Immigrant of the Day: Jerry Springer (UK)

Gerald Norman “Jerry” Springer (born February 13, 1944) is the a former mayor of Cincinnati and host of The Jerry Springer Show. Springer was born in London, England in 1944. His parents were refugees from Nazi Germany.

In January 1949, Springer came to the United States, settling in Queens, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Tulane University and a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University. Springer then became a political campaign aide to Robert F. Kennedy and later joined the Cincinnati law firm of Frost & Jacobs.

Before his successful television career, Spring was a politician.  In 1970, Springer unsuccessfully ran for Congress.  In 1971, he was elected to the Cincinnati city council.  Forced to resign in 1974 in a scandal involving a prostitute, Springer won back his seat in 1975.  In 1977, the City Council selected him to serve as mayor.  In 1982, Springer unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Ohio.

The controversial Jerry Springer Show debuted in September 1991.   Springer is better known for this long-running show than for his political career.

KJ