Citrus County’s Jeopardy Master
By Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society
Question: He was the original host of the Jeopardy TV program from 1964 – 1979 before retiring in Crystal River.
Answer: (in the form of a question): Who was Art Fleming?
Jeopardy remains one of the most popular game shows on TV. Most people remember Alex Trebek as the long-time host of that show until his death in 2020. However, many people don’t recall that Jeopardy actually started in 1964 and ran until 1979 under the direction of a genial gentleman named Art Fleming. He was a radio personality and actor who caught the eye of producer Merv Griffin when it came time to select an emcee for his new TV quiz show. Griffin was impressed because Fleming had a calm and dignified delivery that was needed for the new “knowledge-based” program.
Fleming was paired with popular announcer Don Pardo. They remained together for most of the duration of the program. The first pilot aired on March 30, 1964. Modern viewers would be amused at the point values for the questions, ranging from $10 to a maximum of $50 during the opening round. Early winners seldom earned more than $1,000. Of course, unsuccessful contestants were usually given a case of Turtle Wax, a home game version of Jeopardy, and a year’s supply of Rice-A-Roni (the San Francisco treat).
Fleming chose not to host the Jeopardy reboot in 1984 and instead recommended that his friend Alex Trebek take over the role. After almost 2,900 episodes, he wanted to explore other ventures. Fleming undertook a number of different projects during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He showed his comedic side when he reunited with announcer Don Pardo to parody his old show in Weird Al Yankovic’s “I Lost At Jeopardy” video. He also stole a scene in the “Airplane II” movie by hosting a Jeopardy game during a calamity on the plane.
While he remained active with syndicated radio shows, Fleming and his wife Becky decided it was time to settle down and enjoy a semi-retired life. They happened to see an advertising flyer about Crystal River FL at the Welcome Booth on the Florida-Georgia line during a road trip. The Fleming’s were intrigued and decided to visit Crystal River to check the area. They needed only a few days and they were hooked.
The Fleming’s decided to purchase a house near the Florida Archeological Park on a canal with a boat. They were both sailboat enthusiasts and appreciated the easy access to the Gulf. Fleming remarked: “We love it here. I dread leaving the area even for a couple of days”. He told an interviewer that he had traveled all over the world, but “…Crystal River is their favorite place to live”.
The couple immediately involved themselves in the community. They joined Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church in Lecanto and he narrated the annual Christmas show every year. He was generous with his time and readily accepted speaking engagements at the Women of Sugarmill Woods, Inverness Church of God, Crystal River Woman’s Club, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park and Crystal River Boosters Club, to name a few. He was the emcee for the Manatee Festival Queen pageant one year.
Becky Fleming joined the Citrus Abuse Shelter Association (CASA) and accepted the position of Executive Director. CASA had a paid staff of five people and many volunteers and Becky Fleming oversaw every aspect of the shelter’s operation in her role.
Art Fleming had found time to write a book – Art Fleming’s TV Game Show Fact Book – that told prospective contestants how to dress, behave and get selected for a show. A new television opportunity knocked at Fleming’s door in 1994. He was asked to co-host a weekly syndicated news program titled “Senior America”. It was targeted to the retirement community across Florida. The show typically featured personalities that would be recognizable to an older generation. For example, Fleming interviewed 1950’s singer Eddie Fisher (father of Star Wars star Carrie Fisher) at the Crystal River Mall on October 11, 1994.
Fleming was enjoying life but had been bothered by some medical symptoms for a few months. Filming of Senior America was halted and he went to Shands Hospital in Ocala for more tests in April 1995. Doctors gave him the bad news that pancreatic cancer was wracking his body and he had only a few months to live. After gathering his family in Crystal River, Art Fleming died two weeks after receiving the diagnosis. He was 70 years old.
Fleming was eulogized as “… a man who walked with kings, but never lost the common touch. Art was never famous to us, he was just plain Art”. A deeply religious person, Fleming asked to see his Pastor and church elders after his diagnosis and was comforted by their words of encouragement and readings from the Bible. His friends and neighbors wept at his funeral because they knew that they had lost someone special in their community.
It’s ironic that Fleming’s Jeopardy successor and friend, Alex Trebek, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2020 at age 80.
Ken Marotte writes for the Citrus County Historical Society. He can be reached via email at kenmarottejr@gmail.com if you have any comments, questions or suggestions. Contact him if you’d like to participate in the ongoing CCHS Oral History Project.