Below is a compiled list of the most interesting facts about Vanna White. Check it out!
Vanna White was born Vanna Marie Angel in Conway, South Carolina, to Miguel Angel and Joan Marie Rosich. Her maternal father disappeared from her life shortly after her birth, and Vanna used her mother’s maiden name as her own for a short time, until her mother married Herbert White, who raised her. Vanna adopted her stepfather’s last name in the process. The family moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Herbert White became a successful real estate broker/owner of White’s Realty.
Interesting Facts about Vanna White
- In 1992, she was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as “Television’s Most Frequent Clapper”. Averaging 720 claps per episode, she puts her hands together more than 28,800 times per season.
- She was raised by her mother, Joan White, and her stepfather, Herbert White.
- Celebrity spokesperson for SpringAir mattresses since 1986.
- As a television personality, she was highly influenced by Merv Griffin.
- She has a younger brother, whose nickname is Chip, but real name is Herbert.
- She had posed for lingerie photos in her early days in Los Angeles, because she needed to pay her rent, but immediately regretted it. In 1987, Playboy bought the photos after Vanna had become famous on “Wheel of Fortune”. She begged her friend Hugh Hefner not to publish the photos or put her on the cover, because she was afraid it would ruin her wholesome image and cost her her job. Hefner went ahead and published the photos anyway. Although, she didn’t lose her job, she never spoke to him again, because the publicity embarrassed her. This incident inspired a joke on a 1988 episode of “Golden Girls” titled “Grab That Dough” where the lead characters are contestants on a game show, and Blanche mocks the game show hostess, “I thought the pictures of you in that sleazy, girly magazine was so tastefully done”.
- Her mentor is the late Merv Griffin, who was her boss.
- Although she has been on Wheel of Fortune (1983) regularly for 37 years, she did not host an episode until December 9, 2019, when regular host Pat Sajak took a three-week hiatus to recover from surgery. Prior to that, White and Sajak switched places for a single bonus round in 1996 when Sajak had laryngitis.
- When she auditioned for “Wheel of Fortune”, it was with 200 other women to replace Susan Stafford. It came down to her and a brunette, Vicki Iovine, who was also her friend. Merv Griffin selected her because he liked her chemistry with Pat Sajak and because he liked the way she turned letters.
- She has Puerto Rican, German and Italian ancestry.
- Has highly praised Merv Griffin for her stardom in becoming a game show hostess.
- Gets her Christmas shopping done very early in the year (Spring/Summer).
Personal Quotes by Vanna White
I’m a businesswoman. You know, I have other investments too, real estate. A long time ago, I would buy a house and flip it. But now everybody does that, so I don’t do that anymore because there’s no houses out there to buy.
Vanna White
In my personal life, I’m a huge fan of Carolina Herrera. I just think her stuff is timeless and classic.
Vanna White
When I was having that alphabet soup, I never thought that it would pay off.
Vanna White
I’m really just a normal person.
Vanna White
I will say that when I retire, I will probably do something to help others. I don’t know know what it will be… probably I’ll get involved in some charity.
Vanna White
