Alex Trebek

Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Alex Trebek graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Philosophy. After his first decision to become a newscaster, he joined the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company), Canada's premier network in 1961. As he was working, he helped organize national news and covered a variety of special events for CBC's radio and television divisions, receiving high praise as a broadcaster who retained his poise and composure in the toughest places.

Then, in 1966, he became a Canadian game show host on Reach for the Top (1965), and stayed there for the first seven years until he migrated to the United States to host his very first game show in that country, The Wizard of Odds (1973), for NBC.

His first game show, The Wizard of Odds (1973), was produced by Alan Thicke.

When young, Trebek thought about becoming a priest, but changed his mind after spending a summer at a Trappist monastery. He said in an interview for the New York Sunday News, "I took a vow not only of poverty but of silence. And I'm not one to keep my big mouth shut. I enjoy talking." [February 24, 1974]

Parodied by Will Ferrell on Saturday Night Live (1975).

Appeared on the final week of Family Feud (1976), which was hosted by Richard Dawson.

He framed a bounced check for $49,000, which he received from a game show he worked at in the 1980s that failed.

Once subbed for Chuck Woolery on the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune (1983), before he was hired as the host of Jeopardy! (1984) for syndication.

Prior to being selected as the host of Jeopardy! (1984), for syndication, he came back to NBC and hosted the revamped version of Classic Concentration (1987), which was also his second hit in his then-almost 30 year career. On this show, he received 4 Emmy nominations, but didn't win.

He purchased a house so he could use its tennis court. In the 1990s it was rented by Pete Rose and his wife Carol, who had to get the landlord (Trebek) to fix the house's electrical and plumbing problems.

It was canceled in 1991, when the network stopped making game show for daytime TV.

Won the Bob Hope Entertainment Award in 1998 for his work with the USO.

Received a phone call from Regis Philbin for his final answer on Philbin's talk show and Trebek said he refused to be tested for his "brains" on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1999).

After having a confrontation at a Los Angeles International Airport, he sued an airline employee who said he left her with serious hand injuries. [23 March 2000]

A large oak tree smashed into the garage of Trebek's Studio City, California home during a fierce wind storm. (5 January 2003)

On Friday, January 30, 2004, while driving alone on a country road near Templeton, California, where he owned a horse farm, he lost consciousness at the wheel which led him to his car crash.

Hospitalized after suffering a minor heart attack at his home on December 10, 2007.

Broke his leg on July 27, 2011 as he was chasing a female burglar who had broken into his San Francisco hotel room. Suspect was later apprehended by police.

Suffered a mild heart attack on June 23, 2012 and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for observation.