The program has also come to gain a worldwide following with sixty international adaptations. The syndicated series' 38th season premiered on September 14, 2020, and Sajak became the longest-running host of any game show, surpassing Bob Barker, who hosted The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007. Here's a Partial Episode of Bob Goen's Wheel of Fortune. Browse more videos. Wheel of Fortune- October 4, 1991 (Bob/Don/Ron).
Goen hosting Family Feud Live at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2012 | |
| Born | December 1, 1954 (age 66) Long Beach, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Game show host Television personality |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse(s) | (m. 1988–1997) (m. 2004) |
| Children | 1 |
Robert Kuehl Goen (born December 1, 1954) is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004 and as the fourth and final host of the daytime Wheel of Fortune from 1989 to 1991.
Early life and career[edit]
Goen was born in Long Beach, California, but was raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Lakewood, California. In a 2009 interview at the Game Show Awards Red Carpet, he stated when he was 5, he always dreamed of becoming a game show host, with the encouragement of: Bob Barker, Bill Cullen, Bob Eubanks, Tom Kennedy, Geoff Edwards, Wink Martindale, Monty Hall, among many others, and his dream came true as a young adult. Goen graduated from Lakewood High School in 1972, and from San Diego State University in 1976 with a degree in telecommunications and film. In 1977, he used his college radio experience to land a part-time job at KFOX radio in his native Long Beach, which led to his first full-time job as a disc jockey/producer for KPRO in Riverside, where he was promoted to work as a director. In 1981, he came to television, becoming a sports anchor at KESQ-TV, the ABC affiliate in Palm Springs.
Career[edit]
In the early 1980s he served as ESPN's desert-area correspondent. After almost four years in that role, he came to Hollywood, where he has hosted several game shows, including Perfect Match (syndicated, 1986), Home Shopping Game with co-host Bob Circosta (syndicated, 1987), Blackout (CBS, 1988), The Hollywood Game (CBS, 1992), Born Lucky (Lifetime Television, 1992) and That's the Question (GSN, 2006–2007), which was based on a format from the Netherlands. His greatest success in this area came as the final host of the daytime network version of Wheel of Fortune (CBS, 1989–1991; NBC, 1991).
He had a small role in the opening of the 1988 series premiere episode of Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare On Elm Street: The Series, 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', as a nightly news anchorman and on-scene reporter at the Springwood Municipal Courthouse for the pre-trial hearing of accused mass-murderer Fred Krueger.
He served as host for the 'Name That Tune' video game released for the Philips CD-i in 1993.[1]
He also hosted several Miss Universe pageants in 1994 (Manila, Philippines), 1995 (Namibia), and 1996 (Las Vegas, Nevada).
Goen now trains celebrities on the art of being interviewed. He works for Media Training company, J2 Strategic Communications, alongside Steve Kmetko, Jon Kelley and Terry Murphy.
Goen also hosts the annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, broadcast on Animal Planet[2] and other channels owned by Discovery Communications.
Goen was co-host of GSN Radio with Marianne Curan, his wife. The show debuted on August 18, 2008 and aired its last episode on November 13, 2009. He and Curan moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 2012 to work at Warm 98.[3]
Goen has hosted live traveling versions of Family Feud and The Price Is Right.[4] In 2012, he hosted The Price is Right LIVE in Branson, MO.[5]
Goen has hosted a locally produced version of Let's Ask America called Let's Ask Cincinnati for Scipps' WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio featuring local Cincinnati celebrities and personalities playing for local charities in 2014.[6]
Entertainment Tonight[edit]
On April 12, 1993, he joined Entertainment Tonight as a substitute anchor and a reporter. When John Tesh left ET on May 30, 1996, to pursue his music career, Goen was promoted to nightly anchor alongside Mary Hart.
Between 1994 and 1996, he hosted the worldwide telecasts of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Pageants, all for CBS, replacing Dick Clark.
As ET host, he made guest appearances on two separate movies in 1999. On September 11, 2001, he covered the attacks on the World Trade Center. In 2003, he interviewed Suzanne Somers about the death of actor John Ritter.
Wheel Of Fortune Bob Goen 1989
In April 2005, Goen voiced a cartoon version of himself on an episode The Fairly OddParents. Goen, playing a character named Bob Glimmer, appeared with Mary Hart (whose character was named 'Fairy Hart') as anchors of a show named Fairytainment Tonight. Goen also appeared as an interviewee on a 1997 episode of the cartoon mock-talk showSpace Ghost Coast to Coast.[7]
Personal life[edit]
In August 2004, after 11 years of serving as ET anchor, he left to spend more time with his new wife and to pursue other projects. Mark Steines succeeded him.[8]
Goen was married to Sabrina in 1988, and had a son in 1994. The couple divorced in 1997.[9] In 2004, he married fellow television personality Marianne Curan.[10]
In his spare time, Goen does annual charity work for his golfing tournament, The Bob Goen Lexus Invitational, which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation.[11]
References[edit]
- ^'The Black Moon Project'. www.blackmoonproject.co.uk.
- ^Animal Planet: About the AKC/Eukanuba National ChampionshipArchived July 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2012-09-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^''Come on Down' to Branson's newest show hosted by Bob Goen'. www.branson.com.
- ^Bies, Jessica. ''The Price is Right Live' is coming to Delaware, so everybody 'come on down''. The News Journal.
- ^'WRRM shakes up its wake-up slot with new morning show'. The Cincinnati Enquirer.
- ^Episode 52 - 'Suckup'
- ^'Mary Hart exits Entertainment Tonight after 29 years'. The Christian Science Monitor. 20 May 2011.
- ^'Goen, Bob 1954- (Robert Goen) | Encyclopedia.com'. Encyclopedia.com.
- ^'WRRM shakes up its wake-up slot with new morning show'. Cincinnati.com.
- ^Communications, Emmis (July 2004). 'Los Angeles Magazine'. Emmis Communications.
External links[edit]
- Bob Goen at IMDb
| Preceded by Rolf Benirschke (1989) | Host of daytime Wheel of Fortune July 17, 1989– September 20, 1991 | Succeeded by Show cancelled |
| Preceded by John Tesh | Co-Host of Entertainment Tonight (with Mary Hart) 1993–2004 | Succeeded by Mark Steines |
| Preceded by Dick Clark | Miss Universe host 1994–1996 | Succeeded by George Hamilton |
by Christian Dixie
Wheel of Fortune, the most successful syndicated program in history, has been captivating audiences since its nighttime debut in 1983. The history of the show spans 44 years, with $250 million in cash and prizes being given away to its contestants over the course of the show’s run.Wheel of Fortune, created by Merv Griffin, gets over 1 million applications for contestants vying to be on the show. Ten thousand people get the chance to audition for the show and only 600 contestants appear on the show every season. Let’s take a look at the history of Wheel of Fortune.
The daytime version (1975 – 1991)
Before Pat Sajak and Vanna White were the hosts of Wheel of Fortune, there was Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford. The show was a lot different back then, as it only aired in the daytime and the contestants used their money to shop for prizes. In December of 1981, Woolery left the show due to a disagreement with the salary in his contract. Susan continued to be hostess for another year before leaving the show in 1982. On December 28th, 1981, Pat Sajak made his hosting debut, replacing Woolery while Susan Stafford stays on as hostess.
In 1982, Stafford decides that she wanted to do humanitarian work. As a result, Stafford left the show, opening up a spot for a new hostess. In December of 1982, Vanna White made her debut and was named the permanent hostess. Merv Griffin chose White because of the chemistry she and Pat shared on camera.
Sajak would go on to host the daytime version for eight years until 1989, when he decided to launch his own talk show. Former San Diego Chargers kicker Rolf Bernischke replaced Sajak and hosted the show until the end of the season, as he was let go due to the low ratings.
On July 17, 1989 Bob Goen replaced Rolf. Wheel was picked up by CBS and the show no longer aired on NBC due to low ratings after Sajak left to focus on his talk show. The shopping format was retired in favor of the cash-prize format, as players were able to have the amount of prizes added to their total (Hence the phrase “cash and prizes”).
Wheelof Fortune continued to air on CBS until January 1991, when the show moved back to NBC and aired for 8 more months. In September of 1991, the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune came to an end after 16 years.
The nighttime version (1983 – Present)
Image from Eternal Lifestyle
In September 1983, The current nighttime version of Wheel of Fortune made its television debut. Pat Sajak and Vanna White have been hosting the nighttime version for 37 years. The show also used the shopping format up until October 1987 when they switched to a cash-prize format. From 1983-1997, Vanna was turning the letters physically and in February 1997, Wheel of Fortune upgraded the puzzle board with touch screens and added computer technology to save time in between rounds for switching out puzzles.
In the 1980s, Wheel of Fortune was the most popular game show, receiving 40 million weekly viewers tuning in to see what Vanna would wear or what jokes Pat would come up with during the show.
Wheel Of Fortune 2009 Dailymotion
Today, Wheel of Fortune is still one of the most iconic game shows of all time. The show has given away $250 million since its debut and receives 1 million contestant applications every year, with ten thousand invited to audition and a select few of six hundred contestants appearing on the show. Sajak and White are on contract with Wheel of Fortune until 2022.
Sources: Sony
Images: Collectors.com, Eternal Lifestyle
Bob Goen Wheel Of Fortune Show
Featured Image: Olivia Weinzapfel