Jerry Springer, the talk show host, 56th mayor of Cincinnati from 1977 to 1978, actor, lawyer died peacefully on Thursday at his home in Chicago.

Gerald Norman Springer born on February 13, 1944, in the London Underground station of Highgate, while the station was in use as a shelter form German bombing during World War II,  and grew up in Chandos Road, East Finchley. His parent Margot ( nee Kalimann, a bank clerk) and Richard Springer ( owner of a shoe shop) were German-Jewish refugees who escaped from Landsberg an der Warthe, Prussia ( now Gorzow Weikpolski, Poland). In. 1949, at the age of four, Springer immigrated with his parents to the United States, settling in the Kew Gardens neighbourhood of Queens, a borough of New York City.  He went to Forest Hills High School and at the age of 12 was watching the 1956 Democratic National Convention on television where he saw and was impressed by John F Kennedy. Springer graduated from Tulane University in 1965, majoring in political science for his BA and earned a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University.

Following Kennedy’s assassination, he began practicing law at the Cincinnati law firm of Frost and Jacobs, now Frost Brown Todd. He was a partner in the law firm of Grinker, Sudman & Springer form 1973 to 1985, alongside former NBA agent Ronnie Grinker and current Butler County, Ohio, magistrate Harry Sudman.

 In 1970, he ran for Congress  but failed to unseat incumbent Republican Donald D Clancy, but took 45 per cent of the vote in a traditionally Republican district.  Three days after announcing his candidacy Springer, who was an army reservist, at the time, was called to active duty and stationed at Fort Knox. He resumed his campaign after he was discharged. Springer was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971 but resigned in 1974 after admitting to soliciting a prostitute, when he came clean at a press conference. But Springer’s honesty helped him win back his seat in 1975 by a landslide in a post-election interview with Cincinnati newsman Al Schottelkotte, who good naturedly reminded Springer that he had declared Springer’s career over to which Springer told the newsman, “I’m glad that you were wrong.”

In1982 Springer sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio,  when TV commercials for Springer’s campaign referenced his use of a check to pay a prostitute, saying that he was not afraid of the truth, ”even if it hurts”. He failed to win the Democratic party’s nomination – finishing a distant third behind former lieute3nant governor Richard F Celeste and Ohio Attorney General General William J Brown, and his political career was put on hold. In the late 1980s, he played a major role in saving the historic Cincinnati Union Terminal.  He considered running for the United States Senate in 2000 and 2004, but he backed down due to negative associations with Jerry Springer.  He also considered running in the 2018 Ohio gubernatorial election, but decided against it due to his age.

Springer’s broadcast career began while he was an undergraduate at Tulane University on WTUL, New Orleans FM, a progressive formal college radio station. His broadcast  career continue while he was still mayor of Cincinnati, with album-oriented rock radio station WEBN-FM, which was noted for its laid-back and irreverent radio format. The station featured commentaries by Springer under the banner “ The Springer Memorandum”.

His family said in a statement:” 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. He is irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on”.