Canadian-American game show host of the U.S. quiz show Jeopardy! since 1984.
Trebek attended the University of Ottawa where he earned a degree in philosophy. After graduation, he joined the Canadian Broadcasting Company. He covered a wide range of special events as well as the national news and gained quite a reputation for maintaining his composure in difficult situations. He then began hosting the student quiz, “Reach for the Top” as well as several other series before he was picked up by the U.S. Network.
Jeopardy! episodes that appeared on TV in September 2001 presented Trebek with a new look; after wearing a mustache for 20 years, he appeared clean-shaven. He made appearances in several films including Short Cuts and Charlie’s Angels (2000), and did occasional narration work.
Active in a number of charities, Trebek was on the Boards of the National Geographic Society Education Foundation and the National Advisory Council for Literacy Volunteers of America. He regularly travelled to Third World countries on behalf of the World Vision Organization.
Trebek married broadcaster Elaine Callei in 1974. The couple had no children although Trebek adopted Callei’s daughter Nicky; they divorced in 1981. In 1990, he married Jean Currivan, a real estate project manager from New York. They had two children, Matthew and Emily. While they lived in Studio City, he owned and managed a farm in central California where thoroughbreds were bred, trained and boarded. In addition, he owned a vineyard.
At 63, the host of Jeopardy! had a freak auto accident but was not injured on 31 January 2004 in Templeton, California. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his pickup truck, which sideswiped several mailboxes and flew 40 feet (12 m) in the air before coming to rest against a telephone pole.
Trebek was hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack on 11 December 2007 in Los Angeles. The vigorous 71-year old chased a burglar who had entered his San Francisco hotel room on 26 July 2011 at about 2:30 AM. In the chase, he snapped his Achilles tendon. On crutches he nevertheless fulfilled his duties at the National Geographic World Championship event but faced surgery to repair his injury.
On 8 November 2020, Trebek died at age 80 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer; he had been contracted to host Jeopardy! until 2022.
Link to Wikipedia biography