Find Out Chuck Woolery's Net Worth at the Time of His Death

Chuck Woolery, original host of Wheel of Fortune, has died at the age of 83, leaving behind wife, Kristen, three kids and a net worth that could buy them all a lot of vowels.

Keep reading to learn more about Woolery's legendary career—which started in the music business (really!) and ended with a stint as a rightwing podcast host (no, really!)—and what he earned along the way.

Related: Chuck Woolery Dead at 83

What was Chuck Woolery’s net worth at the time of his death?

Chuck Woolery’s net worth at the time of his death made him a rich man by ordinary standards, but it wasn’t as massive as one might think, given his status as a veteran gameshow host. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the charismatic frontman was worth $10 million when he died. By comparison, Pat Sajak, who took over as host of WoF when Woolery got canned (more on that in a moment), is worth $75 million.

Related: Learn More About Pat Sajak's Net Worth 

Of course, Woolery’s run on TV wasn't nearly as long as Sajak's. But in addition to that, his bank account likely took a hit due to the three divorce settlements he had to pay out over the years. According to one source, his wealth dropped by 40 percent as a result.

How did Chuck Woolery get his start?

Woolery, born March 16, 1941, in Ashland, Kentucky, started out as a singer—and not a bad one. His band, The Avant-Garde, landed at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968, with their song "Naturally Stoned."

But his destiny as a prolific gameshow host was set in motion after Woolery performed a cover of “Delta Dawn" on The Merv Griffin Show. Griffin, presumably taken by Woolery's charm, asked him to audition to host a gameshow he was developing over at NBC called Shopper’s Bazaar. That show would eventually become Wheel of Fortune, and Woolery got the job.

How much did Chuck Woolery get paid for Wheel of Fortune?

Wheel of Fortune premiered in 1975 and became a huge hit. By 1981, Woolery was getting paid $65K a year (more than $235K when adjusted for inflation). Unfortunately, that salary paled in comparison to what his competitors were earning and resulted in a gig-ending pay dispute.

Why did Chuck Woolery get fired from Wheel of Fortune?

In 1981, Woolery asked for a raise from $65K a year to about $500K (more than $1.8 million when adjusted for inflation), which was the going rate for other top gameshow hosts of the day. Griffin offered to pay Woolery $400K, but when NBC offered to keep their host happy and put up the rest, Griffen reportedly lashed out and threatened to pull his show from the network. As a result, NBC withdrew its offer, and Griffin fired Woolery, paving the way for Pat Sajak's time at the wheel.

How much did Chuck Woolery make from Love Connection?

After Wheel of Fortune, Woolery went on to host Love Connection from 1983 to 1994, earning a reported $1 million a year for the job in 1986 (his deal also included his hosting gig with NBC's Scrabble, however).

What did Chuck Woolery mean by '2 and 2'

Woolery coined the sign-off "We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds," also known as the "2 and 2." It referred to how long the show would cut to commercial.

How much did Chuck Woolery make from his podcast?

Woolery's last act was as a conservative podcaster, co-hosting Blunt Force Truth with Mark Young starting in 2014. Speaking with The New York Times in 2017, Woolery described himself as a "conservative libertarian and constitutionalist" as well as a supporter of Donald Trump. It's unclear what Woolery earned from his podcast.

Woolery's co-host confirmed the news of Woolery's death on X. "It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away," he wrote. "Life will not be the same without him."

Related: Remembering the Stars and Legends We've Lost In 2024