Gerald N. Springer was born in London, England in 1944. When Jerry was five, the family emigrated to New York City. Springer attended Tulane University and completed a Bachelor's degree in political science. He earned his J.D. at Northwestern University. Springer began his political career as an aide on Robert Kennedy's 1968 Presidential Election campaign. He then joined the law firm of Frost & Jacobs in Cincinnati, Ohio. He became involved in local politics beginning with a referendum to lower the voting age to 19. He also joined local Democratic-Charter Party. In 1970, he ran for Congress, and although he lost this election, he won a seat on Cincinnati's City Council in 1971. He continued to serve on council for the next 4 years, working his way up to the position of Vice Mayor. His political career was stalled shortly in 1974 when a police raid revealed that Springer had patronized a Kentucky house of prostitution. Springer promptly resigned from Council, but later changed his mind and in 1975, he ran for City Council again. He was reelected, and was then elected mayor of Cincinnati in 1977. He stepped down from City Council in 1981 run for governor of Ohio, but was unsuccessful. In 1982, he changed careers and began serving as a political reporter for WLWT-TV (Channel 5) in Cincinnati. From 1984 until 1993, he served as the station's anchor and managing editor.
Nationally, Springer is best known for hosting a highly-rated and scandalous talk show, The Jerry Springer Show, which became a favorite among college students in the mid to late 1990s. Springer also authored one book on his experiences with his talk show entitled, Ringmaster, and produced a country music CD, entitled Dr. Talk .
From the guide to the Jerry Springer papers, 1970-1979, 1970-1979, (University of Cincinnati, Archives and Rare Books Library)
