Celebrity guests

Given that Wheel of Fortune is a large part of Americana, it is no surprise that it has had quite a few celebrity guests to either promote something or simply play the game (although the latter fell out of use in late 2007).

A
Sam Adams' (mayor of Portland, Oregon)
 * May 1, 2, and 7, 2012 (pre-recorded bumpers during weeks taped in Portland, Oregon)

Ed Asner (actor best known as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
 * November 20, 1995 (played during Celebrity Week)

Tracy Austin (tennis commentator)
 * May 30, 2011 (cameo)

Steve Azar (country music singer)
 * February 17, 2003 (cameo during Country Music Stars Week)
 * February 12, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

B
Ernie Banks (baseball player)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Dave Barry (humor columnist/author)
 * May 5, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

'Lauralee Bell (actress, The Young and the Restless)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Peter Bergman (actor on All My Children and The Young and the Restless)
 * March 1, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Corbin Bernsen (actor)
 * March 2, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

John Besh (chef/restaurateur/author)
 * January 30, 2012 (pre-recorded bumper during Fabulous Food Week)

Michael Bloomberg (mayor of New York City)
 * February 2, 2010 (pre-recorded intro during NYC Salute Week)

Blue Man Group (performance artists)
 * February 8, 2010 (shot of them waving to Pat and Vanna edited into opening segment)

Scott Boswell (chef of Stella!, New Orleans)
 * February 3, 2012 (prerecorded bumper during Fabulous Food Week)

Boyz II Men (R&B vocal group)
 * May 11, 1999 (cameo after Round 2)

Wayne Brady (actor/singer; host of his own talk show, Don't Forget the Lyrics!, and Let's Make A Deal {since 2009})
 * December 26, 2003 (cameo after the Round 2 puzzle EMMY AWARD-WINNING TALK SHOW HOST)
 * February 26, 2013 (pre-taped 30th Anniversary message from the set of Let's Make A Deal, with a cheering audience)

James Brown (funk and soul singer)
 * May 5 and 6, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week; latter episode was as part of a team with Little Richard)

James Brown (sportscaster, former running back for the Cleveland Browns)
 * January 3-7, 2005 (pre-recorded footage during NFL Week)

Kimberlin Brown (actress, The Young and the Restless)
 * May 4, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Stephen Burrows (no credits at the time, but later became a writer/director)
 * June 1989 (daytime contestant, episode taped 6/10; in 1991, he used his episode as the basis for a documentary called The Soldier of Fortune)

Dick Butkus (football player)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

C
Dick Cavett (long-time talk show host at various points between 1968 and 2007)
 * November 14, 1988 (nighttime cameo after his name was the Round 3 puzzle; returned at the end of the show to talk with Pat and Vanna, and stayed to chat with the winning contestant during the credits)

Sam Champion (Good Morning America anchor)
 * February 3, 2010 (pre-recorded intro during NYC Salute Week)

Terri Clark (country music singer)
 * February 16, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)

Anthony Crivello (actor, Vegas productions of Phantom of the Opera)
 * September 16, 2009 (in-character cameo)

Bill Cullen (host and regular panelist on more game shows than could be reasonably listed here; among his most successful were The Price Is Right {1956-65}, The $25,000 Pyramid {1974-79}, Blockbusters {1980-82}, and The Joker's Wild {1984-86})
 * November 6, 1980 (played for an audience member during Game Show Hosts Week)

Billy Ray Cyrus (country music singer)
 * February 21, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

D
Tony Danza (actor)
 * December 10, 1996 (pre-recorded footage with Vanna, singing "Making Toys" from her album Santa's Last Ride)

Kamar de los Reyes (actor, One Life to Live)
 * February 27, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Frank Dicopolous (actor, Guiding Light)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters (zydeco band)
 * February 14-18, 2000 (house band)
 * November 7-18, 2005 (house band)
 * May 2-6, 2011 (house band)

Barry Dutter (comics writer)
 * November 2001 (contestant)

E
Phil Esposito (hockey player)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Janet Evans (competition swimmer)
 * May 4, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

F
Shelley Fabares (actress)
 * November 20, 1995 (played during Celebrity Week)

Susan Flannery (actress on Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful)
 * March 1, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Art Fleming (host of Jeopardy! from 1964-75 and 1978-79; appeared in this role during Airplane II and "Weird Al" Yankovic's "I Lost On Jeopardy" music video, both in 1984)
 * Rumored to have played for an audience member during Game Show Hosts Week, most likely October 31, 1980

G
Steve Garvey (retired baseball player/businessman, San Diego Padres)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Galen Gering (actress, Passions, Days of Our Lives)
 * March 3, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Marla Gibbs (co-star of 227)
 * February 27, 1989 (nighttime cameo after her name is the Round 2 puzzle)

Kathie Lee Gifford (actress/singer; "La-La Girl" on Name That Tune {1977-78} and former host of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee {1983-2001})
 * November 8, 1999 (presents the Preview Puzzle in pre-recorded footage from the Live set)

Ricky Paull Goldin (actor, All My Children)
 * March 3, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Louis Gossett, Jr. (actor, An Officer and a Gentleman)
 * May 1, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Josh Gracin (country music singer)
 * February 14, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)

Brian Austin Green (actor, Beverly Hills 90210)
 * November 20, 1995 (played during Celebrity Week)

Lee Greenwood (country music singer)
 * May 2 and 6, 1994 (played during Music Stars week)

Merv Griffin (creator of Wheel and Jeopardy!; all appearances are cameos)
 * January 9, 1989 (daytime, during end segment)
 * October 31, 1991 (during closing segment to talk with some international hostesses)
 * November 15, 1991 (during some pre-taped footage of a Disney World parade)
 * September 24, 1992 (pre-taped footage of him singing a Wheel-themed song during the show's 10th-Anniversary celebrations)
 * November 2, 1992 (post-Round 2 with balloons to congratulate Vanna after she reveals the answer VANNA'S PREGNANT; also appeared in the San Francisco location footage that replaced the round)
 * November 12, 1993 (pre-taped footage of him, Vanna, and the King brothers at a press conference)
 * October 31, 1994 (during the final segment)
 * November 28, 1994 (uncertain; may be the white-haired male who accompanies Vanna during the Surprise location footage)
 * November 20, 1998 (ceremonial 3,000th nighttime show; pre-taped clips of him talking about the show's creation and how he chose Vanna)
 * December 31, 2012 (posthumous; clip of his recollection of choosing Vanna, from the aforementioned 1998 episode)

Florence Griffith-Joyner (Olympic gold medalist)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

H
Deidre Hall (actress best known for appearing on Days of Our Lives from 1976-87 and 1991-2009)
 * May 1, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)
 * March 1, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Rebecca Herbst (actress, General Hospital)
 * March 3, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Marilyn Horne (opera singer)
 * May 5 and 6, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week; cameo before Bonus Round on the latter)

Fiona Hutchison (actress, Guiding Light)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

J
Ron Jeremy (star of more "adult films" than could reasonably be listed here; since this Wiki has standards, none will be listed)
 * Unknown daytime episode circa 1980, following his mother's death (contestant; info here)

Arte Johnson (co-star of Laugh-In)
 * September 30?, 1977 (guest hostess, partly to promote his upcoming game show Knockout)

George Jones (country music singer)
 * February 17, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Carolyn Dawn Johnson (country music singer)
 * February 19, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Olympic gold medalist)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Wynonna Judd (country music singer)
 * February 17, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)
 * February 14, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)

K
Richard Karn (co-star on Home Improvement; hosted Family Feud {2002-06} and Bingo America {2008})
 * May 1, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Tom Kennedy (host of You Don't Say!, Split Second, Password Plus, Name That Tune, The {Nighttime} Price Is Right {1985-86}, and Body Language among others)
 * November 7, 1980 (played for an audience member during Game Show Hosts Week)

Gladys Knight (soul singer)
 * May 3 and 5, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

Alison Krauss (bluegrass singer)
 * February 17, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

L
Lorenzo Lamas (actor on Falcon Crest and The Bold and the Beautiful)
 * February 27, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Jill Larson (actress, All My Children)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Richard Lawson (actor, All My Children)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Brenda Lee (country music singer)
 * February 20, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Sugar Ray Leonard (boxer)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Tara Lipinski (figure skater)
 * November 2, 2000 (played during an "unmask the stars" contest as a genie)

Little Richard (rock and roll singer)
 * May 4 and 6, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week; latter episode was as part of a team with James Brown)

LL Cool J (rapper)
 * May 3, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Lonestar (country music band)
 * Michael Britt (guitar)
 * February 15, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)
 * Richie McDonald (lead vocals)
 * February 19, 2003 (Country Music Stars Week)
 * February 14, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)
 * Keech Rainwater (drums)
 * February 16, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)
 * Dean Sams (keyboards)
 * February 13, 2007 (Country Music Stars Week)

Greg Louganis (Olympic gold medalist)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

M
Gordon MacRae (actor/singer best known for appearing in Oklahoma!, Carousel, Starlift, On Moonlight Bay, and By The Light of the Silvery Moon)
 * March 15, 1978 (appeared after the game)

Barbara Mandrell (country music singer)
 * February 21, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Jean-Paul Manoux (no credits at the time, but later rose to fame as an actor)
 * Unknown daytime episode between February 1985 and October 1986 (contestant (as "J.P.") during Teen Week, winning $9,020: $2,650 in the front game and a $6,370 trip to Tahiti in the Bonus Round)

Garry Marshall (actor/writer/producer, creator of Happy Days)
 * May 3, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Wink Martindale (host of {Las Vegas} Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough {1978-86}, among others)
 * November 3?, 1980 (played for an audience member during Game Show Hosts Week)

Willie Mays (baseball player)
 * May 3, 2004 (cameo)

Tony McPhail (chef of Commander's Palace, New Orleans)
 * February 1, 2012 (pre-recorded bumper for Fabulous Food Week)

Justine Miceli (actress)
 * May 5, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Al Michaels (sportscaster)
 * May 4, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Montgomery Gentry (country music duo)
 * Eddie Montgomery (brother of singer John Michael Montgomery)
 * February 12, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars week)
 * Troy Gentry
 * February 13, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Warren Moon (football player, Houston Oilers)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Rita Moreno (actress best known for PBS' The Electric Company {1971-77})
 * May 5, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Lorrie Morgan (country music singer)
 * February 18, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)
 * February 15, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Vera Morris (voted Miss North Carolina in the 1998 Miss USA pageant)
 * November 2, 1998 (contestant)

N
Kathy Najimy (no credits at the time, but later rose to fame as an actress)
 * Unknown nighttime episode in 1984, known to have been aired by GSN (contestant); on May 2, 1989, she appeared as a guest on The Pat Sajak Show and showed a picture of her Wheel appearance.

Joe Nichols (country music singer)
 * February 20, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Greg Norman (professional golfer)
 * December 13 and 15, 2011 (pre-recorded footage during Sandals Golf Getaway Week)

O
The Oak Ridge Boys (country music group)
 * February 2, 1998 (cameo after their name is a puzzle)

Rosie O'Donnell (comedienne; host of The Rosie O'Donnell Show)
 * March 4, 1997 (appeared after Round 2, helped Vanna touch letters during Round 3)

Michelle Obama (First Lady)
 * February 6-10, 2012 (pre-recorded footage during Military Spouses Week; promotes joiningforces.gov on February 7-10)

Donny Osmond (singer; host of Pyramid, 2002-04)
 * September 16, 2002 (cameo after the puzzle TV GAME SHOW HOST to plug Pyramid)

P
Andy Pargh (no credits at the time, but later rose to fame as the "Gadget Guru" on The Today Show)
 * April 1989 (nighttime contestant)

Jim Perry (host of Definition, Headline Hunters, Card Sharks, and Sale of the Century)
 * November 4?, 1980 (played for an audience member during Game Show Hosts Week)

Regis Philbin (host of The Neighbors {1975-76}, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee/Live with Regis and Kelly {1983-2011} and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? {1999-2002})
 * November 8, 1999 (presents the Preview Puzzle in pre-recorded footage from the Live set)
 * February 1, 2010 (pre-recorded intro with Kelly Ripa during NYC Salute Week)
 * February 4, 2010 (pre-recorded solo intro during NYC Salute Week)

Drew Pinsky (no credits at the time, but later rose to fame as "Dr. Drew")
 * Unknown daytime episode between January and September 1984 (contestant)

Charley Pride (country music singer)
 * February 19, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Jeff Probst (host of Rock & Roll Jeopardy! {1998-2001}, Survivor {2001-present}, The Jeff Probst Show {2012-13})
 * December 14, 2012 (pre-taped 30th Anniversary message from the set of The Jeff Probst Show, with a cheering audience)

R
Melissa Reeves (actress, Days of Our Lives)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Scott Reeves (actor, The Young and the Restless)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Lisa Rinna (actress, Days of Our Lives; host, Soap Talk {2002-06})
 * February 28, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Kelly Ripa (actress, host of Live with Regis and Kelly/Live with Kelly and Michael since 2001)
 * February 1, 2010 (pre-recorded intro during NYC Salute Week)

Julie Roberts (country music singer)
 * February 13, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Paul Rodriguez (comedian; host of The Newlywed Game, 1988-89)
 * May 2, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Fred Rogers (presenter and producer of PBS' long-running Mister Rogers' Neighborhood)
 * September 14, 1998 (cameo after he was the answer to the Who Said It? puzzle IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD)

Barbara Rucker (star on As the World Turns {1975-79} and Texas {1980-82})
 * September 17, 1980 (unknown capacity)

S
Michael Sabatino (actor, Days of Our Lives and All My Children)
 * Week of November 23, 1992 (played during Soap Opera College Challenge)

Pat Sajak (radio DJ, 1960s; KNBC weatherman, 1977-81)
 * July 17, 1989 (cameo on the CBS daytime premiere to wish Bob Goen good luck)
 * April 1, 1997 (played for the Boy Scouts of America)

David Sanborn (jazz saxophonist)
 * May 2 and 4, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

Kristoff St. John (actor, The Young and the Restless)
 * February 27, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Richard Simmons (exercise/fitness guru)
 * December 28, 1999 (appeared in the final segment to promote his syndicated show DreamMaker, which was canceled by the time the episode aired)
 * November 2, 2000 (played during an "unmask the stars" contest as William Shakespeare)

Ricky Skaggs (country/bluegrass singer)
 * February 20, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Chelsi Smith (Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995, among other beauty pageant titles)
 * May 2, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Michelle Stafford (actress, The Young and the Restless)
 * March 2, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Howard Stern (radio personality and self-proclaimed "King of All Media"; judge on America's Got Talent since 2012)
 * March 7, 1997 (cameo during the final segment)

Martha Stewart (television host, author, and magazine publisher)
 * February 17, 2000 (cameo)

Leonard Stone (actor best known for playing Sam Beauregarde, Violet's father, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)
 * September 22, 2000 (contestant)

Alison Sweeney (actress, Days of Our Lives)
 * March 2, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

T
Jeffrey Tambor (comedian; announced on Hollywood Squares from 2002-03, where he was a frequent guest)
 * May 2, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Josh Taylor (star on Days of Our Lives from 1977-87 and since 1997)
 * September 15, 1980 (unknown capacity)

Ben Thomas (star on The Doctors from 1979-81)
 * September 16, 1980 (unknown capacity)

Pam Tillis (country music singer)
 * February 21, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Trent Tomlinson (country music singer)
 * February 16, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Tone Lōc (hip hop singer/actor)
 * May 2, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

Ty Treadway (actor, One Life to Live; host of Soap Talk {2002-06} and Merv Griffin's Crosswords {2007-08})
 * February 28, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Alex Trebek (host of Jeopardy! since 1984; first to host three game shows at once with Classic Concentration {1987-91} and To Tell the Truth {1991}; has also hosted High Rollers {1974-80}, Battlestars {1981-83}, The $128,000 Question {1977-78}, Pitfall {1981-82}, and The Wizard of Odds {1973-74})
 * April 1, 1997 (switched places with Pat on their respective shows)
 * November 2, 2000 (played during an "unmask the stars" contest as a gnome named Osment)
 * October 13-17, 2008 (pre-recorded footage from the Jeopardy! set during Canada Week)

Tanya Tucker (country music singer)
 * May 4, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

W
Jack Wagner (actor, The Bold and the Beautiful)
 * February 28, 2006 (played during Soap Stars Week)

Herschel Walker (football player, Philadelphia Eagles)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Bill Walton (basketball player)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)

Jess Walton (actress, The Young and the Restless)
 * May 3, 1995 (played during Celebrity Award Winners Week)

Kurt Warner (retired football player, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals)
 * September 19, 2005 (cameo)
 * October 10 and 13, 2005 (pre-recorded intros)

Douglass Watson (actor; starred on Another World from 1974-89)
 * September 18, 1980 (unknown capacity)

Betty White (actress; starred in The Golden Girls, among many other shows)
 * June 14, 1988 (daytime cameo)
 * December 8, 2008 (cameo)

Alicia Witt (actress)
 * September 1990 (nighttime contestant, Teen Week of September 3; only credit at this point was a character in the 1984 film Dune)
 * November 5, 1997 (played during Celebrity Week; clips were shown of her 1990 appearance)

Mark Wills (country music singer)
 * February 18, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)
 * February 15, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Darryl Worley (country music singer)
 * February 18, 2003 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Tammy Wynette (country music singer)
 * May 3, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

Y
"Weird Al" Yankovic (parody musician)
 * May 3 and 6, 1994 (played during Music Stars Week)

Trisha Yearwood (country music singer)
 * February 12, 2007 (played during Country Music Stars Week)

Steve Young (football player, San Francisco 49ers)
 * Week of May 3, 1993 (played during Sports Stars Week)