Facts about Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek Biography
Alex Trebek began hosting the TV quiz show Jeopardy! in 1984. He continued hosting the show until his death in 2020, along the way becoming one of the most beloved figures in American television.
Jeopardy! was a hit in the 1960s and early 1970s with original host Art Fleming. Trebek joined the show as host on its revival in 1984 and continued for 36 years. (The show’s distinctive format had Trebek delivering answers, with contestants required to ask “What is…?” or “Who is…?” as they gave their response in the form of a question.)
Earlier in his career, Alex Trebek hosted the game shows Wizard of Odds and High Rollers, among others, and was a newscaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). He also has emceed the annual National Geography Bee for students. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000, and in 2006 he received a maple leaf on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto.
On March 6, 2019, Alex Trebek announced that he had just been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He noted that the prognosis for the disease is normally “not very encouraging,” but said he would keep working and added that “I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.” He published a memoir, The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life, in July of 2020. He continued to host Jeopardy! as the 2020-21 season began, but died of the disease in November of that year.
Extra credit
Alex Trebek married the former Jean Currivan in 1990. They have a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Emily. In February of 2002, the Cincinnati Enquirer quoted Trebek as saying, “I’ve got a 10-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter,” meaning the kids were born about 1992 and 1994… Alex Trebek was married once before, to Elaine Callei, from 1974 until their divorce in 1981. They had no children themselves, but Callei had a daughter, Nicky, who was six years old when they were married. Trebek calls Nicky “my daughter by osmosis” in his 2020 memoir… Alex Trebek suffered a mild heart attack in December of 2007; he returned to regular Jeopardy! tapings in January of 2008. He suffered another heart attack in June of 2012, but again returned to the show… Alex Trebek earned a philosophy degree from the University of Ottawa… He founded Creston Farms, a thoroughbred horse facility near the town of Templeton, California… Alex Trebek was host of Jeopardy! during the 75 consecutive appearances of supercontestant Ken Jennings.