'Who Can Forget' Alex Trebek? Fox Nation honors the late 'Jeopardy' host, relives the hardship of filling his shoes
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Category is: "Television Legends' Birthdays."
Answer: This record-setting game show host was born in Sudbury, Ontario, on this day in history, July 22, 1940.
Correct response: Who is Alex Trebek?
Famed game show host Alex Trebek was born to parents George Trebek, a Ukrainian immigrant, and his wife Lucille, who was French-Canadian.
At age 12, Trebek left home and attended boarding school in Ottawa, according to his profile on Biography.com.
He would remain in Ottawa after high school — and went on to study philosophy at the University of Ottawa.
After his graduation from college, Trebek began a career in journalism, the "Jeopardy!" website points out. Initially, Trebek worked in Canada for the CBC.
"Jeopardy!" game show host Alex Trebek was born on July 22, 1940, in Ontario, Canada. He went on to achieve household-name status. (Jeopardy! via AP)
In 1973, he first appeared on American television, hosting the show "Wizard of Odds" on NBC, the same source noted.
He would spend the rest of his life in Los Angeles.
He engaged "millions of viewers worldwide with his impeccable delivery of ‘answers and questions.'"
Eleven years later, Trebek landed the job that would promote him to household name status: He became the host of "Jeopardy!" in 1984.
"He became one of television’s most enduring and iconic figures, engaging millions of viewers worldwide with his impeccable delivery of ‘answers and questions,’" said the show's website.
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In 1998, Trebek became a naturalized U.S. citizen, said Encyclopedia Britannica.
Trebek hosted "Jeopardy!" until his death in November 2020.
His final episode as host aired on Jan. 8, 2021, "featuring a touching tribute to the iconic host," as Fox News Digital previously reported.
About 18 months before his death, Trebek announced that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told the world that "the prognosis for this is not very encouraging."
"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek is shown posing with contestant Ken Jennings after Jennings' earnings from a record-breaking streak on the show surpassed $1 million on July 14, 2004, in Culver City, California. Jennings would eventually become a co-host of "Jeopardy!" after Trebek's passing. (Jeopardy Productions via Getty Images)
"But I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working," he said in a video announcing his diagnosis.
"And with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers also," he said, "I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease."
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Trebek continued his hosting duties despite his illness, "inspiring millions with his upbeat and candid messages about his health," said the "Jeopardy!" website.
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In 2014, Trebek was awarded the Guinness World Record for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter (same program)," when he hosted his 6,829th show.
Alex Trebek during an event at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on Feb. 19, 2019. He announced his pancreatic cancer diagnosis the following month. (Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
"There has only been one episode of the show that has been hosted by a different presenter — an April Fool's Day special in 1997, which saw Alex switched places with ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak," said the website.
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Throughout his run as host, Trebek won seven Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host, plus a posthumous Daytime Emmy Award in 2021.
In July 2020, Trebek published "The Answer Is …: Reflections on My Life," which became a bestselling book, said the "Jeopardy!" website.
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During his lifetime, Trebek gave away his own money to numerous charitable endeavors, including World Vision — the Christian humanitarian organization that conducts relief efforts for children and families in nearly 100 countries around the world, as FOX Business previously reported.
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