The legendary game show host Chuck Woolery, who was the original host of Wheel of Fortune, died suddenly at his home in Texas on Saturday. He was 83 years-old.
Woolery Passes Away
Woolery’s death was confirmed by his longtime friend Mark Young, who was visiting the host’s home when he passed away.
“It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother has just passed away,” Young wrote on X, the social media platform formerly Twitter. “Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother.”
Young told TMZ that he was visiting Woolery and his wife when the former Love Connection host said that he wasn’t feeling well and needed to lay down. When his wife went to check on him a short time later, Woolery said that he was having trouble breathing. They called an ambulance immediately, but Woolery sadly didn’t make it.
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Woolery’s History
Born in Ashland, Kentucky in 1941, Woolery previously told People Magazine that his childhood was “real happy and very simple.” After graduating from high school, Woolery spent two years in the Navy before embarking on a music career.
Woolery moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Three years later, producer Merv Griffin hired him to host a new game show called Wheel of Fortune.
”When I got on, I couldn’t stop talking to people,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003 of his hosting style. ”I wanted to know who they were, what they did. I wanted them to win, and I got emotionally invested in their winning.”
Woolery left Wheel of Fortune in 1982 after he and producers couldn’t come to an agreement about his contract. He was replaced by Pat Sajak, who hosted the iconic game show until he retired earlier this year. Woolery regretted leaving Wheel of Fortune for the rest of his life.
‘If I wouldn’t have left Wheel of Fortune, I’d be making about $10 million a year now,” he lamented in 2003.
Woolery would go on to simultaneously host Love Connection, The Big Spin and Scrabble. Love Connection, however, was always his favorite.
“This is really the one show I do that I’ll watch at home,” he once said. “I really like its unpredictability.”
Love Connection came to an end in 1994. In the late 1990s, Woolery hosted a revival of The Dating Game. Later game shows that Woolery hosted included Greed and Lingo.
Woolery’s Personal Life
Woolery was married multiple times. His first wife was Margaret Hayes, who he was married to from 1963 until 1970. They had three children together: Cary, Katherine and Chad. Tragically, Chad died in a motorcycle accident in 1985 at the age of 19.
“My Christian faith is probably the single thing that got me through this,” Woolery later said. “Without the understanding of where Chad is and what I expect in the future, it would have been very difficult. My belief is that he’s much better off now than he was then.”
Woolery was married to actress Jo Ann Pflug from 1972 until 1980, and they share a daughter Melissa. Woolery was then married to Teri Nelson from 1985 until 2004. They are parents to sons Michael and Sean. In 2006, Woolery married Kim Barnes, who survives him.
Woolery was a true legend, and there will never be another one like him. Please join us in saying a prayer for his loved ones as they mourn him.
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