Chuck Woolery, host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Love Connection’, dies aged 83

On By Littum

New York (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, no-nonsense game host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster who lambasted liberals and accused the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.

Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a man of tremendous faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote.

Woolery, with his matinee idol look, tousled hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the US TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.

In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature called “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble”, and co-hosted two game shows on TV until 1990.

“Love Connection” — long before the date of dating apps — had a premise that featured either a single man or a single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then choose one for a date.

A few weeks after the date, the guest sat with Woolery in front of a studio audience and told everyone about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date.

Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a 91-year-old male and an 87-year-old female. “She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I can remember wagon trains.’ Poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.”

Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo,” “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”