Chuck Woolery, the first host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' dies at 83
Chuck Woolery, the game show veteran best known as the original host of "Wheel of Fortune," has died. He was 83.
Woolery's friend and podcast co-host Mark Young confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristin, by his side. A cause of death was not disclosed.
"He was a dear friend and life will not be the same without him," Young said.
Woolery hosted "Wheel of Fortune" from 1975 to 1981 before he was replaced by Pat Sajak amid a contract dispute. Sajak has since retired and been succeeded by Ryan Seacrest.
"Please do not adjust your sets at home. Chuck Woolery has not shrunk," Sajak told viewers when he took over the show. "I've been fortunate enough to wander onto the set of a very successful program."
Woolery went on to host "Love Connection" from 1983 to 1994. The popular dating game show was later revived with hosts Pat Bullard and Andy Cohen. Woolery's resume of game show hosting gigs also included "Scrabble," "Greed," "The Dating Game" and "Lingo."
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Outside of game shows, Woolery hosted the talk shows "The Chuck Woolery Show" and "Home & Family." He also had a career as a musician, performing as part of The Avant-Garde, and he appeared as himself on numerous shows including "Scrubs," "Sister, Sister" and "Melrose Place."
Woolery was an outspoken conservative and made headlines in 2020 after then-President Donald Trump retweeted his post claiming that the "CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors" were lying about the COVID-19 pandemic to hurt Trump's chances of re-election.
Woolery later clarified, "COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones."
In 2017, Woolery told The New York Times he "got on board" with supporting Trump "for fear of losing the Constitution altogether, for fear of going down this hypersocialist road." He said on X in 2019 that he "pretty much destroyed my career by openly supporting Trump and letting all know, I am a conservative."
"Painful at times, but true," he wrote. "After all is said and done. It was my choice and I can live with it. I would do it all again."
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Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa.
Contributing: Bryan Alexander
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chuck Woolery dead: Original 'Wheel of Fortune' host was 83
