Did you happen to see "Biography" the week they did "bios" of TV game shows? Vanna White wasn't the first letter turner, and certainly not the most interesting.
Though I can't find any mention of those shows on the Biography site, (which, btw, seems now to have bought out the www.biography.com url from the former owners, which is probably best, but I thought it was really nice of them to always have a link to it anyway down in the corner,) this being the internet, where everyone has a fan page, you can read about Susan Stafford and Chuck Woolery here. (This site, btw, was created by a moderately interesting young guy that seems to be involved in game show development and television production, but graduated with a BA in Economics from Harvard. His chatty blog is well-written, and fun, though since I watch so little television, I'm clueless most of the time about his subject matter. No matter - they guy went to Harvard, and is a writer, and his natural abilities show through.)
Check Susan Stafford's "resume" page on her website for a list of accomplishments. MA & PhD in clinical psychology, public relations, motivational speaker, acting, writer & producer, hosting (7-1/2 years as the cohostess on Wheel of Fortune, as well as radio shows, and guest host shots,) and charity work. No telling how many times she was married, but once to a Texas millionaire, for a few years to Dick Ebersol (the TV sports producer guy [married to Susan St. James, whom I always loved to watch on tv] that was in a plane crash here in Colorado four months ago; his younger son [and the pilot and a flight attendant] was killed - they named a ski slope after him, "Teddy's Way"... ) but that didn't turn out so well, she pulled a gun on him, and well, you know how husbands are about that sort of thing.
Aside from how *many* things she's done, the part I find most interesting is her "Goodwill Ambassador to the World" title and work. Who gave her that title? Who knows... but it looks to me, like this is one accomplished lady. Working with leprosy patients, counseling WTC and Columbine survivors and families, supporting research into AIDS & sickle cell anemia.
This is no vapid "letter turner." But... I'm sure Vanna does all that she can, poor girl.
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