First Wheel of Fortune Pat Sajak and Vanna White Bobbleheads Unveiled

MILWAUKEE – This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled officially licensed, limited edition “Wheel of Fortune” bobbleheads featuring Pat Sajak and Vanna White, who have been hosting the popular game show together for over 40 years. The release comes as Pat Sajak announced that he will be retiring following the upcoming season, which will be his 41st season hosting the popular game show. The first show featuring Pat hosting “Wheel of Fortune” aired on December 28, 1981, and Vanna joined Pat less than a year later on December 13, 1982. The bobbleheads were produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum and are officially licensed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The smiling Sajak bobblehead is leaning forward to give the iconic wheel a spin. The front of the wheel, which spins, says “Wheel of Fortune” and “Pat Sajak.” The smiling White bobblehead is standing on stage in front of the puzzle board, which spells out “Wheel of Fortune.” The front of the stage says “Wheel of Fortune” and “Vanna White.” Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,022 and they are available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The first production run of the bobbleheads is in stock, and they are $40 each or $75 for the set of two plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Created by media mogul Merv Griffin, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted on January 6, 1975, as a daytime series in which contestants solve word puzzles to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel. The current version of the series, which airs in nightly syndication, premiered on September 19, 1983. Sajak replaced original host Chuck Woolery in 1981, while White replaced Susan Stafford as the show’s hostess in 1982. During “Wheel of Fortune’s” 38^th season, Sajak became the longest-running host of any game show, surpassing Bob Barker, who hosted “The Price Is Right” from 1972 to 2007.

“Wheel of Fortune” ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States with more than 7,000 episodes taped and aired. In 2013, TV Guide ranked it second in its list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. For his work on “Wheel,” Sajak has received over 20 nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three times. White, known for revealing the letters and applauding to support contestants, was presented with a Guinness World Record certificate for most frequent clapper in 2013. While not an official record, White has never worn the same outfit twice.

“We are excited to release these bobbleheads of Pat Sajak and Vanna White,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “In the history of game shows, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is one of the all-time best and Pat and Vanna are a major part of the show’s popularity. These bobbleheads are sure to be a big hit with ‘Wheel’ watchers everywhere.”

About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.