Vanna White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vanna White
White next to the puzzle board during a recording of Wheel of Fortune on February 8, 2006
Born	Vanna Marie Rosich (1957-02-18) February 18, 1957 (age 68) North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
Occupation	Game-show co-host, television personality, model, actress
Years active	1980–present
Known for	Wheel of Fortune
Spouse(s)	George Santo Pietro ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 2002)​
Children	2
Awards	Hollywood Walk of Fame

Vanna Marie White (born February 18, 1957) is a famous American television personality. She is best known as the co-host of the game show Wheel of Fortune. She has been in this role since 1982.

Vanna started her career as a model. She also studied fashion. She even competed in the Miss Georgia USA pageant in 1978. Besides Wheel of Fortune, she has appeared in many films and TV shows. She also wrote a book called Vanna Speaks in 1987. Vanna also invests in real estate. She has her own yarn brand called Vanna's Choice. She is a big supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Early Life and Beginnings

Vanna Marie Rosich was born on February 18, 1957. This was near North Myrtle Beach in Horry County, South Carolina. Her parents were Joan Marie (Nicholas) and Miguel Angel Rosich. Her parents divorced when Vanna was a baby.

Vanna was raised by her mother, Joan, and her stepfather, Herbert White Jr. Herbert White Jr. was a real estate broker. Vanna took his last name, White. After high school, Vanna moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, she went to the Atlanta School of Fashion and Design. She also worked as a model. In 1979, Vanna moved to Los Angeles to try acting. She briefly returned to South Carolina in 1980. This was to be with her mother, who was very ill.

Vanna White's Career Journey

Early TV and Film Appearances

White with Pat Sajak in 2006

Before Wheel of Fortune, Vanna was a contestant. She appeared on The Price Is Right on June 20, 1980. She was one of the first four contestants. She did not make it onto the stage. However, clips of her running to Contestants' Row have been shown many times. These clips were part of special anniversary shows for The Price Is Right.

In 1981, Vanna had small roles in movies. She was in Looker and the horror film Graduation Day. Her book, Vanna Speaks!, became a best-seller in 1987. In 1988, she starred as Venus in the TV movie Goddess of Love.

Vanna has also made guest appearances on many TV shows. These include L.A. Law, Full House, and The King of Queens. She also appeared in films like Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult. In 1996, she was the main narrator for a CD called "Santa's Last Ride."

On April 20, 2006, Vanna White received a star. It was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek were there to celebrate with her. Vanna also lent her voice to animated shows. These include The Real Story of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Captain Planet and the Planeteers.

In May 2022, Vanna was a special guest. She appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars season seven. The contestants honored her past looks. In April 2023, it was announced that Vanna would be in a documentary. It is called The Game Show Show by ABC News. This four-part series explores the history of game shows.

Her Role on Wheel of Fortune

After the previous hostess left in October 1982, Vanna White was chosen. She became one of three people to co-host Wheel of Fortune. On December 13, 1982, Vanna became the regular hostess.

The handprints of Vanna White in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park

In December 2019, Vanna temporarily took over hosting Wheel of Fortune. This happened when Pat Sajak had emergency surgery. Vanna hosted for a few weeks. During her time as host, special guests helped activate the letters. These included Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Pat Sajak's daughter, Maggie, also helped Vanna. Pat Sajak returned to the show in January 2020.

Vanna White missed filming five episodes in August 2023. She had COVID-19. Bridgette Donald-Blue temporarily replaced her. Vanna returned as hostess in October 2023. This was the first time Vanna had missed an episode since 1991.

Since 2021, Vanna and Pat Sajak have also hosted Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. This show airs on ABC. In September 2023, Vanna extended her contract. She will continue as host of Wheel of Fortune through the 2025–26 season. In May 2023, Vanna even competed as a contestant. She played on a celebrity edition of Wheel of Fortune. She played against Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.

Investing in Real Estate

Vanna White uses her earnings to invest. She buys apartment buildings. She also enjoys buying and selling houses. This is often called "flipping houses". In 2017, Vanna listed her home in Beverly Hills for sale. In 2023, she started renting out her home in Sherman Oaks.

Love for Crochet and Knitting

When Vanna was five years old, her grandmother taught her to crochet. She lost interest in it for a while. Then, on the Wheel of Fortune set, she saw her hairdresser crocheting. This made Vanna want to learn again. When she has free time on set, Vanna often crochets. She finds it very relaxing.

Vanna started working with Lion Brand Yarns. This happened after she talked about her love for crochet on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The yarn company contacted her. Now, Vanna has her own line of yarn. It is called Vanna's Choice. She also supports crochet and knitting books that have her name on them.

World Record for Clapping

Vanna White is famous for revealing letters on the game board. She is also known for her smile and constant clapping. She claps to support the contestants. On May 24, 2013, Vanna received a Guinness World Record certificate. It was for being the most frequent clapper.

As of January 31, 2013, she had clapped an estimated 3,480,864 times. This was over 30 seasons of the show. Vanna had appeared in almost all of Wheel's episodes. This works out to about 606 claps per show!

Personal Life

In the 1980s, Vanna White was engaged to actor John Gibson. Sadly, Gibson died in a plane crash in 1986. In 1990, Vanna married restaurant owner George Santo Pietro. She became pregnant in 1992. An episode of Wheel of Fortune even had "Vanna's pregnant" as a puzzle answer. However, she sadly lost her baby shortly after the episode was taped.

Vanna gave birth to a son in 1994. She had a daughter in 1997. She and George Santo Pietro divorced in November 2002. From 2004 to 2006, she was engaged to businessman Michael Kaye. They never married. Since 2012, Vanna has been in a relationship with contractor John Donaldson. They met through friends.

Vanna White is a Baptist. Vanna's mother grew up with actor Christopher George. Christopher George and his wife helped Vanna when she moved to Los Angeles. Vanna has said that her children often visit the Wheel of Fortune tapings. On April 1, 2022, Vanna announced that her stepfather, Herbert White Jr., had passed away peacefully.

Giving Back: Philanthropy

As of 2019, Vanna White has given a lot of money to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She has donated $1.8 million. She plans to keep supporting them even after she retires.

Legal Matters

In 1993, Vanna White sued Samsung Electronics. This was because of an advertisement. The ad showed a robot turning letters on a game show. Vanna felt it was too much like her. A jury awarded Vanna $403,000 in damages.

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Vanna White para niños