Alex Trebek

**George Alexander Trebek**, known worldwide as *Alex Trebek*, was born on July 22, 1940, in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, to Ukrainian‑heritage chef George Edward Trebek and Franco‑Ontario mother Lucille Marie Lagacé. Growing up in a bilingual household, he attended Sudbury High School and later earned a philosophy degree from the University of Ottawa in 1961, where he honed his debating skills and dreamed of a broadcast news career. While still a student he began working nights for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, eventually reading national radio news and covering diverse events such as curling and horse racing. His first on‑screen role came in 1963 with the music program *Music Hop*, and by the late 1960s he was hosting quiz shows like *Reach for the Top* and *Strategy*. In 1973 Trebek moved to the United States, where he launched a prolific game‑show tenure that included *The Wizard of Odds*, *High Rollers*, *Double Dare*, *Battlestars*, *Classic Concentration*, and *To Tell the Truth* before landing the iconic seat on *Jeopardy!* in 1984.

For 37 seasons Trebek became the embodiment of intellectual curiosity, delivering over 6,800 episodes and earning eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host. His calm, authoritative demeanor made him a beloved fixture in American households, while his Canadian roots were celebrated through numerous honors, including a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and an Officer of the Order of Canada. Beyond television, he was a dedicated philanthropist, supporting organizations such as World Vision, the United Service Organizations, and the United Negro College Fund, and he donated millions to his alma mater, the University of Ottawa. Trebek became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1998, and his personal life included marriages to Elaine Howard (1974‑1981) and Jean Currivan (1990‑present), with three children. His battle with stage‑IV pancreatic cancer, publicly announced in 2019, concluded on November 8, 2020, yet his legacy endures through ongoing tributes, a commemorative USPS stamp, and the continued reverence of fans who remember him as “the man who knew the answer.”