Profile of the Day: Alex Trebek
Today we remember beloved game show host Alex Trebek on what would have been his 81st birthday.
Image: Alex Trebek / Nestor Cruz, U.S. Air Force
He was born George Alexander Trebek on July 22, 1940 in Sudbury, Ontario to George Edward Trebek (born Terebeychuk) and Lucille Marie Lagacé. His father emigrated from the Ukraine as a child and became a chef. His mother was French Canadian and so Trebek grew up speaking both French and English at home.
After earning a degree in philosophy from the University of Ottawa, Trebek chose to pursue a career in broadcasting before shifting his focus to hosting game shows. In 1984, Trebek was hired to host the revival of the game show Jeopardy! Trebek was the host of Jeopardy! for 37 seasons and appeared in over 8,200 episodes. He continued to host the popular game show until his death on November 8, 2020.