George Santo Pietro is a multi-talented American film director and businessman who has become famous through his relationship with the iconic Hollywood star and media personality Vanna White. Vanna became famous through her role as the host of the popular American TV game show Wheel of Fortune. The couple was married for 12 years before their relationship deteriorated, leading to a divorce that was finalized in 2002.
While his ex-wife has made a name for herself through her career, George is also successful on his own. He was the owner of the popular Italian restaurant Santopietro. The restaurant is located in Bel-Air, California, near Mulholland Drive and was a hotspot for Hollywood stars in the 80s. That’s not all; he also had another restaurant called Sushi-Ko in the same neighborhood.
Recently, George Santo Pietro has become one of the hottest names on the Internet, and many want to know more about the businessman and his relationship with Vanna White. Here we have outlined all the lesser-known facts about him. From his biography and his relationship with Vanna to her marriage and divorce, you will find everything you need to know in the following sections.
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George Santo Pietro Bio
Vanna White’s ex-husband was born George Santo Pietro on 12 December 1946. He is from Beverly Hills, California, in the United States of America. While not much is known about his early life and family background, it is already known that George grew up in California. He has American citizenship and belongs to a white ethnic group.
As for his educational background, George Santo Pietro has been very secretive about his academic qualifications, including the institutions he attended and the certificates he received. Since he has pursued a career as a film director and in business, it is safe to say that he is highly educated.
Career Achievements
George Santo Pietro began his career as a businessman. He had become rich through his business before he met and married White. He is a well-known restaurant owner in California. As we mentioned earlier, he owned an Italian restaurant – Santopietro in the Mulholland Drive district of Bel-Air, California, and the restaurant was founded in the 1980s. Surprisingly, it was a well-known place where popular Hollywood celebrities were staying at the time.
Later, he also founded another restaurant called Sushi-Ko, which was branded as a leading clientele in that place. He managed these businesses for a long time before finally making the career change to Hollywood actor and film director.
Through his work as a film director, George Santo Pietro has done outstanding work on several Hollywood projects. In the 90’s he worked in the first three seasons of the Star Trek, Voyager series as a dolly grip. After that, he also worked on other popular TV series like L.A. Doctors, The X-Files, True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many others.
In addition to his work as a film director, George also worked in the theater production of 1994’s Revenge of the Nerds: Nerds in Love. There he performed alongside Bernie Casey and Robert Picardo, among others. In the same year, he also played the leading role in the TV show The New Mike Hammer.
Wife and Kids
It is no news that George Santo Pietro is the former spouse of Vanna White. Vanna is famous as the host of the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune”. The couple met in 1985 at a dinner in Studio City. They met through their mutual friends Tracy Vaccaro and Jessie Eastland.
A few years later, the couple formed the alliance at a small wedding in December 1990, and soon after their wedding, they welcomed their first child, a son named Nicholas, in 1994. Three years later they also had a daughter named Giovanna in 1997.
George’s marriage to Vanna White could not last much longer, as the couple had a number of irreconcilable problems and divorced in 2002. The divorce process was completed in November 2002 and the couple received equal custody of their two children.
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Other Facts about George Santo Pietro
1. Prior to his relationship with Vanna White, she was previously dating the dancer-turned-actor named John Gibson. Although the pair became engaged sometime in the 1980s, Gibson later died in a plane crash.
2. After his marriage with Vanna White ended, George Santo Pietro went on to marry Melissa Mascari, a television personality in 2005. The couple now has a daughter named Chiara Santo Pietro.
3. In his later years, George also ventured into real estate and has acquired various properties in exotic locations around the United States.
4. With his various stints as a businessman, real estate mogul, and Hollywood star, George has been able to amass a net worth currently estimated at $14 million.
