Vanna White is a popular American television personality and an actress.She is the long term host of the show ,” Wheel of Fortune”. Before joining the show as the co-host in the year 1982, she worked as a model.
Early life and background
Vanna White was born on 18th February 1957 in Conway , South Carolina. She was born as Vanna Marie Rosich. She is the daughter of Miguel Angel Rosich and Joan Marie. As per the reports, her father was a Puerto Rican and a Croatian descent. After her father abandoned the family, Vanna was raised by her mother and stepfather, Herbert Stackley White Jr, a former real estate. After completing her high school education, Vanna shifted to Atlanta, Georgia and enrolled in the Atlanta School of Fashion
Career
Vanna White started her career as a model, but later in the 1979 she went to Los Angles to pursue a career in acting.She has acted in several popular movies which includes Gypsy Angels (1980), Looker (1981) ect. In the year 1988, she played the character of “Venus” in the NBC television film “Goddess Of Love”. Apart from this, she has also made cameo appearances in several television shows and movies which includes L.A Law,227, Super Mario Bros Super Show, Simon and Simon,The King of Queens, Full House , Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, Graduation Day etc. She has also acted in “ Married….With Children”, the parody of the film “ Indecent Proposal”. In the year 1987, she featured in a Playboy pictorial.
She touched the pinnacle of success in the year 1982, when she became the host of the show “The Wheel of Fortune”. The show witnessed tremendous success and she became a popular television personality.In the year 1999, the show “ The Wheel of Fortune” was viewed by over 40 million people. White has also been recognized in “The Guinness Book of World Records” in the year 1992. She holds the record of television’s most frequent clapper with approximately 720 claps per show.
Apart from this , in 1996 Vanna became the narrator and singer in the CD release of Leslie Bricusse’s “ Santa’s Last Ride”. She has also lent her voice to Canadian and American animated television shows which includes The Real Story of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
On 20th April, 2006, the 1.67 meter tall Vanna White was honoured with a star in Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her autobiography ,” Vanna Speaks” which was published in the year 1987 was a best seller. Apart from this Vanna runs a line of yarns called “Vanna’s Choice” through Lion Brand Yarns.
Controversy
Vanna White filed a legal suit against the popular brand “Samsung Electronics” for a television ad which showed a robot turning letters on a game show. White alleged that the ad violated her personality rights. The brand later paid $403,000 to Vanna as compensation.
Vanna White – Husband and Children
Vanna White had a long term relationship with dancer- turned- actor John Gibson, but he died in a plane crash in 1986. Later she married George San Pietro,a restaurant owner in December 1990. The couple has a son and a daughter ,but they got divorced in 2002.
White was engaged to businessman Michael Kaye from 2004 to 2006 but they never got married.
Vanna White – Net Worth and Salary
Vanna White has a net worth of $ 30 million and earns a salary of $ 8 million annually.