Remembering the Life and Legacy of America’s Beloved Television Personality

Long time Jeopardy! host, Alex Trebek, died at the age of 80 after a two year long battle with pancreatic cancer. His 37 seasons as host of the critically acclaimed game show made him a household name for many Americans, and his influence on American entertainment will continue to live on. 

Trebek was born in Ontario, Canada in 1940, where he studied philosophy in hopes of becoming a journalist. He worked as a reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation before switching careers in 1966, where he took his first hosting job on the game show, Reach for the Top [CNN]. 

In 1984, Trebek secured his role as host of Jeopardy!, which had been off air since 1979. The show soon became one of the most watched game shows in television history, and Trebek quickly made a name for himself as a modern media icon. Trebek hosted over 8,200 episodes of the show across five decades, and was contracted to continue his Jeopardy! reign until 2022. 

Throughout his career in the Hollywood spotlight, Trebek received countless awards and recognitions for his impact on the entertainment industry. He received the daytime Emmy award for outstanding game show host seven times, and was nominated in at least one category of the award ceremony since 1985. He received the Daytime Emmy ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ in 2011.

Trebek revealed in 2019 that he was receiving treatment for his diagnosis of stage four pancreatic cancer. In a video posted to Jeopardy!’s official Youtube page, Trebek stated that while the prognosis of the disease wasn’t always great, “[he] was going to fight this.” Trebek promised to continue working throughout his treatment, joking that he was under contract for another three years with the show, and could not miss work. 

In light of his death on Nov 8, Jeopardy! released an official statement thanking Trebek for his years of influence on the program. “Jeopardy! Is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.”