LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On September 10, 1984, Alex Trebek made his debut as the host of 'Jeopardy!'
The iconic American television quiz show, created by Merv Griffin, features three contestants competing to earn money by answering questions spanning various categories, including history, science, mathematics, geography, language, popular culture, and beyond.
Over the years, 'Jeopardy!' has become a beloved and enduring program, receiving numerous Daytime Emmy Awards and remaining a cultural phenomenon while consistently ranking as one of the nation's most-watched shows.
Why is the game show called 'Jeopardy!'?
'Jeopardy!' is a quiz show featuring a distinctive answer-and-question format, where participants receive clues presented as answers and are required to formulate their responses in the form of questions. The game is structured into two rounds.
Who was the first host of 'Jeopardy!'?
The inaugural episode of 'Jeopardy!', which was presented by Art Fleming, was broadcast on March 30, 1964, initially on NBC during daytime hours.
Don Pardo served as the announcer for the show, which later transitioned into syndication. It continued to be broadcast in different formats until 1979.
What was the first show Alex Trebek hosted?
In 1973, Alex Trebek was enticed to come to the United States by fellow Canadian Alan Thicke, who invited him to host the NBC game show 'The Wizard of Odds' (1973–74).
While the show had a brief run, it paved the way for Trebek's involvement in other game shows, including CBS' 'Double Dare' (1976–77) and 'The $128,000 Question' (1977–78), as well as NBC's 'The New High Rollers' (1979–80).
Which show did Alex Trebek host before 'Jeopardy!'?
According to Deseret.com, before making his debut as the host of 'Jeopardy!', Alex Trebek briefly appeared on 'Wheel of Fortune'.
This happened in 1980 when Chuck Woolery, the host of the game show at that time, fell ill. Trebek received an unexpected call from the show's creators, who asked him to step in as a last-minute replacement.
When 'Wheel of Fortune' entered syndication a few years later, the creators decided to reintroduce 'Jeopardy!' to television to occupy a one-hour time slot. They reached out to Trebek once more.
How many awards did Alex Trebek win?
Alex won seven Daytime Emmy Awards during his lifetime (in 1989, 1990, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2019, and 2020) out of 30 nominations for his exceptional performance as the game show host. Additionally, he received a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2011 and a posthumous win in 2021.
In January 2018, Trebek disclosed that he had temporarily stepped away from hosting 'Jeopardy!' due to brain surgery in the preceding month to address blood clots.
He resumed his duties, but in March 2019, he shared that he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. In 2020, Trebek authored his memoir, titled 'The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life'. He died later that same year.
