‘Jeopardy!’ Fans, You’ve Probably Never Seen These Unaired Alex Trebek Episodes (VIDEOS)
For most Jeopardy! fans, longtime host Alex Trebek was synonymous with the beloved game show. Tuesday, Sept. 10, marks the 40th anniversary of Trebek joining the series as the host, replacing Art Fleming as Jeopardy! moved to a daily syndicated version.
Do you remember the first episode with Trebek in 1984? Turns out there were a few other unaired pilots from 1983 and 1984, and things were a little different. The pilot from 1983 was recorded on Sept. 18 at the TAV Celebrity Theater and seems a bit more subdued. By the next pilot on Jan. 1, 1984, you can tell the music is more upbeat and the lights brighter, hoping to bring some excitement to the quiz show. Both episodes certainly look different than they do today! In the last 40 years, technology has improved greatly and fashion choices are different. Do you think the trivia has gotten harder or easier?
ABC/Everett Collection
The episodes feature different announcers, contestants and quiz material. Trebek was already a game show legend by the time he got the gig on Jeopardy! He hosted several game shows in both the United States and Canada and received the job from Jeopardy! creator Merv Griffin based on a recommendation from Lucille Ball. He hosted over 8,200 episodes before his death in 2020. He still holds the Guinness World Record for hosting the most episodes of any single game show.
Watch the unaired pilots below! If you’re interested in reading what the questions and answers were for each episode, you can do that too and see how many you know: 1983 & 1984.
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Game Shows
November 2020
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