Vanna White

About Vanna White

Vanna White has been the face of the game show Wheel of Fortune since taking over as hostess in 1982. Beyond her role as television personality, she has also ventured into film acting. Before becoming synonymous with letter-turning, White herself competed as a game show contestant. Originally named Vanna Marie Rosich at birth, she adopted her stepfather's surname following her parents' separation during her early childhood. She worked in real estate in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, prior to her television career. In 1978, she competed in the Miss Georgia pageant. Her first game show appearance occurred on June 20th, 1980, when she participated in The Price Is Right as one of the initial four contestants, though she did not advance to the contestant's stage. That footage would later appear in various television specials. When Susan Stafford vacated the Wheel of Fortune hosting position in October 1982, White was brought on as one of three rotating substitute hosts to share the duties. Her tenure as permanent hostess began on December 13th, 1982. Her 1987 book titled Vanna Speaks became a bestseller. That same year, Playboy magazine published a pictorial spread featuring her, with photographs taken by a former boyfriend. The images, which predated her Wheel of Fortune career, showed her wearing assorted sheer lingerie.