Monday, October 26, 2009

Answer of the Day
What's the longest-running syndicated game show in American TV history? That record is held by Wh––l of Fortun–. (Hint: Buy a vowel.) Created by Merv Griffin, the daytime version of the show began in 1975; the game show went to prime time in 1983. The Wheel of Fortune's biggest winner so far is Michelle Loewenstein, who won the $1 million bonus prize on October 14, 2008, with total winnings of $1,026,080. Chuck Woolery was the original host of the show, assisted by Susan Stafford. Pat Sajak succeeded Woolery in 1983 and Vanna White took over Stafford's duties in 1982; they took the show to prime time. Sajak left the daytime show in 1989, when he branched out to hosting talk shows on TV and radio. White stayed with both Wheel of Fortune versions until the daytime show was canceled in 1991. Happy birthday to Pat Sajak, who turns 63 today.

Quote
"Sometimes you just stumble into something that works, and here I am a quarter of a century later." — Pat Sajak

Word of the day
palooka

1. Sports. An incompetent or easily defeated athlete, especially a prizefighter.
2. Slang. A stupid or clumsy person.

(© Houghton Mifflin Company)

Today's History

The Erie Canal

• Erie Canal: 160-mile (257 km.) waterway opened, offering a route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River (1825)
• Gunfight at the OK Corral: a legendary Wild West shootout in Tombstone, Arizona, killed three, wounded three, inspired movies; it did not actually take place in the corral (1881)
• Baby Fae: neonatal infant was given a baboon's heart by transplant surgeon Dr. Leonard L. Bailey in Loma Linda, California; she lived for 21 days (1984)

Today's Birthdays

Dylan McDermott

• Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757): harpsichordist and composer
• François Mitterrand (1916-1996): former president of France
• Pat Conroy (64): author of The Prince of Tides, South of Broad
• Hillary Rodham Clinton (62): US Secretary of State
• Dylan McDermott (48): actor, Bobby Donnell on The Practice, currently starring in Dark Blue; also, actors Bob Hoskins (67), Jaclyn Smith (64), D. W. Moffett and James Pickens Jr. (both 55), Rita Wilson (53), Cary Elwes (47), Tom Cavanagh (46) and Anthony Rapp (38) and Jon Heder (32)
• Keith Urban (42): country singer; gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) shares this birth date