Wheel of Fortune premiered on this day in 1975. Originally conceived as a fusion of Hangman and roulette, the show has become a mainstay of American culture, as have cohosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.
The show didn’t start with those two at the helm. For its first six years it was hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford. Woolery left in 1981 and was replaced by Alex Trebek for a week before Sajak got to take his own spin at the wheel after a stint as a local weatherman.
The show’s creator, Merv Griffin (who also was the mastermind behind Jeopardy!), faced some resistance trying to hire Sajak, who was obscure compared to Hollywood talent. Griffin stood by his man, though, threatening to halt production if he didn’t get his way. Sajak started his tenure in 1981.
Stafford stuck around until 1982. White came onto the scene, and America never looked back … that is, until 2023 when Sajak announced he’d step down at the end of the season. Last September, Ryan Seacrest took up the role.
To learn more about the show’s history you can check out this cool timeline on their website, as well as Sajak’s entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
