Aug 23, 2020 With so little to be sure of in this topsy-turvy world, at least one thing is certain: Each weeknight, Vanna White will glide across the stage of 'Wheel of Fortune,' revealing letters, applauding.
In 1975, the game show phenomenon Wheel of Fortunedebuted on NBC. The show ran for 14 years on the network, before moving to CBS, then back to NBC before officially getting canceled on Sept. 20, 1991. However, for eight years, along with the show's daytime version, there was a nighttime syndicated version of the show, which debuted on Sept. 19, 1983. Confusing, right? The nighttime WheelofFortune has been a syndicated hit ever since.
- Acting as a temporary host while Wheel of Fortune’s Pat Sajak recovers from medical hiatus, Vanna White can fill the host’s penny loafers, but not just anyone can pull off Vanna’s ball gowns.
- Vanna White, the television host, and actress is famous for her seamless and quick revealing of letters on the game board of Wheel of Fortune. In an episode in 2013, she got a Guinness World Record certificate for the most frequent clapper.
- Vanna White From Wheel of Fortune. Vanna Marie White Roshich, more known as Vanna White, is a famous television personality, game show host, and actress, and has been the host of Wheel of Fortune since 1982. She is the daughter of Joan Marie Nicholas and Miguel who divorced when she was only a baby.
- A viewer asked our Verify team to check a report claiming Vanna White is leaving “Wheel of Fortune” because of her age. We reached out to Sony Pictures Television, which produces.
Pat Sajak became the longest-running host of a game show when his 38th season premiered on Sept. 14, 2020. Sajak also hosted the network version of Wheel eight years after replacing the original host, Chuck Woolery. Vanna White has been with Sajack since the show's syndicated debut. However, she debuted the network version of the game show in 1982. During her time on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White made it into the Guinness World Book of Records. On the May 24, 2013, episode of Wheel of Fortune, Guinness World Records presented White with a most frequent clapper certificate. As of Jan. 31, 2013, it was estimated she clapped at least 3,480,864 times across the show's 30 seasons. White not becoming a spokesperson for The Clapper seems like a missed opportunity, TBH.
Although White has been a fixture of Wheel of Fortune since 1982, she was not the first hostess on the game show. Keep scrolling for all of the details on Vanna White's letter-turning predecessor.
Susan Stafford was the original letter turner
Although Vanna White has become a game show icon, thanks to her almost four decades on Wheel of Fortune, Susan Stafford was the original Wheel letter-turner. Stafford, born on Jan. 27, 1944, started her career as a model, which led to acting roles on the 1970's TV series staplesIronside, Love American Style, Police Story, and Marcus Welby, MD.
Stafford's time on Wheel of Fortune ran from 1975 to 1982, when she decided to leave the hit game show after reassessing her life priorities. Of her decision to leave Wheel, in a February 1987 interview with The Chicago Tribune, Stafford said, 'I mean, for seven years I stood there and turned letters. I had to ask myself if that was any way for a grown woman to live her life.'
Despite second-guessing her life choices, in 1987, Stafford became the first woman to be nominated for an Emmy on a game show. Looking back, does she have any regrets since Vanna White became a household name? 'Do I kick myself?' Stafford told The Chicago Tribune. 'No, I like myself too much for that. Do I miss the money? You bet I do.' After leaving Wheel of Fortune, Susan Stafford did a total 180. Continue reading for more on her drastic life change.
Susan Safford became a born-again Christian
After leaving WheelofFortune, Susan Stafford went to work at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas, where she specialized in pastoral care education and working with dying cancer patients, The Chicago Tribune reported. Stafford revealed in her 2010 memoir, Stop the Wheel I Want to Get Off, that when she left Wheel, her bosses were quite surprised. Of the news, her boss allegedly said, 'You're going to Houston to take care of cancer patients, people who are dying? 'Susan, you can't be serious. Even for you, this is a stretch.' She replied, I'm very serious Murray, I can't expect you or anyone for that matter to understand. It's like a special 'calling from God.'
Stafford became a born-again Christian, and according to her website, she earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Psychology. She is also a motivational/inspirational seminar speaker and Spiritual Counselor. Stafford formed a non-profit organization called Wheel of Grace Unlimited and continues to reach out daily as a Chaplain and counselor.
One of the most interesting stories involving Susan Stafford involves the late actor Rock Hudson. She was allegedly was present when a Catholic priest led Hudson in the 'sinner's prayer' to receive Jesus Christ into his life just hours before his death at 59 on Oct. 2, 1985, from AIDS complications. 'Yes, it is true that Rock Hudson accepted Jesus Christ on his deathbed,' she revealed in an interview with ASSIST Ministries. I wonder if Vanna White has any stories that can top that one?
Vanna White is a popular American TV personality known for hosting The Wheel of Fortune since 1982. She was born as Vanna Marie Rosich in Conway, South Carolina on February 18, 1957 in North Mytle Beach, South Carolina. Her father was born of Puerto Rican and Croatian origins. When he abandoned the family, Vanna’s mother married Herbert Stackley White Jr., a former real estate agent. Vanna took the name of her step father
Vanna’s first brush with the television was in a game show on June 20, 1980 in an episode from ‘The Price is Right’. She was one of the first four competitors to the show, but lost the game mid-way. When Wheel of Fortune hostess Susan Stafford quit on October 1982, White became a substitute hostess along with Summer Bartholomew and Vicki McCarty. On December 13, 1982, White became the regular hostess of the show. Due to her presence, the popularity of the show skyrocketed. In 1987, she came out with her autobiography titled ‘Vanna Speaks!’ which turned out to be a best-seller.
Vanna White Wheel Of Fortune Host
White even acted in a few TV serials and films. One of the films was the NBC-based TV film called ‘Goddess of Love ‘, in which she played the part of Venus. Though the movie was a flop, she had a good screen presence. She also appeared in quite a few TV shows including L.A. Law and Full House.
Vanna White – Husband and Children
White dated Playboy model and Chippendales actor John Gibson in the 80s. They were engaged but in the year 1986, he died in a plane crash. White kept herself away from the show for a while, ex-hostess of the show Susan Stafford filled for her.
White then married George San Pietro, a restaurant owner in December 1990, she became pregnant in 1992 and announced the news through a smart puzzle, the answer of which was ‘Vanna’s Pregnant’. Unfortunately, she miscarried and later had a son in 1997 called Nicholas and a daughter in 1997, called Giovanna. George and Vanna divorced in 2002. For the next four years, she dated and got engaged to Michael Kaye, a business owner of a buyout fund in Southern California.
Vanna White Wheel Of Fortune News
Vanna White – Net Worth and Salary
Her net worth is $40 million and her annual salary is $8 million. She successfully sued Samsung Electronics for making a parody ad on her game show for $403,000