Chuck Woolery, an American actor, musician, talk show presenter, and game show host, passed away at the age of 83.
Dr. Mark Young, his friend, verified the news on X, which was previously known as Twitter. He wrote a tribute that read, "It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away."
"Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother."
The circumstances regarding Chuck's death are not yet known. The tweet was shared on Chuck's personal X account, and numerous tributes have been left on social media.
Chuck, whose real name is Charles Herbert Woolery, was the original host of the Wheel of Fortune from 1975 to 1981.
According to TMZ, Chuck's friend Mark was at his residence in Texas when Chuck declared that he was unwell and retired to his bed. He returned to the room shortly thereafter and reported that he was experiencing difficulty breathing. Paramedics were summoned; however, Woolery did not survive. Numerous users of social media have utilized X to pay tribute to the deceased presenter.
One wrote: "America just lot a good man, a good conservative and a good patriot. RIP Chuck Woolery."
A second added: "RIP Chuck Woolery. One of the greatest game show hosts ever to do it. Wish he'd be back in two and two."
A third echoed: "From a fellow Kentuckian, I really enjoyed his work, and he gave us lots of laughs. God bless his family, may he RIP."
He was born in Ashland, Kentucky, in 1941. Woolery stated to PEOPLE in 1991 that his childhood was " real happy and very simple" while residing in a two-story clapboard home with his parents and sister. During an assembly, Woolery, who was 6 feet tall and in seventh grade, delivered a memorable rendition of Nat King Cole's "Too Young." He had been singing since a tender age. "I looked and sounded like a man in front of all these little kids," he shared with PEOPLE. "Girls liked me, and guys hated me."
In 1960, Woolery enrolled at the University of Kentucky; however, he departed after two years and subsequently served in the Navy for two years. Then, he resumed his studies at Morehead State University in Kentucky, but he left once more to pursue his musical interests. Under the pseudonym "The Avant-Garde," he and Bubba Fowler recorded a single titled "Naturally Stoned" in Nashville, which was a Top 40 success. He subsequently released music as a solo artist.
Woolery relocated to Los Angeles in 1972 and subsequently secured positions on The Tonight Show and other programs.
He was hired by producer Merv Griffin in 1975 to host a new game program called Wheel of Fortune. The program was initially broadcast during the day. ''When I got on, I couldn't stop talking to people,'' he disclosed his hosting approach to The New York Times in 2003. ''I wanted to know who they were, what they did. I wanted them to win, and I got emotionally invested in their winning.''
Woolery hosted the program until 1982, when he and the producers were unable to reach a consensus regarding his contract. Pat Sajak succeeded him. Long ago, he felt regrets regarding his decision to withdraw from the game show. ''If I wouldn't have left Wheel of Fortune, I'd be making about $10 million a year now," he informed the Times in 2003.
Love Connection was a resounding success when Woolery initiated it in 1983. The program not only arranged relationships for individuals, but it also monitored their evening and subsequently inquired about their experiences. The program was a forerunner of the reality dating genre that is now common.
In 1986, Woolery stated to PEOPLE that audiences found it enjoyable to observe contestants discover love, but they "enjoy the dates that fail even more." The program was so popular that a young Jim Carrey performed an impression of the renowned unflappable Woolery on In Living Color. Woolery expressed to PEOPLE that "Dating and romance are real common denominators".
Woolery also hosted The Big Spin and Scrabble during his tenure on Love Connection; however, the dating program was his preferred platform. "This is really the one show I do that I'll watch at home," he disclosed to PEOPLE. "I really like its unpredictability."
In 1991, Woolery hosted a brief talk program known as The Chuck Woolery program. Love Connection concluded in 1994. The Dating Game was revived by Woolery from 1997 to 1999. He subsequently hosted Greed and Lingo.
Woolery and his family were the focus of a brief reality series, Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned, which aired in 2003. He informed the public in 2003, "When they wanted to do this, I thought, I can't imagine anybody would watch my life. But after we got into it, I thought, 'If it's funny, they'll watch.'"
He was married several times. Margaret Hayes was his wife from 1963 to 1970. Cary, Katherine, and Chad comprised their offspring. In 1985, Chad was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident. He was 19 years old.
"My Christian faith is probably the single thing that got me through this," Woolery disclosed to PEOPLE in 1997 of Chad's death. "Without the understanding of where Chad is and what I expect in the future, it would have been very difficult. My belief is that he's much better off now than he was then."
His candid political comments in later years amplified his influence, inciting conflicts and securing him a contentious position in cultural discourse. Woolery continuously changed himself to remain pertinent by influencing the reality dating genre, expressing his political opinions, or excelling in live presenting.
