– March 16, 1942: Chuck Woolery is born in Ashland, Ky.
– 1954: Sings Nat King Cole’s “Too Young” before an Ashland Junior High School assembly.
– 1967: After a stint in the U.S. Navy and studies at Morehead State, Woolery heads to Nashville as a guitarist-singer; forms the rock band Avant-Garde and writes songs for Tammy Wynette, George Jones.
– 1971: Leaves Nashville for the coast, where he lands a gig playing Mr. Dingle in the “New Zoo Revue.”
– 1974: Joins TV’s revival of “Your Hit Parade” as singer-host with singers Kelly Garrett and Sheralee; stars in the feature film “The Treasure of Jamaica Reef” with Rosie Grier and Cheryl Stoppelmoor (soon-to-be-Ladd).
– 1975: Begins seven-year stint on TV’s “Wheel of Fortune” with co-host Susan Stafford; replaced by Pat Sajak in 1982.
– 1976: In tuxedo and black patent cowboy boots, Woolery opens for Vikki Carr at the Mill Run Theater in Niles, singing “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” Reviewer calls him a “handsome, semi-country baritone.”
– 1977: Plays himself in an episode of “CHiPs”; gets an Emmy nomination for “Wheel of Fortune.”
– 1978: Has bit part in TV movie “A Guide for the Married Woman.”
– 1982: Plays a TV commentator in the film “Six Pack,” starring Kenny Rogers.
– 1983: Begins 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coins the phrase “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.”
– 1984: Hosts TV’s “Scrabble” and distinguishes himself by simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV (until 1990).
– 1989: Plays himself in the feature film “Cold Feet.”
– 1991: Hosts “The Chuck Woolery Show,” an ill-fated talk show.
– 1992: Plays himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”
– 1996: Co-hosts TV’s “Home and Family” with Cristina Ferrare on the Family Channel.
– 1997: Plays a manager in the TV movie “Hey Hey It’s the Monkees”; hosts relaunched version of “The Dating Game.”
– 1999: Hosts the TV game show “Greed”; launches partnership for Love@2and2.com, an on-line personal relationship/dating site, expected to be up and running by Valentine’s Day.
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Sources: Chicago Tribune archives, Internet Movie Database, People magazine
