Original Wheel of Fortune host, TV personality Chuck Woolery dead at 83
Woolery is survived by his wife, Kim, and his four children, Katherine, Melissa, Michael, and Sean.
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Woolery is survived by his wife, Kim, and his four children, Katherine, Melissa, Michael, and Sean.
Chuck Woolery, the first host of the iconic game show Wheel of Fortune, has passed away at the age of 83 in his home in Texas on Saturday. The news was confirmed by his close friend, Mark Young, who shared a heartfelt message on X.
“It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother has just passed away,” Young wrote in his post. “Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother.”
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View on XThe circumstances surrounding Woolery’s death remain unclear. According to TMZ, Young stated that Woolery was at home with his wife when she “said he wasn’t feeling well and went to lie down.” Shortly after, she came back into the room and noticed he was having trouble breathing. 911 was then called, but Woolery “did not make it.”
Woolery gained fame as the host of Wheel of Fortune from its debut in 1975 until 1981, before being succeeded by Pat Sajak. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work in 1978. Beyond Wheel of Fortune, Woolery hosted several other shows including the dating show Love Connection and the game shows Scrabble, Greed, and Lingo.
Woolery originally began his entertainment career as a singer. He recorded several advertising jingles and even had a top 40 hit. He also made guest appearances in projects such as the movie Cold Feet and the TV series 227 and Scrubs.
According to TMZ, Woolery is survived by his wife, Kim, and his four children, Katherine, Melissa, Michael, and Sean.
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