” it is currently in production on the second season of “Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead”, for Lifetime. See www.merv.com for more information on MGE and The Griffin Group of Companies.

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Media Contacts:
Program Partners:
Kristien Brada-Thompson or Melissa Ford
Priority Public Relations
(661) 964-0333
kristien@prioritypr.net / melissa@prioritypr.net

Merv Griffin Entertainment:
Marcia Newberger
(310) 385-2745
Marcia_Newberger@griffgroup.com