Chuck Woolery
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Chuck Woolery | |
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Woolery in 2004
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| Born | Charles Herbert Woolery March 16, 1941 Ashland, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Occupation | Television host |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 6 |
| Website | www |
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Woolery (born March 16, 1941) is an American game show host, occasional actor and talk show host, gun advocate, and former musician. He has had long-running tenures hosting several different game shows. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune (1975–81), the original incarnation of Love Connection (1983–94), Scrabble (1984–90, and during a brief revival in 1993), and Lingo on GSN from 2002 to 2007.
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[hide]Career[edit]
Woolery served two years in the U.S. Navy[1] after graduating from high school. In 1963, Woolery worked as a wine consultant for Wasserstrom Wine & Import Company in Columbus, Ohio. He was also a sales representative for the Pillsbury Company. In the 1960s, Woolery and Elkin "Bubba" Fowler recorded as the musical duo The Avant-Garde which had one-hit wonder success in 1968 with the top 40 pop hit "Naturally Stoned".[2] During this time he worked as a truck driver to supplement his income. Between 1977 and 1980, Woolery recorded for Warner Bros. Records and Epic Records as a solo artist, with two low-charting singles on Hot Country Songs.[3]
While co-starring as Mr. Dingle on New Zoo Revue, Woolery's first game show appearance was on an episode of Tattletales, alongside then-wife Jo Ann Pflug. Starting as a singer, Woolery appeared on an episode of Your Hit Parade. On January 6, 1975, he began hosting Wheel of Fortune at the suggestion of creator Merv Griffin, who had seen Woolery sing on The Tonight Show. Woolery hosted the show for six years. In 1981, he was involved in a salary dispute with the program's producers; he said in a 2007 interview that he demanded a raise from $65,000 a year to about $500,000 a year because the program was drawing a 44 share at the time, and other hosts were making that much. Griffin offered Woolery $400,000 a year, and NBC offered to pay the additional $100,000, but after Griffin threatened to move the program to CBS, NBC withdrew the offer. Griffin dismissed Woolery, whose final episode aired on December 25, 1981. Pat Sajak replaced him.[4]
Woolery hosted Love Connection (1983–94), The Big Spin (1985), Scrabble (1984–90, 1993), The Home and Family Show (1996–98, co-host), The Dating Game (1997–99),Greed (1999–2000), and Lingo (2002–07). In addition, he was the subject of a short-lived reality show, Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned (originally titled Chuck Woolery: Behind the Lingo) in 2003.[5] He also hosted his own talk show, The Chuck Woolery Show, which lasted for only a few months in 1991. He hosted The Price Is Right Live! at Harrah'scasinos, and appeared in the live stage show "$250,000 Game Show Spectacular" at the Las Vegas Hilton until April 2008.[6] While hosting "Love Connection" Woolery began his trademark phrase "We'll be back in two and two," before pitching to a commercial break. Two minutes and two seconds was the standard length of a commercial break.
Currently Woolery is the host of a nationally syndicated radio commentary show, Save Us Chuck Woolery, which began in 2012, grown out of his YouTube videos. After two years as host, Woolery began a longer format podcast, Blunt Force Truth. With co-host Mark Young, Woolery expands on his political ideals and current events, often inviting guest experts to join the conversation.[citation needed]
Music[edit]
In the early 1960s he sang and played the bass fiddle with a folk song trio called The Bordermen. He also sang in a duo called The Avant-Garde who were in the psychedelic pop genre. The other half of the duo was Elkin "Bubba" Fowler. They signed to Columbia Records and had a top 40 hit with "Naturally Stoned" in 1968. They released three singles. As a solo artist he released five records with Columbia. After 1970 he signed with RCA and released "Forgive My Heart." In 1971, another single "Love Me, Love Me" failed to make any impact. He then turned to acting. In the late 1970s, he returned to his singing career. Woolery charted on Hot Country Songs with "Painted Lady" and "The Greatest Love Affair".[7]
Acting[edit]
As an actor he has appeared with Stephen Boyd, Rosey Grier and Cheryl Ladd in the mid-1970s film Evil in the Deep.[8] He appeared as himself in the 1989 film Cold Feet that starred Keith Carradine and Rip Torn.[9]
Other endeavors[edit]
Woolery is politically libertarian conservative, and has spoken publicly in favor of conservative political positions. He is an active supporter of the Republican Party, and has mainly donated to Republican and conservative causes.[10][11] He occasionally writes political editorials, which are syndicated and appear in such publications as The Washington Times[12] and Newsmax.[13]
Personal life[edit]
Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery is a Christian and volunteers in ministry.[14] He is a political conservative[15] and gun rights activist.[16][17]
Woolery and his first wife, Margaret Hayes, have three children: Cary, Katherine and Chad. Chad was killed in a motorcycle accident in January 1986.[18] In 1972, he married Jo Ann Pflug, which ended in divorce. With Teri Nelson, the step-daughter of actor David Nelson, he has two sons, Michael and Sean.[19] Woolery married Kim Barnes in 2006.[20][21]
Filmography[edit]
Acting[edit]
| Year | Title | Role[22] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | New Zoo Revue | Mr. Dingle | |
| 1973 | Love, American Style | Mr. Thompson | Segment: "Love and the Cozy Comrades" |
| 1974 | Sonic Boom | Pilot Rogers | Short film |
| 1975 | The Treasure of Jamaica Reef | Detective | Also known as Evil in the Deep |
| 1978 | A Guide for the Married Woman | Tennis Pro | Made for television |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Tyler | Episode 4 |
| 1982 | Romance Theatre | "Marisol" Parts 1–5 | |
| 1982 | Six Pack | TV Commentator #2 | |
| 1989 | 227 | As Himself | Episode: "A Date to Remember" |
| 1989 | Cold Feet | Himself |
Hosting[edit]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975–81 | Wheel of Fortune | |
| 1983–94 | Love Connection | |
| 1984–90, 1993 | Scrabble | |
| 1991 | The Chuck Woolery Show | 11 episodes |
| 1996–98 | The Home and Family Show | Co-host with Cristina Ferrare |
| 1997–99 | The Dating Game | |
| 1999–2000 | Greed | |
| 2002–07 | Lingo | |
| 2012–present | Save Us Chuck Woolery (radio show) | |
| 2014–present | Blunt Force Truth (podcast) | Co-host with Mark Young |
Discography[edit]
Singles[edit]
| Year | Single | Peak positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [3] | |||||||||
| 1977 | "Painted Lady" | 78 | |||||||
| "Take 'Er Down, Boys" | — | ||||||||
| 1980 | "The Greatest Love Affair" | 94 | |||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||