Alex Trebek was born on July 22, 1940, in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He attended the University of Ottawa, where he studied philosophy and worked part-time at CBC Radio to fund his tuition. After college, he joined the CBC full-time as a newscaster, covering news, weather, and sports across radio and television. He then worked in a variety of radio and television roles before moving to the United States in the early 1970s.

Trebek became a familiar face to American audiences by hosting game shows including The Wizard of Odds, High Rollers, Double Dare, and Classic Concentration. In 1984, he assumed hosting duties for the syndicated revival of Jeopardy!, a role he would hold until his death. During his decades-long tenure, Trebek transformed the quiz show into a nightly institution watched by up to 20 million viewers. 

In March 2019, Trebek publicly announced a stage IV pancreatic cancer diagnosis, choosing to continue hosting while undergoing treatment. He taped his final episode of Jeopardy! on October 29, 2020, days before he passed away at his Los Angeles home on November 8, 2020, at age 80.