With his wide, perfect smile, brown hair, handsome looks and winning personality Bob Goen seems tailor-made for television. It comes as no surprise that his childhood dream was to host game shows. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Goen began training for his chosen profession in high school, taking speech classes and announcing track meets. While at Long Beach City College, he made inroads into broadcasting by offering radio play-by-play for the school's sports teams. In his senior year at San Diego State, Goen worked as a tape dubber and disc jockey. After graduation, he was unable to land his dream job, so he had to settle for a gig as a news reader at KFOX in Long Beach. As he gained confidence and experience, Goen moved into sports broadcasting, first on radio and then in 1981 as an on-air personality at KESQ in Palm Springs. He soon was making pilots for game shows that didn't sell, but in 1986 he moved to L.A. and soon fulfilled his dream, hosting such efforts as the syndicated "Perfect Match" (1986) and CBS' "The Home Shopping Game" (1987). His biggest break to that date came in 1988 when he was tapped to host the popular daytime revival of "Wheel of Fortune" (CBS), a job he held for some four years. Goen segued to celebrity news in April 1993 when he became a correspondent of the popular syndicated series "Entertainment Tonight". He was partnered with Leeza Gibbons as co-host of the weekend edition and their chemistry and spontaneity charmed viewers. Goen proved a popular TV personality and was tapped for three years running as co-host of various beauty pageants (Miss USA, Miss Universe). When John Tesh decided to leave the anchor spot on "Entertainment Tonight" to concentrate on his music career, Goen seemed the natural selection to replace him in the chair next to Mary Hart.
Profession(s):
TV host, game show host, entertainment anchor, sportscaster, radio newsman, radio program director, Actor, disc jockey, bartender
Sometimes Credited As:
Robert Kuehl Goen
Family
father:Robert K Goen (died of a heart attack on October 28, 2001 at age 82)
sister:Barbara Goen Nemer (works for KCET)
son:Maxwell Goen (born on December 8, 1994)
wife:Sabrina Goen (married in 1988; filed for divorce on December 3, 1997; divorced)
wife:Marianne Curan (married March 20, 2004 in Southern California)
Education
Lakewood High School Long Beach, California
Long Beach City College Long Beach, California
San Diego State University San Diego, California BS telecommunications and film 1976
1996 Promoted to co-anchor of "Entertainment Tonight"
1993 Joined the daily syndicated program "Entertainment Tonight" as correspondent; also served as co-host of "Entertainment This Week"; later became subsititute anchor
1992 Was host of two short-lived game shows, "Hollywood Game" (CBS) and "Born Lucky" (Lifetime)
1989 Made acting debut as game show host on an episode of the ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers"
1988 - 1992 Hosted the daytime version of "Wheel of Fortune" (CBS)
1988 Hosted the syndicated "Great Weekend"
1987 Served as host of the CBS game show "The Home Shopping Game"
1986 Moved to Hollywood
1986 Hosted the syndicated game show "Perfect Match"
1981 Hired as sports anchor at KESQ-TV in Palm Srpings
1978 Hired as a disc jockey and producer at radio station KPRO in Riverside, California; promoted to program director
1977 Began career as a newsman for KFOX in Long Beach
Raised in Long Beach, California
Served as master of ceremonies at the annual telecasts of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageant
