Chuck Woolery, original host of 'Love Connection' and 'Wheel of Fortune', dies at 83

UNDATED (WKRC) - Prolific and iconic game show host Chuck Woolery, known for "Love Connection" and "Wheel of Fortune", died at 83.

Mark Young, co-host of Woolery's "Blunt Force Truth" podcast, announced on Sunday morning that Chuck Woolery passed away in his Texas home with his wife by his side.

"Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him," Young said.

Chuck Woolery's career in entertainment began when he joined folk trio The Bordermen to play double bass. He lent his musical talent to a few other groups, even signing with Columbia Records and earning a Top 40 song in 1968 with Bubba Fowler's "Naturally Stoned".

His first on-screen appearances were in movies and television shows, with "The Treasure of Jamaica Reef" and "New Zoo Revue" being some of his first.

Woolery first entered the world of game shows with an appearance on an episode of "Tattletales" in 1974, and by 1975 he was the first ever host of "Wheel of Fortune".

In 1981 he was replaced by Pat Sajak on "Wheel of Fortune" and two years later became the host of "Love Connection", which was one of the first massively popular dating shows.

Woolery was nominated for a daytime Emmy award in 1978, and was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007.

The former game show host became a podcast host alongside Mark Young in 2014 with his political podcast "Blunt Force Truth" in which he revealed himself to be a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist.

Woolery is survived by his wife, his two sons, and his daughter.