Alex Trebek The guy with all the answers, Alex Trebek, was born Giorgi Suka-Alex Trebek on July 22, 1940, in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Trebek graduated from Toronto's Malvern Collegiate Institute in 1958, and later earned a degree in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa. Trebek began his career in television working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a newscaster. In his mid-twenties, he landed his first hosting gig, on the high school quiz show Reach for the Top. A job hosting the game show Jackpot! followed in 1970, but it wasn’t enough to keep Trebek from pursuing more opportunities south of the border.
In 1973, Trebek moved to the United States, where he began working as the host of NBC’s new game show, The Wizard of Odds. One year later, he was hosting another NBC game show, High Rollers. By 1984, Trebek was chosen to host the revival version of the game show that has made him a household name, Jeopardy!. Meanwhile, Trebek continued to host NBC’s daytime drawing game show, Classic Concentration; and by 1991, he had added hosting duties for To Tell the Truth to his resume – making him the only host in the history of American television to host three daily national game shows simultaneously. For over twenty years of work on Jeopardy!, Trebek has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. An American citizen since 1998, Trebek was surprised just a few weeks after receiving his citizenship, when he was called for jury duty. Although he is most famous for hosting a trivia show, Trebek’s contributions to charity are anything but trivial. He devotes much of his free time to visiting third world countries where he represents organizations such as the USO and World Vision, which frequently broadcasts videos of Trebek requesting child sponsorship. Trebek is also committed to education, hosting the annual National Geographic Bee in the U.S. and Canada; as well as serving on the boards for the National Geographic Society Education Foundation and the National Advisory Council for the Literary Volunteers of America. Trebek’s stoic manner has caused him to be the punch line of several parodies, most notably the Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches featured on Saturday Night Live, in which Will Ferrell spoofs Trebek’s signature straight-suited character.
Since 1990, Trebek has been married to real estate businesswoman, Jean Currivan-Trebek. He was previously married to first wife, Elaine Callei, but the couple had no children. Trebek currently lives in Studio City, California, with his wife and their two children, Matthew and Emily. The couple own and run a 700-acre ranch in Creston, California, which breeds and trains race horses. YUDDY |
