Jeopardy! has been one of the most popular game shows in America for decades, so it’s no surprise they just announced their own Hall of Fame. The game show recently revealed their first class of Hall of Famers, made up of some of the biggest names in Jeopardy! history.
‘Jeopardy!’ Launches Hall Of Fame
Plans for the Jeopardy! Hall of Fame were announced on the game show’s podcast, Inside Jeopardy!. Executive Producer Mike Davies shared, “Ahead of the Tournament of Champions, we will be hosting a special ceremony here on the Sony lot. For the first time in Jeopardy!‘s 58-year history, we will announce the inaugural Hall of Fame class, the inductees for 2022.”
Producer and podcast co-host Sarah Foss added that five more Jeopardy! legends will be added each year. “In future years, we will induct great champions of the show,” she said. “This year, we wanted to focus on the pioneers of the program, those people who’ve contributed to the legacy of the show.”
This Year’s Inductees Are Legends
So, who is being inducted this year? Merv Griffin, Jeopardy!’s creator and the composer of the famous “Think Music” theme, and his ex-wife, Julann Wright, will be inducted. According to Foss, Wright “is credited with coming up with the idea for Jeopardy!, which was originally called ‘What’s the Question?’”
Alex Trebek, who hosted the game show from 1984 until his death in 2020, is also being inducted, as well as Harry Friedman, who served as the show’s executive producer for 25 years until 2020. Rounding out the group is Johnny Gilbert, who has been the show’s announcer since 1984.
All the inductees seem pretty predictable, but some fans feel a very big name got left out: Art Fleming, Jeopardy!’s first host. Davies addressed Fleming’s exclusion from the list, saying, “I would love to get in communication with those around him, those close to him and talk about how we might honor him at some point in the future.”
Jean Trebek Says Alex ‘Felt Great, Immense Gratitude’
The Hall of Fame ceremony took place in September. Griffin and Wright’s son accepted their awards on their behalf, saying, “My dad would be proud.” Trebek’s wife, Jean, accepted his award and gave a touching speech.
“Alex felt great, immense gratitude for being able to host this esteemed show that we all know and enjoy called Jeopardy!,” she shared. “He loved it all and he couldn’t be more proud to be part of this team.” Jeopardy! fans enjoyed seeing some of the show’s biggest names be honored in this way and are looking forward to many more Hall of Fame ceremonies in the future. The only question is who deserves to make it in next year.