Alex Trebek

George Alexander Trebek (birth name Giorgi Suka-Alex Trebek, born July 22, 1940), is a well known Canadian game show host of the syndicated version of the popular Jeopardy! television program for more than 20 years. He has hosted numerous game/quiz shows and has appeared many times in movies and television series, usually as himself.

Early life

Alex Trebek was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, to George Edward Trebek, an Ukrainian immigrant father and Lucille Lagacean, a French-Canadian mother. He was educated by the Jesuits before attending the University of Ottawa with a degree in Philosophy. Interested in a career in broadcast news, he began his broadcasting career working for the CBC as a newscaster. Specializing in national news and covering a wide range of special events for the CBC's radio and television divisions, Trebek earned a reputation as a broadcaster who maintained his poise and composure in the most difficult settings.

Related Topics:
Sudbury, Ontario - Ukrainian - French-Canadian - Jesuits - University of Ottawa - Philosophy - CBC - Newscaster

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Rise in television

In 1966 he got his own game show, entitled Reach for the Top (now hosted by Daniel Richler). In 1973 he moved to the United States and worked for NBC as host of a new game show, The Wizard of Odds. A year later, Trebek hosted the popular Merrill Heatter-Bob Quigley game show High Rollers, which had two incarnations on NBC (1974-76 and 1978-80). In 1984 he was chosen to host the revived version of the trivia game show Jeopardy! (replacing Art Fleming who had retired), and has been its host ever since. He was also the host of Classic Concentration and the Canadian game show Pitfall.

Related Topics:
1966 - Game show - Reach for the Top - Daniel Richler - 1973 - United States - NBC - The Wizard of Odds - Merrill Heatter - Bob Quigley - High Rollers - 1984 - Art Fleming

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In 1991, he became the only host in TV history to helm three daily national game shows at once -- Jeopardy! , Classic Concentration, and To Tell the Truth.

Related Topics:
1991 - Classic Concentration - To Tell the Truth

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Trebek has sported an iconic moustache during various phases of his career.

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He is divorced from his first wife, Elaine Callei, and has been married to his second wife, Jean Currivan-Trebek, a real estate businesswoman and the mother of his 2 children, since April 30, 1990.

Related Topics:
April 30 - 1990

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Trebek was also a celebrity guest at WWF's annual event Wrestlemania VII, on March 24th, 2004, where he served as a special guest announcer, interviewing wrestlers... Most memorable when he interviewed Jake "The Snake" Roberts and was scared away by Jake's snake, Damien.

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