Before They Were Stars: Alex Trebek Hosts “Music Hop”

While it may seem like Alex Trebek has been hosting Jeopardy! since the invention of television, he actually worked a LOT of different TV gigs before he took over that show. In fact, next year will officially mark the 50th anniversary of Mr. Trebek’s television debut! In 1963, at the age of 23, he hosted a Toronto-based program called Music Hop, which was essentially a Canadian version of American Bandstand with Trebek pretty much coming across as a Dick Clark knockoff. Hard to believe this guy in the dorky sweater would eventually become just as big a television icon as Dick Clark. It’s also amusing to note that the opening theme to this show is “Yakety Sax”, which was a brand-new hit single at the time, but would soon achieve immortality on The Benny Hill Show.