Beloved game show Jeopardy! follows a pretty tight formula, and every stalwart fan knows what’s coming once that theme song starts every night. Regardless, there have been a number of unexpected surprises, impressive milestones, awkward contestant introductions, and other memorable moments throughout its long run. Do you remember witnessing any of these?
1964: The First Episode
For many fans, Jeopardy! is forever tied in viewer’s minds with its host, Alex Trebek—but he was actually not the first host of the show. Previous iterations of Jeopardy aired from 1964-1975 and 1978-1979 and were hosted by Art Fleming, with legendary announcer Don Pardo working with him for the first series.
There were some major differences with the Jeopardy! we know and love today, including that all three contestants were able to bring home the cash they won at the end of the game.
And though Alex Trebek seems like he was born to host Jeopardy!, his ease and skill in front of the camera actually came from his experience hosting a whopping 11 game shows before he was hired on as the host for Jeopardy!’s 1984 debut. It’s possible he might have thought he’d be there for a year or two, like the shows he’d hosted before—but as we now know, the new Jeopardy! became an absolute juggernaut.
In 1992, Celebrity Jeopardy! first made its debut—and the world was never the same. The original episode saw Carol Burnett, Regis Philbin, and Knots Landing’s Donna Mills going head to head for charity. We’re sure it was entertaining—but more importantly, the format change inspired one of the most hilarious SNL skits of all time.
On the night of April 1, 1997, viewers who tuned in Jeopardy! were in for a big surprise—because Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak walked out on stage that night. And the same was true for Wheel of Fortune viewers, who were astounded to see Alex Trebek taking Sajak’s place. The successful swap made for an especially entertaining game show block on a Tuesday night.
