Wheel of fortune bio biography

"As Jack mentioned, my name is Pat Sajak and I've been fortunate enough to wander onto the set of a very successful program, has been for a long time."

Pat Sajak (born Patrick Leonard Sajdak on October 26, 1946 from Chicago, Illinois) was the host of Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 2024, replacing former host, Chuck Woolery after he departed the show and left on December 28, 1981. Sajak worked as a disc jockey and KNBC weatherman before Merv Griffin chose him, although his hiring was originally vetoed by Fred Silverman. As of Season 38, Pat serves as a Consulting Producer of the show.

History[]

Sajak was born in Chicago to a Polish-American father. His first professional job was a desk clerk at Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. Afterward, he worked as a disc jockey for various stations, including Armed Forces Radio during an Army stint in Vietnam. He later worked the afternoon shift at WSM in Nashville, and as a weekend weatherman on the station's sister television station, WSM-TV (now WSMV). In 1977, he was spotted by representatives at KNBC Los Angeles, who chose him as their full-time weatherman. It was in this role that Merv discovered him.

Wheel was not Pat's first attempt at hosting a game show, nor his first national television appearance. In 1980, he hosted pilots for Ralph Edwards (Press Your Luck, based on the board game Simon and unrelated to the series hosted by Peter Tomarken) and Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions (Puzzlers, a clip of which was used in the first episode of Game Show Moments Gone Bananas). Pat appeared as a celebrity guest on Password Plus just before his aired Wheel debut, yet credited as being from Wheel; comments by host Tom Kennedy suggest that Sajak had either just taken over or would very shortly do so. For a time in 1983, Pat had a recurring role as radio host Kevin Hathaway on NBC's Days of Our Lives. From 1983-86, he hosted NBC's coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Sajak also appea

American television host (born 1946)

"Sajak" redirects here. For his daughter, the country singer, see Maggie Sajak. For others with a similar surname, see Sajdak.

Patrick Leonard Sajak (SAY-jak; né Sajdak, born October 26, 1946) is an American game show host, television personality, and creative consultant. He is best known as the host of the television game show Wheel of Fortune, a position which he held from 1981 to 2024. Sajak currently serves as a consultant for the show. He remains as host of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. For his work on Wheel, Sajak has received 19 nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning thrice, and twice nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Game Show, winning in 2024. In 2019, he was recognized by Guinness World Records for having the longest-serving career as a game show host for the same show, surpassing previous record holder Bob Barker.

Beyond his game show career, Sajak has made various appearances in films, television series, and game shows, such as Airplane II: The Sequel, Days of Our Lives, and Rugrats. He also hosted a late-night talk show on CBS from 1989 to 1990 and became a frequent guest host for CNN's Larry King Live and the syndicated Live with Regis and Kelly.

Sajak has been involved in a variety of other endeavors, including as an external director of conservative publishing house Eagle Publishing and writing for the National Review Online and Ricochet.co. He is also the author of several puzzle games, including "Lucky Letters", developed in collaboration with puzzle developer David L. Hoyt.

Early life

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1946, Sajak graduated from Farragut High School in 1964, then went to Columbia College Chicago while working as a desk clerk at The Palmer House Hilton hotel. His Polish-origin surname was originally spelled

Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia) became the fifth host of Wheel of Fortune starting in 2024. This confirmation was made shortly before the start of Season 41 in September 2023, the last season to be hosted by Pat Sajak after his taking the hosting role in 1981. Despite Sajak's departure, it has been confirmed that co-host Vanna White will remain with the show after Seacrest takes over.

Biography[]

Ryan Seacrest got his start in broadcasting at Georgia radio station WTSR as a teenager. He has hosted multiple game shows in the past, including Radical Outdoor Challenge for ESPN (1993), the American Gladiators spin-off Gladiators 2000 in syndication (1994-1996), Wild Animal Games for the Family Channel (1995), and Click also in syndication (1997-99). Notably, Click was created by Wheel creator Merv Griffin.

However, Seacrest's most famous hosting role is that of the singing competition American Idol, a position he held since 2002 with minimal exceptions. He has also hosted New Year's Rockin' Eve after longtime host Dick Clark's stroke and subsequent death, and took over as co-host of Live with Kelly and Mark (then known as Live with Kelly and Ryan) from 2017 to 2023 alongside Kelly Ripa.

Hiring[]

Prior to the start of Season 41, multiple media sources confirmed that Pat Sajak would be retiring from Wheel of Fortune in June 2024 when said season ends, with Seacrest slated to take over at the start of Season 42 in September 2024. Despite this change in hosts, it has also been confirmed that Vanna White will remain co-host after she negotiated a salary increase. Many fans have speculated that White stayed on due to her name recognition, as well as concerns that changing both hosts simultaneously would be too jarring for viewers.

History with the show[]

Despite his hiring having come in 2023, Seacrest was referenced by the show on a number of occasions prior, with several puzzles using his name (typi

Pat Sajak, the longest-tenured game show host in history, is getting ready for his final spin as Wheel of Fortune emcee. After announcing his retirement one year ago, his final episode as host airs Friday.

Sajak, 77, has helmed the popular hangman-style game show since 1981, forming one of the most recognizable duos in television with Wheel letter-turner Vanna White. But back in the early ’80s, his hiring wasn’t popular—and even sparked conflict between NBC and show creator Merv Griffin. Here’s the scoop on how Sajak eventually became the chief of consonants and vowels.

Before Wheel, Sajak was a radio DJ and weatherman

Patrick Leonard Sajdak—he unofficially dropped the “d” when he began working in television and eventually changed his name—was born in Chicago on October 26, 1946. He always had a passion for broadcasting and made a number of stops before his career-defining role on Wheel.

He told the USO in a 2014 interview that he joined the Army and trained as a clerk typist, eventually going to Vietnam as a finance clerk. He was eventually transferred to Saigon to be a radio DJ, serving as an early-morning host for the Armed Forces Vietnam Network from October 1968 through December 1969. The role was previously held by Adrian Cronauer, whom Robin Williams portrayed in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam.

Back in the states, Sajak became a DJ at radio stations in Murray, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1970s. He also served as a weatherman for WSM-TV in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles-based TV affiliate KNBC for a similar role in 1977. It was in Los Angeles that Sajak caught the attention of Wheel creator Griffin, setting up a contentious clash over the show’s future.

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A contract dispute opened the door

By the early ’80s, Wheel of Fortune had performed fairly well in the ratings as a daytime prog