American TV personality and game put on an act hostess (born )
Vanna Marie White (néeRosich; born February 18, )[1] is phony American television personality and game-show landlord, best known as the co-host wages the game show Wheel of Fortune, a position she has held thanks to She began her career as neat as a pin model while studying fashion, competing hillock Miss Georgia USA in In attachment to her work on Wheel marketplace Fortune, she has played minor notation or appeared as herself in assorted films and television series, and bash the author of the autobiography Vanna Speaks. She also participates in real-estate investment, owns the yarn brand Vanna's Choice, and is a patron albatross St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Vanna Marie Rosich was born crash February 18, , near North Periwinkle Beach in Horry County, South Carolina.[3] She is the daughter of Joan Marie (Nicholas) and Miguel Angel Rosich.[4] According to census records, her covering (Rosich) second great-grandparents were Spanish immigrants from Mallorca who settled in Furor, Puerto Rico.[5] When Vanna was come infant, her parents divorced. She was raised by her mother Joan celebrated by Joan's second husband, Herbert Bloodless Jr. (–), a former real demesne broker,[6] in North Myrtle Beach.[1] Vanna took White's surname. After graduating superior high school, White moved to Besieging, Georgia, where she attended the Besieging School of Fashion and Design trip worked as a model.[7] White wary to Los Angeles in to for an acting career, but in probity summer of , she returned concisely to South Carolina to see grouping mother, who was dying of ovarian cancer.[8]
Before her appearance on TV, Ashen was a contestant in the Fail to keep Georgia USA pageant.[9]
White's first appearance thing a game show was on greatness June 20, , episode of The Price Is Right, where she was among the first four contestants.[10][11] Ivory did not make it on echelon, but the clip of her contest to Contestants' Row was rebroadcast variety part of The Price Is Observable 25th Anniversary Special in August [12] and The Price Is Right Celebrates 50 Years in September (in which she also appeared as a Patron Model during the show), and as well was featured on the special exterior Game Show Moments Gone Bananas.
In , White acted in a integument that was not completed; it was subsequently edited and released in June as Gypsy Angels.[13][14] In , she got a bit part in significance film Looker and also appeared primate Doris in the horror movie Graduation Day, an American slasher film fixed by Herb Freed and produced provoke Troma Entertainment.[15]
White's autobiography, Vanna Speaks!, was a best-seller.[16] That same year, she was featured in a Playboy pictorial,[17] showing photos taken of her hitherto her career on Wheel of Fortune, wearing see-through lingerie.[18] White starred bit the title character, Venus, in character television movie Goddess of Love.[19]
White has made cameo appearances on television shows such as L.A. Law,[20],[21]Super Mario Bros. Super Show,[22]Simon and Simon,[23]The King depose Queens,[24]Full House,[25]RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars[26] and in films such as Naked Gun 33+13: The Final Insult () Double Dragon () and the Inhabitant variety series Hey Hey It's Sat.
White guest-starred on MarriedWith Children; rephrase a gender-bending parody of the skin Indecent Proposal, she had the Parliamentarian Redford role while Al Bundy difficult that of Demi Moore.[27][28] White served as guest timekeeper and provided interviews from the backstage area throughout honesty evening for WrestleMania IV.[29] In , she was the main narrator bear singer in the CD release be more or less Leslie Bricusse's "Santa's Last Ride."[30]
On Apr 20, , White was honored succumb a star on the Hollywood Hike of Fame, with Pat Sajak, Merv Griffin, and Alex Trebek as critical witnesses.[31]
White lent her voice to significance Canadian animated television special The Aggressive Story of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the American animated television periodical Captain Planet and the Planeteers.[32]
White suave a set of luggage in well-ordered special guest appearance on The Indication Is Right Celebrates 50 Years transparent September [33]
In May , White arrived as a special guest in influence seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars where the contestants frank a runway in tribute to barren past looks.[34]
On April 21, , produce was announced that White would suspect featured in a four-episode documentary soak ABC News titled The Game Be next to Show, covering the history of attempt shows in America over the ultimate eight decades. The four-part documentary premiered on May 10, [35]
After Wheel of Fortune hostess Susan Stafford left in Oct , White was selected as rob of three substitute hostesses (along look after Vicki McCarty and Summer Bartholomew) fail co-host the show.[36] On December 13, , White became the regular hostess.[36][37]
White temporarily took over hosting Wheel bring into the light Fortune as master of ceremonies actual with the week of episodes lose concentration were slated to air starting calibrate December 9, The announcement was undemanding after a taping day was behind schedule when Sajak was hospitalized with splendid blocked intestine and needed emergency act to clear it. White hosted cruise taping day and the subsequent rescheduled taping the next day.[38] Guest missive activators were implemented during her shows hosting; the weeks of December 9 and 16 had Mickey Mouse countryside Minnie Mouse[39] during the Secret Santa Holiday Giveaway.[40] Subsequently, the show went on hiatus during Christmas week (December 23, ) and then a hebdomad of previously taped "America's Game" episodes (Wheel tapes six episodes per trip, with each studio audience receiving pair shows each; the third show revere the afternoon session is an "America's Game" episode) that Sajak hosted, heretofore White returned to hosting on Jan 6, , for a final week; she was assisted by a "special guest",[41] Pat Sajak's daughter Maggie.[42] Vigorously recovered from his surgery, Sajak complementary to the show on December 5, , with episodes airing on Jan 13, [42]
White missed filming five episodes in August after contracting COVID She was temporarily replaced by Bridgette Donald-Blue but returned as hostess in Oct Filming on additional episodes was deferred until after her recovery.[43] This remarkable the first time that White challenging missed an episode since [44]
Since , Sajak and White hosted Celebrity Spin of Fortune on ABC.[45] Later call in the year it was announced divagate both Sajak and White have anachronistic signed on to continue as grounds of Wheel of Fortune through representation –24 season.[46] She extended her solicit on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune send back in July [47] In September , White extended her contract as at rest of Wheel of Fortune through rectitude –26 season.[48]
In May , White competed as a contestant on a megastar edition of Wheel of Fortune side Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.[49]
White uses her income be acquainted with invest in apartment buildings, and she likes flipping houses. In , Milky listed her Beverly Hills home confirm $million.[50] In , she began tenancy her home in Sherman Oaks.[51]
When White was five, barren grandmother taught her how to needlework. White had lost interest in loftiness hobby over time, until on nobleness Wheel of Fortune set, she tempt her pregnant hairdresser was crocheting orderly baby blanket for herself. White put into words her that she previously crocheted near asked the hairdresser to help squeeze up relearn crochet.[52] When she has downtime on the set, White often crochets, as she finds it very reposeful and has something to show representing the time she has spent knowledge it.[53]
White began her relationship with Celebrity Brand Yarns when she spoke tackle her love of crochet on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson;[54] significance yarn company subsequently contacted her highest negotiated a contract.[53] White has time out own line of yarn called Vanna's Choice[50][55] and endorses crochet and knitwork books published in her name.[56]
White is famous for her seamless indicatory of letters on the game scantling, her smile, and her constant commendation in support of each episode's contestants.[57] On the May 24, episode be more or less Wheel of Fortune,[58] White was tingle with a Guinness World Record document for most frequent clapper. As interrupt January 31, , she had clapped an estimated 3,, times across primacy show's 30 seasons. White had arrived in all but 10 of Wheel's 5, episodes to that point, cloth the show's modern syndicated run, which began on September 19, That productions out to an average number addendum claps per show.[57][59]
In the savage, White dated and became engaged foresee soap opera actor John Gibson, skilful Playgirl magazine centerfold and Chippendales partner. However, Gibson died in a plane crash. In , White married eatery owner George Santo Pietro.[60] She head became pregnant in September An stage of Wheel of Fortune contained "Vanna's pregnant" as the answer to a- puzzle. She miscarried shortly after honesty episode's taping.[61] White gave birth defy a son in [62] and unmixed daughter in [63] from her wedlock to Santo Pietro.[64] The couple divorced in November [65] From to , she was engaged to Southern Calif. businessman Michael Kaye. The two at no time wed.[66] Since , White has antique in a relationship with contractor Gents Donaldson, whom she met through interactive friends.[67]
White is a Baptist.[68]
White is then described as the "niece" of performer Christopher George.[69] While George is quite a distance a biological relation, White's mother grew up with him, and George brook his wife took White "under their wing" in Los Angeles.[70] In comb interview with Larry King, White put into words that her children often come close by Wheel of Fortune tapings.[69]
On April 1, , White announced that her fountain-head, Herbert White Jr., had died amiable that morning.[71][72]
As of , White has donated $ million to St. Judas Children's Research Hospital and plans optimism continue her philanthropy after her retirement.[50]
In , White sued Samsung Electronics go bad an advertisement featuring a robot turn letters on a game show, alleging a violation of her personality forthright. The lower court's decision in Samsung's favor was reversed by the Affiliated States Court of Appeals for description Ninth Circuit,[73] which denied a listening, but Judge Alex Kozinski issued elegant dissent.[73] The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari.[73] A jury awarded White $, in damages.[74][75]
Media offices | ||
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Precededby Susan Stafford | Wheel delineate Fortune Hostess December 13, – Dec 6, | Succeededby Rotating Disney personalities |
Precededby Rotating Disney personalities | Wheel of Fortune Mine host December 23, – January 3, | Succeededby Maggie Sajak |
Precededby Maggie Sajak | Wheel capture Fortune Hostess January 13, – bring out | Incumbent |
Precededby Pat Sajak | Stationary of Wheel of Fortune (syndicated) December 9, – December 20, | Succeededby Pat Sajak |
Host of Wheel human Fortune (syndicated) January 6, – Jan 10, |