Show Personnel

Over its long history, Wheel of Fortune has had many arrivals and departures in show personnel. This page covers the on-camera talent and major behind-the-scenes players in chronological order, with links where applicable.

Hosts

 * Chuck Woolery (1973, 1975-81)
 * Edd Byrnes (1974)
 * Pat Sajak (1981-; left the daytime show in January 1989)
 * Rolf Benirschke (January-June 1989)
 * Bob Goen (July 1989-August 1991 {daytime version's end})
 * David Sidoni (Wheel 2000, 1997-98)

Hostesses

 * Susan Stafford (1974-82)
 * Vanna White (1982-)
 * Cyber Lucy (Wheel 2000, 1997-98)

Substitutes


 * Summer Bartholomew (September 1977; May 24-June 1, 1979; at least October 25-29, 1982)
 * Arte Johnson (September 1977 for at least one episode, partly to promote Knockout)
 * Cynthia Washington (June 4-8, 1979)
 * Vicki McCarty (November or December 1982)
 * Vanna White (November or December 1982)
 * Susan Stafford (daytime week of June 16-20, 1986)
 * Tricia Gist (nighttime shows in January and March 1991)
 * Rosie O'Donnell (March 4, 1997 {assisted Vanna in Round 3})
 * Lesly Sajak (April 1, 1997)
 * Katie Cantrell (March 24, 2011 {Rounds 2-3})

Announcers

 * Mike Lawrence (1973)
 * Charlie O'Donnell (1974-80, 1989-2010)
 * Don Morrow (at least August 4-8, 1980)
 * Jack Clark (1980-88)
 * M. G. Kelly (1988-89)
 * Cyber Lucy (Wheel 2000, 1997-98)
 * Jim Thornton (2011-)

Substitutes


 * Charlie O'Donnell (nighttime shows of October 21-November 1, 1985; at least May 9-13, 1988 on both versions)
 * Johnny Gilbert (unknown daytime shows from June-August 1988; November 27-December 8, 1995; April 1, 1997; November 1-19, 2010)
 * Don Pardo (nighttime shows of November 14-25, 1988)
 * Rich Fields (November 22-December 17, 2010 and January 31-February 4, 2011)
 * Jim Thornton (December 20, 2010-January 7, 2011; January 17-28, February 7-11, February 21-March 4, March 21-April 1, and technically April 18-June 10, 2011)
 * Lora Cain (January 10-14 and February 14-18, 2011)
 * Joe Cipriano (March 7-11 and April 11-15, 2011)
 * John Cramer (March 14-18 and April 4-8, 2011)

Executive Producers

 * Merv Griffin (1973-2000; not credited from 1975-90)
 * Harry Friedman (1999-)

Producers

 * Bill Carruthers (1973)
 * John Rhinehart (1974-76)
 * Nancy Jones (1975-95)
 * Harry Friedman (1995-99)
 * Karen Griffith (1997-)
 * Steve Schwartz (1997-)

Directors

 * Bill Carruthers (1973)
 * Marty Pasetta (1974)
 * Jeff Goldstein (1975-78)
 * Dick Carson (1978-99)
 * Mark Corwin (1999-)

Misc.

 * Ed Flesh (set designer; created the Wheel and 1974-81 puzzle board)
 * Alan Thicke (music writer, 1975-83)
 * Tanika Ray (actress of Cyber Lucy on Wheel 2000)

People

 * Lin Bolen (NBC Vice President of Daytime Programming, 1972-75 or '76; commissioned the show from Merv)
 * Fred Silverman (head of NBC programming, 1978-81; cancelled Wheel briefly in 1980)

Networks

 * NBC (network of Wheel, 1975-89 and 1991)
 * CBS (network of Wheel, 1989-91 and Wheel 2000)
 * GSN (aired Wheel reruns, 1994-2010; also showed Wheel 2000 from 1997-2001)

Syndicated By...

 * King World (1983-2007)
 * Columbia TriStar Television (replaced the King World logo on GSN repeats, 1994-2000)
 * CBS Television Distribution (2007-)