Chuck Woolley, the former game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble,” has died at the age of 83.
Woolley died at his home in Texas, surrounded by his wife Kristen, said his friend and podcast co-host Mark Young. Associated Press. In addition to his wife, Woolley is survived by sons Michael and Sean, and daughter Melissa.
“Chuck Woolley was the real deal. Our seven years as the original host and hostess of 'Wheel of Fortune' were magical.” Wooley's co-host Susan Stafford said in a statement. Fox News.
“Our deep friendship continued after our appearance on the show,” the statement continued. “He was an original. There was no one like Chuck. He had so much energy and was just as warm and caring and a real person off stage as he was on stage. He was very spiritual and , we shared a true love for God, which made this work all the more worthwhile.'' I am so grateful to know that I will see him again. ”
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Game show host Chuck Woolley attends the premiere of the Meow Mix Think Like a Cat game show on November 12, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)
Woolery was inducted into the American Television Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1978.
In 1983, Woolley began an 11-year stint as host of “Love Connection,” during which he coined the phrase “I'll be back in two minutes and two seconds.” He began hosting “Scrabble” in 1984 and hosted both game shows simultaneously until 1990.
Other shows he hosted include “Ringo,” “Greed,” “The Chuck Woolley Show” and the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000. There is. “Melrose Place”.
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Chuck Woolley attends the Game Show Networks 2003 Winter TCA Tour held at the Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)
Woolley was the subject of Game Show Network's first venture, a reality show called “Chuck Woolley: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003 and lasted six episodes.
Woolley began her television career on “Wheel of Fortune,” which aired on NBC on January 6, 1975.
“Wheel of Fortune” began as “Shopper's Bazaar.” After Woolley appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” and sang “Delta Dawn,” Griffin asked him to co-host a new show with Stafford.
It was originally approved by NBC, but it was changed to “Wheel of Fortune” and approved. A few years later, Woolley asked for an increase to $500,000 a year, the amount that host Peter Marshall was earning on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin rejected the request and replaced Woolley with Pat Sajak, who along with Vanna White was most associated with the show.
Chuck Woolley performs at the Game Show Networks 2003 Winter TCA Tour held at the Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)
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Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolley served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio and made a living as a musician, working as a truck driver, before forming the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967.
After a career in television, Woolley started a podcast. He told the New York Times that he is a gun rights activist, conservative/libertarian and constitutionalist, noting that he has not made his political stance public in liberal Hollywood for fear of retaliation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
