'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek dies at 80 after nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer

this band's monster album included Crush With Eyeliner, R E M Jeopardy's Alex Trebek had all the answers on the popular game show. The revamped version of Jeopardy was an instant hit when it debuted in 1984 with its distinctive answering question format, the syndicated game show made the Canadian born Trebek a star. Luck plays a very important part in success and television. If you're lucky enough to wind up on a show that the people take the heart, then uh, you're set. Jonathan, the long running game show earned him five Daytime Emmy Awards and a lifetime achievement award for outstanding game show host from the Television Academy. Being nominated is nice. You don't get too excited about it. But I'll tell you something. If I were not nominated, I think I'd be disappointed. I'd be sad because you work hard. You do your best. You think you're doing quality work and you want to know that people recognize you for that. Jeopardy wasn't his only gig. The husband and father of three also hosted the National Geography Bee for 25 years, a city that is divided by a river of the same name. The talented host, became a U. S citizen in 1998 and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the following year. Truly honored. I don't feel I deserve it. But there are a lot of other things in life that I had that I didn't deserve and I've enjoyed on. Suffered with. In the middle of Jeopardy's 18th season, Trebek made headlines when he shaved his signature mustache. He told Larry King it was all on a whim. I just walked into the makeup room and I said, Give me the hair Clippers and I just want took it right off just to see what it would look like on camera. The audience reacted pretty favorably when I went home, however, my wife and my two kids did not even notice. Family and fans both took notice when Trebek suffered through some health scares. There were two mild heart attacks, one in 2007 and another five years later. In 2017 surgeons remove blood clots from his brain and then, in 2019, this announcement to fans this week I was diagnosed with Stage four pancreatic cancer. Now, normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I'm going to fight this. Trebek often gave back to his community and was a strong supporter for charities such his world vision, the USO and the National Geographic Education Foundation. The affable host was grateful for his rich television career and kept it all in perspective. When I leave, somebody younger will be doing the show, and it'll carry on shows I have a life that is independent of their hosts. That doesn't mean that, uh, they won't miss the host, but they'll develop an allegiance to the new guy on, and that's the way it should be because it's a quality program. And even though the show must go on, Alex Trebek will be forever remembered as the irreplaceable host of Jeopardy.

Alex Trebek, who presided over the beloved quiz show "Jeopardy!" for more than 30 years with dapper charm and a touch of school-master strictness, died Sunday. He was 80.Trebek, who announced in 2019 that he had advanced pancreatic cancer, died at his California home, surrounded by family and friends, "Jeopardy!" studio Sony said.The Canadian-born host, who made a point of informing fans about his health directly, spoke in a calm, even tone as he revealed his illness and hope for a cure in a video posted March 6, 2019.In the video, Trebek said he was joining the 50,000 other Americans who receive such a diagnosis each year and that he recognized that the prognosis was not encouraging.But Trebek said he intended to fight it and keep working, even joking that he needed to beat the disease because his "Jeopardy!" contract ran for three more years. Less than a week later, he opened the show with a message acknowledging the outpouring of kind words and prayers he'd received."Thanks to the �� believe it or not �� hundreds of thousands of people who have sent in tweets, texts, emails, cards and letters wishing me well," Trebek said. "I'm a lucky guy.""Jeopardy!" bills itself as "America's favorite quiz show" and captivated the public with a unique format in which contestants were told the answers and had to provide the questions on a variety of subjects, including movies, politics, history and popular culture. Video: Alex Trebek says he doesn't fear death as he battles pancreatic cancerThey would answer by saying "What is ... ?" or "Who is .... ?" Trebek, who became its host in 1984, was a master of the format, engaging in friendly banter with contestants, appearing genuinely pleased when they answered correctly and, at the same time, moving the game along in a brisk no-nonsense fashion whenever people struggled for answers.He never pretended to know the answers himself if he really didn't, deferring to the show's experts to decide whether a somewhat vague answer had come close enough to be counted as correct. "I try not to take myself too seriously," he told an interviewer in 2004. "I don't want to come off as a pompous ass and indicate that I know everything when I don't." The show was the brainstorm of Juann Griffin, wife of the late talk show host-entrepreneur Merv Griffin, who said she suggested to him one day that he create a game show where people were given the answers."Jeopardy!" debuted on NBC in 1964 with Art Fleming as emcee and was an immediate hit. It lasted until 1975, then was revived in syndication with Trebek. Long identified by a full head of hair and trim mustache (though in 2001 he startled viewers by shaving his mustache, "completely on a whim"), Trebek was more than qualified for the job, having started his game show career on "Reach for the Top" in his native country. Moving to the U.S. in 1973, he appeared on "The Wizard of Odds," "High Rollers," "The $128,000 Question" and "Double Dare." Even during his run on "Jeopardy!", Trebek worked on other shows. In the early 1990s, he was the host of three �� "Jeopardy!", "To Tell the Truth" and "Classic Concentration." From March 2019: "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek announces he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer"Jeopardy!" made him famous. He won five Emmys as its host, and received stars on both the Hollywood and Canadian walks of fame. In 2012, the show won a prestigious Peabody Award. He taped his daily "Jeopardy!" shows at a frenetic pace, recording as many as 10 episodes (two weeks' worth) in just two days. After what was described as a mild heart attack in 2007, he was back at work in just a month.He posted a video in January 2018 announcing he'd undergone surgery for blood clots on the brain that followed a fall he'd taken. The show was on hiatus during his recovery.It had yet to bring in a substitute host for Trebek �� save once, when he and "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak swapped their TV jobs as an April's Fool prank.In 2012, Trebek acknowledged that he was considering retirement, but had been urged by friends to stay on so he could reach 30 years on the show. He still loved the job, he declared: "What's not to love? You have the security of a familiar environment, a familiar format, but you have the excitement of new clues and new contestants on every program. You can't beat that!"Although many viewers considered him one of the key reasons for the show's success, Trebek himself insisted he was only there to keep things moving. "I'm introduced as the host of 'Jeopardy!,' not the star," he said in a 2012 interview. "My job is to provide the atmosphere and assistance to the contestants to get them to perform at their very best," he explained. "And if I'm successful doing that, I will be perceived as a nice guy and the audience will think of me as being a bit of a star."

Alex Trebek, who presided over the beloved quiz show "Jeopardy!" for more than 30 years with dapper charm and a touch of school-master strictness, died Sunday. He was 80.

Trebek, who announced in 2019 that he had advanced pancreatic cancer, died at his California home, surrounded by family and friends, "Jeopardy!" studio Sony said.

The Canadian-born host, who made a point of informing fans about his health directly, spoke in a calm, even tone as he revealed his illness and hope for a cure in a video posted March 6, 2019.

In the video, Trebek said he was joining the 50,000 other Americans who receive such a diagnosis each year and that he recognized that the prognosis was not encouraging.

But Trebek said he intended to fight it and keep working, even joking that he needed to beat the disease because his "Jeopardy!" contract ran for three more years. Less than a week later, he opened the show with a message acknowledging the outpouring of kind words and prayers he'd received.

"Thanks to the �� believe it or not �� hundreds of thousands of people who have sent in tweets, texts, emails, cards and letters wishing me well," Trebek said. "I'm a lucky guy."

"Jeopardy!" bills itself as "America's favorite quiz show" and captivated the public with a unique format in which contestants were told the answers and had to provide the questions on a variety of subjects, including movies, politics, history and popular culture.

Video: Alex Trebek says he doesn't fear death as he battles pancreatic cancer

They would answer by saying "What is ... ?" or "Who is .... ?"

Trebek, who became its host in 1984, was a master of the format, engaging in friendly banter with contestants, appearing genuinely pleased when they answered correctly and, at the same time, moving the game along in a brisk no-nonsense fashion whenever people struggled for answers.

He never pretended to know the answers himself if he really didn't, deferring to the show's experts to decide whether a somewhat vague answer had come close enough to be counted as correct.

"I try not to take myself too seriously," he told an interviewer in 2004. "I don't want to come off as a pompous ass and indicate that I know everything when I don't."

The show was the brainstorm of Juann Griffin, wife of the late talk show host-entrepreneur Merv Griffin, who said she suggested to him one day that he create a game show where people were given the answers.

Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy)

"Jeopardy!" debuted on NBC in 1964 with Art Fleming as emcee and was an immediate hit. It lasted until 1975, then was revived in syndication with Trebek.

Long identified by a full head of hair and trim mustache (though in 2001 he startled viewers by shaving his mustache, "completely on a whim"), Trebek was more than qualified for the job, having started his game show career on "Reach for the Top" in his native country.

Moving to the U.S. in 1973, he appeared on "The Wizard of Odds," "High Rollers," "The $128,000 Question" and "Double Dare." Even during his run on "Jeopardy!", Trebek worked on other shows. In the early 1990s, he was the host of three �� "Jeopardy!", "To Tell the Truth" and "Classic Concentration."

From March 2019: "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek announces he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer

"Jeopardy!" made him famous. He won five Emmys as its host, and received stars on both the Hollywood and Canadian walks of fame. In 2012, the show won a prestigious Peabody Award.

He taped his daily "Jeopardy!" shows at a frenetic pace, recording as many as 10 episodes (two weeks' worth) in just two days. After what was described as a mild heart attack in 2007, he was back at work in just a month.

He posted a video in January 2018 announcing he'd undergone surgery for blood clots on the brain that followed a fall he'd taken. The show was on hiatus during his recovery.

It had yet to bring in a substitute host for Trebek �� save once, when he and "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak swapped their TV jobs as an April's Fool prank.

In 2012, Trebek acknowledged that he was considering retirement, but had been urged by friends to stay on so he could reach 30 years on the show. He still loved the job, he declared: "What's not to love? You have the security of a familiar environment, a familiar format, but you have the excitement of new clues and new contestants on every program. You can't beat that!"

Although many viewers considered him one of the key reasons for the show's success, Trebek himself insisted he was only there to keep things moving.

"I'm introduced as the host of 'Jeopardy!,' not the star," he said in a 2012 interview. "My job is to provide the atmosphere and assistance to the contestants to get them to perform at their very best," he explained. "And if I'm successful doing that, I will be perceived as a nice guy and the audience will think of me as being a bit of a star."

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'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek dies at 80 after nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer

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