Chuck Woolery, Game Show Host Behind ‘Love Connection’ and More, Dies at 83

Chuck Woolery, the veteran game show host who gained fame as the original emcee behind “Wheel of Fortune” and later as the face of the popular syndicated dating show “Love Connection,” has died. He was 83.

The news was first reported on the social media site X by Woolery’s friend Mark Young, who noted that “it is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother.”

The website TMZ confirmed the news, reporting that Woolery died in his Texas home after having trouble breathing.

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Woolery, who spent more than ten years as host of “Love Connection” (where he famously told viewers before commercial breaks that the show would be back in “two and two”), became known in more recent years as a conservative talk show host and pundit. He hosted a nationally syndicated radio commentary show, “Save Us Chuck Woolery,” as well as the podcast “Blunt Force Truth,” with Young as his co-host.

But before he focused on politics, Woolery’s game show bona fides including hosting “Wheel of Fortune” from 1975 to 1981, before Pat Sajak took over. He was also known for hosting the gamer “Scrabble,” one season of the talker “The Chuck Woolery Show,” and the original version of daytime talk show “Home & Family” on the Family Channel.

Woolery also hosted “The Dating Game,” the primetime game show “Greed” and Game Show Network’s “Lingo.” He additionally played himself on “227,” “Cold Feet” and “Scrubs,” and then starred in a reality show about his life called “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned.”

Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007.

Before his TV career, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy, and then started his career as a performer with the music group The Avante-Garde, which had a top 40 hit with “Naturally Stoned.” He later had a handful of solo songs on the country chart.