Alex Trebek

Alex Trebek

OC
Trebek in May 2012
Born
George Alexander Trebek

(1940-07-22)July 22, 1940
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
DiedNovember 8, 2020(2020-11-08) (aged 80)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality
  • Canada
  • United States (from 1998)
Alma materUniversity of Ottawa (BA)[1]
Occupations
  • Television personality
  • game show host
Years active1961-2020
Known forSecond host of Jeopardy! (1984-2020)
Political partyIndependent[2]
Spouses
  • Elaine Howard
    (m. 1974; div. 1981)
    [3]
  • Jean Currivan (m. 1990)
    [4]
Children3[5][6][7]
HonoursOrder of Canada[8]
Signature

George Alexander "Alex" Trebek[9] OC (July 22, 1940 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian-American television game show host. He hosted Jeopardy! from 1984 until his death in 2020. He was born in Greater Sudbury, Ontario.[10][11][12] He became a naturalized American citizen in 1998.[13] In 2011, he snapped his achilles tendon while trying to stop a thief trying to rob his San Francisco hotel room.[14][15]

In March 2019, Trebek announced that he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer.[16][17][18] He died from the disease more than a year and a half later on November 8, 2020 in Los Angeles, aged 80.[19][20] The same disease previously affected his predecessor on Jeopardy!, Art Fleming, 25 years earlier.[21][22] He had been contracted to host Jeopardy! until 2022.[23]

Following Trebek's death, a series of guest hosts filled in for Trebek for the remainder of season 37 of Jeopardy! (his final season).[24][25] On July 27, 2022, it was announced that Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will succeed Trebek as the permanent hosts of Jeopardy! after alternating in multi-week stints for the remainder of the show's 38th season after Mike Richards (the show's then executive producer who briefly succeeded Trebek as host of the program) was let go after taping a week's worth of episodes after various controversies came to light.[26][27]

On August 19, 2021, prior to the start of Jeopardy! season 38 taping, the producers of Jeopardy! re-dedicated Stage 10 at Sony Pictures Studios, the show's longtime home, the Alex Trebek Stage in his honor, with his family present at the dedication.[28]

Filmography

Animated Roles

  • 1993: Rugrats - as Alan Quebec, the host of "Super Stumpers" (episode 2.37 - "Game Show Didi")
  • 1996: The Magic School Bus - Announcer (voice) (episode 2.6 "Shows and Tells")
  • 1997; 2012: The Simpsons - as himself, the host of Jeopardy! in "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" and "Penny-Wiseguys" (Voice)
  • 2000: Arthur - as Alex Lebek, the host of Riddle Quest
  • 2000: Pepper Ann - as himself (2 episodes)
  • 2006: Family Guy - as himself, the host of Jeopardy! in "I Take Three Quagmire" (voice)
  • 2020: Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? - as himself, the host of Jeopardy! in "Total Jeopardy" (voice, posthumous release)

References

  1. ↑ "One on One with Markus - Alex Trebek". CBC Sudbury. November 28, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Johnson, Lottie Elizabeth (September 12, 2020). "Alex Trebek opens up about politics, swearing and cancer". Deseret News. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Alex Trebek". TV Guide. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ Schindehette, Susan (July 30, 1990). "Host of ABC's New Super Jeopardy!, Newlywed Alex Trebek Got the Answer Right With, 'Will You Marry Me?'". People. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ Seelye, Katherine Q. (November 8, 2020). "Alex Trebek, Longtime Host of 'Jeopardy!', Dies at 80". The New York Times. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ Weisholtz, Drew (June 16, 2020). "Alex Trebek's kids honor 'Jeopardy!' host's 'persistence' ahead of Father's Day". TODAY.com. Retrieved July 7, 2022.[permanent dead link]
  7. ↑ Henderson, Cydney (June 17, 2020). "Alex Trebek's kids share favorite memories of 'Jeopardy!' host ahead of Father's Day". USA Today. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Governor General Announces 99 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". Governor General of Canada. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  9. ↑ Trebek, Alex (2020). The Answer Is...Reflections on My Life. Simon & Schuster. p. 36. ISBN 9781982158019.
  10. ↑ Trebek, Alex (August 4, 2008). "August 4, 2008 Program". Q (Interview). Interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi. CBC. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Alex Trebek Biography: Game Show Host, Philanthropist (1940-)". Biography.com. FYI / A&E Networks. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  12. ↑ D'Zurilla, Christie (June 24, 2012). "Alex Trebek, host of 'Jeopardy!,' resting after heart attack at 71". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 6, 2012. Trebek turns 72 on July 22.
  13. ↑ "Alex Trebek Fast Facts". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia. July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  14. ↑ Budman, Scott (July 27, 2011). "Trebek: 'I Left My Cash in San Francisco'". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Lucinda Moyers, Alex Trebek's Burglar, Won't Face Three Strikes". AOL News. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012.
  16. ↑ "'Jeopardy!' Host Alex Trebek Diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer". TMZ. March 6, 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  17. ↑ Atad, Corey (October 30, 2019). "Alex Trebek Raises Awareness For Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms With PSA". ET Canada. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  18. ↑ Breen, Kerri (March 6, 2019). "'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek says he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer". Global News. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  19. ↑ Flanagan, Ryan (2020-11-08). "'People loved him': Alex Trebek dies at age 80". CTV News. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  20. ↑ Iorfida, Chris (November 8, 2020). "Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek dead at 80". CBC. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  21. ↑ Thomas Jr., Robert Mcg. (April 27, 1995). "Art Fleming, 70, Television Host Who Gave Polish to 'Jeopardy!'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Art Fleming, 70; Original Host of'Jeopardy!' TV Game Show". The Los Angeles Times. April 26, 1995. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  23. ↑ Ramos, Dino Ray (October 31, 2018). "'Wheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak & Vanna White, 'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek Renew Contracts Through 2022". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Jeopardy! Returns to Studio Nov. 30 with Interim Host". Jeopardy!.com. November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Jeopardy! Guest Host Schedule". Jeopardy!.com. February 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  26. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (July 27, 2022). "Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings Officially Set as Permanent 'Jeopardy!' Hosts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  27. ↑ Schneider, Michael (August 31, 2021). "Mike Richards Fired as Executive Producer of 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune'". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  28. ↑ Grynbaum, Michael M.; Sperling, Nicole; Jacobs, Julia (August 20, 2021). "Abrupt Exit of New 'Jeopardy!' Host, Mike Richards, Rattles a TV Institution". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2022.

Other websites

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Media offices
Preceded by
Series created 		Host of High Rollers
July 1, 1974 - June 11, 1976; April 24, 1978 - June 20, 1980 		Succeeded by
Wink Martindale
Preceded by
Series created 		Host of Double Dare (CBS)
December 13, 1976 - April 29, 1977 		Succeeded by
Series ended
Preceded by
Lynn Swann 		Host of To Tell the Truth
February 4 - May 31, 1991 		Succeeded by
John O'Hurley
Preceded by
Jack Narz 		Host of Concentration
May 4, 1987 - September 20, 1991 		Succeeded by
Series ended
Preceded by
Art Fleming 		Host of Jeopardy!
September 10, 1984 - January 8, 2021 		Succeeded by
Mike Richards