Classic Wheel of Fortune Trivia and Fun Facts
On this page you'll find some random and interesting facts about Wheel of Fortune's early years, presented in a random and non-sequential order.
Alex Trebek, who is now known as the host of Jeopardy! which is Wheel of Fortune's companion in most markets, substituted as host for an ill Chuck Woolery in a 1980 week of shows.
If you came from out-of-state and tried out to be a contestant on Wheel, your chances of success were high because producers wanted contestants to be from a variety of places other than California. Chuck Woolery said in 1976 that the show liked "to have out-of-state contestants" because they were "very difficult to find."
Original Wheel of Fortune hostess Susan Stafford is a Christian has done missionary work and even conducted Bible classes in prisons. She also appeared on an episode of the NBC drama Ellery Queen in 1974.
Wheel of Fortune creator Merv Griffin was friends with President Ronald Reagan and until his death remained close to former First Lady Nancy Reagan. He was a supporter of and donor to the Republican Party.
Host Chuck Woolery first entered the entertainment business as a pop music singer.
Chuck Woolery once said he believed 90-95% of Wheel's audience was in bad health, because he was constantly greeted by people who said they happened to catch the show on NBC daytime while they were sick.
When Woolery was on the verge of giving up showbusiness in the 1970s, he received encouragement from Susie Ladd, who was the widow of actor Alan Ladd.
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