A ruggedly handsome game show host who helped usher in a new era of reality television, Jeff Probst was born in Wichita, Kan., on Nov. 4, 1961, and grew up outside Seattle. He spent the first part of his career hosting a local gardening show and producing marketing videos for Boeing before moving to New York, where he landed higher-profile gigs as host of ''Rock & Roll Jeopardy'' and as an ''Access Hollywood'' correspondent.

But it was Probst's decision to sign on as host of ''Survivor'' that would make him a household name. Over the course of the reality competition's long run, Probst slowly emerged as a voice of reason -- and, when necessary, the long arm of the law. His Indiana Jones-style entrances for series finales became increasingly memorable with each passing season.

In 2008, Probst made history as the first recipient of an Emmy Award for outstanding reality show host, and repeated the win in 2009.