Chuck Woolery, the beloved game show host best known as the original face of Wheel of Fortune, has died at 83.
His close friend and podcast co-host, Mark Young, confirmed that Woolery passed away peacefully at his Texas home with his wife, Kristin, by his side. The exact cause of death has not been revealed.
“He was a dear friend and life will not be the same without him,
Mark Young
Highlights
- Chuck Woolery’s first marriage was to Margaret Hayes when he was 20.
- At 65, Chuck Woolery married Kim Barnes, a woman from Michigan, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas in 2006.
- TMZ shared that Chuck was at home in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. with Kristen when she noticed he wasn’t feeling well and decided to rest.
Mark Young described Woolery as a dear friend and said life would feel different without him.
Woolery hosted Wheel of Fortune from 1975 to 1981 before Pat Sajak took over following a contract dispute. Sajak later retired, and Ryan Seacrest became the new host.
After his time on Wheel of Fortune, Chuck Woolery hosted Love Connection from 1983 to 1994.
Woolery has hosted several other game shows, including Scrabble, Greed, The Dating Game, and Lingo.
In addition to his game show work, Chuck Woolery hosted talk shows such as The Chuck Woolery Show and Home & Family.
Chuck Woolery Leaves Behind His Fifth Wife, Kristen, And Three Children
Chuck Woolery’s first marriage was to Margaret Hayes when he was 20.
They had three children together: Cary, Katherine, and Chad, who sadly passed away in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19 in 1986.
His second wife was actress Jo Ann Pflug, known for The Fall Guy. They had a daughter named Melissa.
Woolery’s third wife, Teri Nelson, was the granddaughter of Ozzie and Harriet.
With Teri, he had two sons, Michael and Sean.
Teri Nelson’s Facebook page mentions she’s from Laguna Beach, California. Her posts include pictures of her skiing and spending time with family.
Michael Woolery is also on Facebook, sharing about his father, who won his first Emmy. Sean Woolery currently lives in Utah.
At 65, Chuck Woolery married Kim Barnes, a woman from Michigan, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas in 2006.
According to his publicist, Natalie Marion, the couple tied the knot in a private ceremony, surrounded by a small group of close friends and family.
Chuck Woolery is survived by his wife, Kristen, although some reports wrongly mentioned his wife’s name as Kim.
“Chuck was home in Texas with his wife when she said he wasn’t feeling well and went to lie down. She came back to the room a short time later and said he was having trouble breathing,”
TMZ
TMZ shared that Chuck was at home in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. with Kristen when she noticed he wasn’t feeling well and decided to rest.
When she checked on him later, he was struggling to breathe. She called 911, but unfortunately, Chuck passed away before help arrived.
Chuck Woolery never publicly shared the reasons behind his splits with his four ex-wives, keeping divorces and alimony details private.
While he has spoken about his personal life in interviews, he chose not to elaborate on why his marriages ended.
According to The New York Times, Chuck Woolery leaves behind three children: Michael, Melissa, and Sean. He was preceded in death by his two other children, Chad and Katherine.
Additional Information
- Chuck Woolery strongly supported American conservatism and was actively involved with the Republican Party.
- Between 2012 and 2014, Chuck Woolery hosted a nationally syndicated radio show called Save Us Chuck Woolery. The show was inspired by the YouTube videos he had created.
- He later hosted the ’80s Quiz Show, a game show that focused on the trends and culture of the 1980s. The show premiered on Fox Nation on June 7, 2024.
- As a solo artist, Chuck Woolery released five albums with Columbia Records. After 1970, he signed with RCA and released a single called “Forgive My Heart.”
