Game show host Chuck Woolery of 'Wheel of Fortune,' 'Love Connection,' dies at 83

Chuck Woolery, erstwhile game show big of "Wheel of Fortune," "Love Connection" and "Scrabble," has died astatine the property of 83.

Woolery died astatine his location successful Texas successful the beingness of his wife, Kristen, his person and podcast co-host Mark Young told The Associated Press. Along with his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his girl Melissa.

"Chuck Woolery was without uncertainty the Real Deal. Our 7 years arsenic the archetypal big and hostess connected Wheel of Fortune were similar magic," Susan Stafford, who was Chuck Woolery's co-host connected "Wheel of Fortune," said successful a connection to Fox News.

"Our heavy relationship continued aft our clip connected the show," the connection continued. "He was an original. There was nary 1 similar Chuck. He had truthful overmuch vigor and was the aforesaid lukewarm caring genuine idiosyncratic offstage arsenic helium was on. He was precise spiritual and we shared a existent emotion for God which made it adjacent much worthwhile. So grateful to cognize I volition spot him again."

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Game amusement big Chuck Woolery attends the Meow Mix Think Like a Cat Game Show Premiere connected November 12, 2008, successful Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)

Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame successful 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination successful 1978.

In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year stint arsenic big of "Love Connection," during which clip helium coined the phrase, "We’ll beryllium backmost successful 2 minutes and 2 seconds." In 1984, helium began hosting "Scrabble," simultaneously hosting some crippled shows until 1990.

Other shows helium hosted see "Lingo," "Greed" and "The Chuck Woolery Show," arsenic good arsenic the short-lived syndicated revival of "The Dating Game" from 1998 to 2000. In 1992, helium played himself successful 2 episodes of "Melrose Place."

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Chuck Woolery astatine the "Game Show Networks 2003 Winter TCA Tour" astatine the Renaissance Hotel successful Los Angeles, California, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003. (Getty Images)

Woolery was the taxable of the Game Show Network's archetypal effort astatine a world show, "Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned," which premiered successful 2003 and lasted six episodes.

Woolery began his TV vocation connected "Wheel of Fortune," which debuted Jan. 6, 1975, connected NBC.

"Wheel of Fortune" started beingness arsenic "Shopper’s Bazaar." After Woolery appeared connected "The Merv Griffin Show" singing "Delta Dawn," Griffin asked that helium big the caller amusement with Stafford.

NBC initially passed, but they changed it to "Wheel of Fortune" and were approved. After a fewer years, Woolery demanded a rise to $500,000 a year, oregon what big Peter Marshall was making connected "Hollywood Squares." Griffin rejected the petition and replaced Woolery with Pat Sajak, who, on with Vanna White, are astir commonly associated with the show.

Chuck Woolery performs astatine the "Game Show Networks 2003 Winter TCA Tour" astatine the Renaissance Hotel successful Los Angeles, California, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003. (Getty Images)

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Woolery, who was calved successful Ashland, Kentucky, served successful the U.S. Navy earlier attending college. He played treble bass successful a people trio earlier starting the psychedelic stone duo, The Avant-Garde, successful 1967 portion helium worked arsenic a motortruck operator to enactment himself arsenic a musician.

Following his TV career, Woolery began podcasting. He told The New York Times that helium described himself arsenic a gun-rights activist, a conservative-libertarian and constitutionalist, noting that helium had not revealed his authorities successful wide Hollywood implicit fearfulness of retribution.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.