Art Fleming Arthur Fleming Fazzin ( May 1 , 1924 – April 25 , 1995 ) , better known as Art Fleming , was an American actor and television host . He is most notable for being the host of the original version of the television game show " Jeopardy ! " , which aired on NBC from 1964 until 1975 . Early life . Fleming was born in New York City . His parents , William and Marie Fazzin , had emigrated to the United States from Austria . They were a popular dance team in Europe , who had brought their show to America . Their son Art was a varsity letterman football player at James Monroe High School in New York , standing 6 foot , 4 inches ( 1 . 93 m ) , weighing 220 pounds ( 99 . 79 kg ) . He later attended Colgate and Cornell universities , starring on the football team , as well as water polo teams at both colleges . Fleming was a World War II veteran who served in the U . S . Navy for three and a half years as the pilot of a patrol bomber in the Atlantic . Career . After leaving the Navy , Fleming became an announcer at a radio station in Rocky Mount , North Carolina . It was here that he first shortened his name to " Art Fleming . " His radio career would later take him to Akron , Ohio , and back home to New York . He was the first announcer to deliver the popular , grammatically controversial slogan " Winston tastes good , like a cigarette should " for Winston cigarettes . Fleming ' s acting career began at age four , when he starred in a Broadway play . His first television role was as a stunt double for Ralph Bellamy in the detective series " Man Against Crime " . He would later star in " The Flying Tigers " and " International Detective " . He also played attorney Jeremy Pitt in " The Californians " , an NBC Western set in San Francisco during the gold rush of the 1850s . Fleming also appeared in many television commercials . He was first spotted by Merv Griffin on a commercial for Trans World Airlines . Griffin thought Fleming was " authoritative , yet warm and interesting , " and Fleming was invited to audition for the role of host for a quiz show Griffin was developing . Fleming ( an actor with no prior TV quiz show experience ) was initially skeptical , but his agent encouraged him to " act like a game show host " at his audition and Fleming ultimately won the job . The show was " Jeopardy ! " , which Fleming hosted from March 30 , 1964 to January 3 , 1975 and again from October 2 , 1978 , to March 2 , 1979 . As the first host of " the world ' s greatest quiz show , " Fleming earned two Emmy Award nominations . While he was host of " Jeopardy ! " , Fleming never missed a taping . Because he hosted a quiz show , Fleming earned a reputation as being a storehouse of trivia . While appearing as a guest star on " Hollywood Squares " ( another popular NBC game show in the 1960s and 1970s ) , Fleming was once selected as the " secret square . " His question was , " In 1938 , who won the Wimbledon women ' s tennis championship ? " Fleming picked Helen Wills Moody , one of the three choices read to him . The female contestant ( who had selected Fleming ) turned to " Hollywood Squares " MC Peter Marshall , saying , " Art Fleming would never lie ! I agree ! " He was right , and the contestant won $ 11 , 000 . Fleming later said he didn ' t know a thing about tennis and had guessed the answer . He hoped the contestant would disagree , thinking he was wrong . Throughout his career , Fleming starred in about 5 , 000 episodes of television programs and 48 motion pictures . After " Jeopardy ! ' s " first cancellation in 1975 , Fleming returned to acting . He played the role of W . Averell Harriman in the movie " MacArthur " and also appeared on episodes of " Starsky and Hutch " , " " as well as the TV miniseries " The Moneychangers " . He also hosted a radio version of " College Bowl " for CBS . Fleming hosted the NBC radio weekend magazine " Monitor " during 1972 . Fleming reprised his role as host of " Jeopardy ! " in the movie " Airplane II " and in " Weird Al " Yankovic ' s music video " I Lost on Jeopardy " . Fleming was also often called upon to host mock versions of " Jeopardy ! " at trade shows and conventions . It was reported that Fleming was asked to reprise his role as " Jeopardy " host when Merv Griffin brought the show back as a weeknight syndicated show in 1984 , but he declined , leading Griffin to turn to Alex Trebek . From 1979 to 1992 , Fleming hosted a daily radio talk show on KMOX in St . Louis , which continued until his retirement . On Sunday evenings , he occasionally co - hosted " Trivia Spectacular " with David Strauss , a St . Louis schoolteacher . He also hosted the syndicated radio program " When Radio Was " . " The Howard Stern Show " ( 1 episode ) . . . aka " The Howard Stern Summer Show " - USA ( promotional title ) Episode dated 2 February 1991 - Wack Pack Jeopardy . In this segment Howard had Art Fleming , the original host of Jeopardy , sitting in to play the Wack Pack Jeopardy game . Howard had the Wack Pack , i . e . , Fred the Elephant Boy , Quentin the Stutterer and Stuttering John come in to play . Howard said Art , of course , had the answers for the game . Art and Howard spent a minute talking about how the Jeopardy game was originally created by Merv Griffin and his wife . Art was reading the answers and the Wack Packers had to give the correct question . Howard had Art do his well - practiced Jeopardy thing with the guys . After the game , Howard thanked Art for coming in , and said goodbyes to Art and said " he ' s a good dude " . Personal life . Fleming was married to Becky Fleming , mother of his two stepchildren . He also had four grandchildren . In 1992 , Fleming retired , moving with Becky to Crystal River , Florida . He remained active in charity work , hosting fundraising videos for the Citrus County United Way , becoming involved with the Citrus Abuse Shelter Association ( where Becky served as director ) . He also hosted a syndicated television program , called " Senior America " ; it showcased seniors and senior activities . Death and dedication . Fleming died of pancreatic cancer at his home on April 25 , 1995 shortly before his 71st birthday . His ashes were scattered at sea . Studio 25 of the NBC Burbank Studios is named in his honor .