Chuck Woolery, game-show host recognized for ‘Love Connection,’ ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ dies at 83

Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking sport present host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later turned a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the federal government of mendacity about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.

Mark Younger, Woolery’s podcast co-host and pal, stated in an e-mail Saturday that Woolery died at his dwelling in Texas along with his spouse, Kristen, current. “Chuck was a pricey pal and brother and an amazing man of religion, life won’t be the identical with out him,” Younger wrote.

Woolery, along with his matinee idol appears, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Recreation Present Corridor of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.

In 1983, Woolery started an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be again in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and a couple of.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” concurrently internet hosting two sport exhibits on TV till 1990.

“Love Connection” – lengthy earlier than the daybreak of relationship apps – had a premise that featured both a single man or single lady who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates after which choose one for a date.

A few weeks after the date, the visitor would sit with Woolery in entrance of a studio viewers and inform all people in regards to the date. The viewers would vote on the three contestants, and if the viewers agreed with the visitor’s alternative, “Love Connection” would supply to pay for a second date.

Woolery informed The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favourite set of lovebirds was a person aged 91 and a lady aged 87. “She had a lot eye make-up on, she seemed like a stolen Corvette. He was so previous he stated, ‘I keep in mind wagon trains.’ The poor man. She took him on a balloon journey.”

Earlier than that present he was the unique host when Merv Griffin created “Wheel of Fortune” in 1975. He stayed with the present till a contract dispute in 1981 and was then changed by Pat Sajak.

Different profession highlights included internet hosting the exhibits “Lingo,” “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Present,” in addition to internet hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Courting Recreation” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 discuss present. In 1992, he performed himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”

Since 2014, he cohosted with Younger the “Blunt Power Fact” podcast, which examines present occasions with a conservative viewpoint.

Woolery was married 4 occasions and is survived by 4 youngsters.