Pat Sajak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Sajak
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Sajak in 2011
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| Born |
Patrick Leonard Sajdak
October 26, 1946 |
| Alma mater | Columbia College Chicago |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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Wheel of Fortune (1981–2024) The Pat Sajak Show (1989–1990) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2; including Maggie |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
US Army |
| Years of service | 1968–1969 |
| Rank | Specialist 5th Class |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Pat Sajak (born October 26, 1946) is a famous American TV host and personality. He is most famous for hosting the game show Wheel of Fortune for many years. He hosted the show from 1981 to 2024.
Pat Sajak still works as a consultant for Wheel of Fortune. He also hosts Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. For his work on Wheel, he won three Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2019, he set a Guinness World Records record. He became the longest-serving game show host for the same show. He passed the record held by Bob Barker.
Besides hosting game shows, Pat Sajak has appeared in movies and TV shows. These include Airplane II: The Sequel and Rugrats. He also hosted his own late-night talk show on CBS. He was a frequent guest host for Larry King Live and Live with Regis and Kelly.
Pat Sajak's Early Life
Pat Sajak was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1946. He went to Farragut High School. After high school, he attended Columbia College Chicago. While studying, he worked as a desk clerk at a hotel. His family name was originally spelled Sajdak. He later changed it to Sajak to make it easier to say in America.
During the Vietnam War, Pat Sajak served in the U.S. Army. He worked as a disc jockey for the American Forces Vietnam Network. He hosted a radio show called Dawn Buster. He would start his show by saying "Good Morning Vietnam!" This was a tradition from the previous host, Adrian Cronauer.
Becoming a TV Star
Pat Sajak started his career in radio. He won a contest to be a guest DJ on a radio show. While in college, he got a job as a newsman at a local radio station. In 1968, he joined the U.S. Army and became a DJ in Vietnam. He once accidentally cut off a Christmas broadcast from President Richard Nixon.
In the early 1970s, he worked as a DJ at radio station WSM in Nashville. The TV station connected to WSM, WSM-TV, hired him. He started by doing voiceovers and short newscasts. Later, he became a weekend weatherman. In 1977, a TV station in Los Angeles, KNBC-TV, hired him as a full-time weather reporter.
In 1981, TV producer Merv Griffin asked Pat Sajak to host Wheel of Fortune. The president of NBC at the time, Fred Silverman, didn't want to hire him. He thought Sajak was too new. But Griffin insisted, and Sajak got the job. He had already hosted two game show pilots before this.
From 1983 to 1989, Pat Sajak hosted both the daytime and evening versions of Wheel of Fortune. He continued to host the evening version until 2024. In 2018–19, he became the longest-running host of any game show. He officially received this honor from Guinness World Records in 2019.
Other TV Appearances
Pat Sajak had a small part in the 1982 comedy movie Airplane II: The Sequel. He played a newscaster. When his late-night talk show started in 1989, he left the daytime Wheel of Fortune. He appeared on other game shows as a celebrity guest. These included Super Password and Dream House.
Pat Sajak hosted a talk show on CBS from 1989 to 1990. His old friend, Dan Miller, was his sidekick. Sajak often filled in as a guest host for CNN's Larry King Live. He also regularly filled in for Regis Philbin on Live with Regis and Kelly. In 2003, he hosted Pat Sajak Weekend on Fox News.
In 1983, Pat Sajak played a character in the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. In 1994, he appeared as himself on the children's cartoon show Rugrats.
In 1997, Pat Sajak played an April Fool's Day prank. He and Vanna White were contestants on Wheel of Fortune. Alex Trebek hosted that special episode. Their winnings went to charity. Sajak also hosted a regular episode of Jeopardy! in return.
In 2001, Pat Sajak appeared as himself in an episode of The King of Queens. He also started writing for National Review Online in 2010. He has also written for the website Ricochet.com.
Pat Sajak has created several puzzle games. The most famous one is "Lucky Letters," which came out in 2007. He developed these games with puzzle creator David L. Hoyt.
Since 2020, Pat Sajak has been a Consulting Producer for Wheel of Fortune. Since 2021, he and Vanna White have hosted Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC.
In 2021, Pat Sajak voiced a singing bust in a Muppets Haunted Mansion TV special. He has also been a narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional several times.
On June 12, 2023, Pat Sajak announced he would retire from hosting Wheel of Fortune in 2024. His last episode aired on June 7, 2024. Ryan Seacrest was announced as his replacement. Sajak will continue as a show consultant for three years. He will also remain chairman of the board of trustees for Hillsdale College. It was announced in July 2024 that he will continue to host Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
Pat Sajak's Personal Life
Pat Sajak is married to Lesly Brown-Sajak, who is a photographer. They have two children. Their son, Patrick Michael James Sajak, became a doctor in 2021. Their daughter, Maggie Marie Sajak, is a social correspondent for Wheel of Fortune. The family lives in Severna Park, Maryland. They also have a second home in Los Angeles.
Pat Sajak is a narrator in a short film at Mount Vernon. This is the home of George Washington. He explains the attractions of the site to visitors. From 1998 to 2021, Sajak owned a radio station in Annapolis, Maryland, called WNAV.
Interests and Health
Pat Sajak is a Republican. He has written articles for conservative magazines. He also posts and participates in podcasts on the conservative blog Ricochet.com. He supports the Young America's Foundation. This group brings conservative speakers to college campuses. He has said that he kept politics out of his hosting duties on Wheel of Fortune.
In 2005, Pat Sajak became an investor in the Golden Baseball League. This was a professional baseball league. He has also called some baseball games in the past. Sajak is a big fan of the Washington Capitals NHL hockey team. He has season tickets and has appeared on the ice before games.
On November 8, 2019, Pat Sajak had emergency surgery. He had an intestinal blockage. While he recovered, his co-host Vanna White hosted Wheel of Fortune in his place. His daughter, Maggie, also helped Vanna White for a week. Pat Sajak returned to work on December 5, 2019.
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