I make it a point to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy with my boyfriend every night; we’re nerds like that. Wheel of Fortune has been on the air for 32 years, and somehow Vanna White has remained exactly the same. I wanted to know what her secret was and upon researching, I found out a few interesting tidbits you may not have known. I’m still looking for her secret to eternal youth.
Her Early Life:
- Vanna was born Vanna Marie Rosich and is of Puerto Rican descent on her father’s side.
- She took the last name of White from her step-father before becoming famous.
Her Love For Game Shows:
- In a 1980 episode of The Price Is Right, Vanna appeared as a contestant. She didn’t get to play the full game, but she did get to run down to Contestant’s Row.
- In 1982, Susan Stafford left Wheel and Vanna was chosen as a substitute until she was officially signed on in December of 1982.
Adventures in Other Media:
- In 1981, Vanna had a supporting role in low-budget horror movie, Graduation Day.
- In 1987, she was featured in an article in Playboy in a picture taken by her Chippendale boyfriend.
- She released her autobiography, Vanna Speaks! in 1987.
- In 1988, she starred in an NBC made-for-TV movie called Goddess of Love in which she played the goddess Venus.
Wheel of Fortune:
- Vanna hasn’t turned a letter since 1997.
- She turned the wrong letter on one episode, and the whole puzzle had to be thrown out.
- She has never repeated an outfit.
Accomplishments:
- The Guinness Book of World Records named her as Wheel of Fortune’s most frequent clapper.
In 2006, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Personal Life:
- Vanna White was engaged to Chippendale’s dancer/actor John Gibson, but he was killed in a plane crash in 1986.
- Vanna announced her pregnancy on an episode of Wheel of Fortune when “Vanna’s pregnant” was an answer.
- In addition to being a master letter-flipper, she is also a “crochet enthusiast” and has her line of yarns called “Vanna’s Choice”.
- She sued Samsung Electronics for depicting her as a robot in a commercial. She was awarded $403,000 in damages.