ACTOR
Bob Goen
- Known for
- Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001)
20 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
Bob Goen is an actor best known for Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
20 Interesting Facts About Bob Goen
Interesting Facts (14)
- #001
Although Bob Goen is best known as co-host of Entertainment Tonight (1981), he considers himself a game show host, having dreamed of being one since he was 5 years old. Goen has hosted a variety of game shows, including Perfect Match (1986), the Home Shopping Game (1987), Blackout (1988), Wheel of Fortune (1975), The Hollywood Game, Born Lucky and That's the Question (2007).
- #002
On May 30, 1996, Bob Goen replaced John Tesh as co-host of Entertainment Tonight (1981).
- #003
In May 1996, Bob Goen was promoted to co-host of Entertainment Tonight (1981) alongside Mary Hart.
- #004
Bob Goen joined Entertainment Tonight (1981) on April 11, 1993, as a reporter and weekend host.
- #005
Together with his wife Marianne Curan, Bob Goen hosts the daily GSN Radio blog, which has aired on GSN's website since August 2008. The program also airs on terrestrial radio across the United States and Canada.
- #006
Compared with other game show hosts such as Pat Finn, Mark L. Walberg, Marc Summers and J. D. Roth, Bob Goen was a devoted fan of both Bob Barker and Wink Martindale while growing up, though the person most interested in him before he worked for them was Dick Clark.
- #007
When Bob Goen signed a contract with Stone-Stanley Productions for a game show he was to host, he was also hosting Entertainment Tonight (1981). He asked Scott A. Stone and David G. Stanley to release him from his contract, and they did.
- #008
Bob Goen had gone golfing with Jim Lange, Johnny Gilbert, David Rupprecht and Chuck Woolery.
- #009
When Lorimar-Telepictures produced Perfect Match (1986), Jim Lange was hosting another program produced by the same company, $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime (1986), and because of the quick transition between the pilot and the production, there was no host available to take over the series, so they decided instead to hire Goen, a longtime fan of Lange.
- #010
Before becoming a successful game show host, television personality and radio host, Bob Goen worked as a reporter at ESPN.
- #011
Goen was known for taking over from his mentor Dick Clark on both series, but Clark returned the same year to do The $25,000 Pyramid (1982) instead of Goen's Blackout (1988) because of low ratings.
- #012
He was born on the day the first Hyatt hotel in Los Angeles, California, the Hyatt House, opened on the grounds of Los Angeles International Airport.
- #013
He is David Rupprecht's lifelong friend. Both Goen and Ruprecht spend one week every year playing golf with other actors, laughing and smoking cigars.
- #014
When Goen was hired as the host of Wheel of Fortune (1975), he had to shave his mustache because he did not want to look like Bea Arthur. Twenty-five years later, he would grow his mustache back, along with a goatee.
Characters & Cast (2)
- #015
Bob Goen was among those who auditioned to host Wheel of Fortune (1975) for NBC, but he lost the job to Rolf Benirschke. After Benirschke was dropped from the series when it moved to CBS, Goen was brought in to replace him shortly afterward.
- #016
Bob Goen had spoken with Roger Dobkowitz about wanting to succeed Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right (1972), but unfortunately he was unable to audition and the job ultimately went to Drew Carey.
Career & Awards (1)
- #017
Before building a successful career as a game show host, television personality and radio host, Bob Goen worked for Dick Clark in the early years of his career.
Life & Family (3)
- #018
Bob Goen's son from a previous marriage was the best man at his wedding to Marianne Curan.
- #019
Bob Goen attended the funeral of his lifelong friend Jay Wolpert when the producer died in early 2022. He was also a speaker at Wolpert's funeral. Before making Blackout (1988), Goen had hosted several unsold pilots for Jay Wolpert.
- #020
Bob Goen's favorite hobby is golf. He does annual charity work for the Bob Goen Lexus Invitational, a golf tournament that benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work