Right off the bat, Bob Vila has inspired home improvement audiences. Growing up with his dad who loved to do things by himself groomed Vila to be resourceful from childhood. Subsequently, he leveraged his hands-on skills to forge a television career. Vila probably didn’t see himself hogging the spotlight for his home improvement skills but his 10-year stint as the host of This Old House made him a household name.
At the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Bob Vila was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his exploits as This Old House host. The show set the pace for a plethora of home improvement programs to spring up on television. Over four decades later, This Old House still holds sway as the longstanding home improvement show audiences love so much. While he doesn’t host This Old House again, Vila has been involved in many renovation projects on and off the screen. Keep reading to learn more facts about the legendary builder.
Bob Vila’s Early Life Is The Driving Force Behind His Home Improvement Expertise
Bob Vila was born into a Cuban-American home in Miami, Florida, on June 20, 1946. His father was quite the handyman who built the family’s residence with his hands and Vila was there to learn from him. Vila grew up in Florida where he attended Miami Jackson High School. After graduating from high school in 1962, he furthered his education at the University of Florida with a journalism degree.
After bagging his first degree, Bob Vila joined the Peace Corps as a volunteer. He served in Panama in the late 1960s and traveled through Europe for two years afterward. Vila later returned to the United States to study at the Boston Architectural Center. At this point, he was ready to establish himself as a home improvement guru.
An In-depth Look at Bob Vila’s Career Timeline
Before his television career shot him to international prominence, Bob Vila explored the world of home renovation as a contractor. He focuses on old buildings, including the Victorian Italianate house in Newton Massachusetts which caught the attention of home improvement media. Better Homes and Gardens honored Vila with the Heritage House of 1978 award for his groundbreaking work on the project. He also landed a juicy offer to be the pioneer host of This Old House. Vila collaborated with carpenter Norm Abram and other crew members to renovate homes on This Old House.
As host of This Old House, Bob Vila carried audiences along on renovation projects, breaking everything down to the simplest form for everyone to understand the effort put into home improvement. Despite his success on the show, Vila left the show in 1989 following a dispute with showrunners. Their disagreement stemmed from Vila getting involved in endorsements with Rickel, a rival company in the industry. Subsequently, Steve Thomas replaced Vila as This Old House host. Following his exit from This Old House, Vila appeared on more television programs. He was made a commercial spokesman for Sears department stores to promote Craftsman tools but the contract was terminated in 2006 due to a disagreement with the company.
Vila hosted Bob Vila’s Home Again from 1990 to 2005 before the show was renamed Bob Vila. The weekly syndicated home improvement television show was canceled after 16 seasons due to declining ratings. However, fans can still watch reruns and it can be streamed on PlutoTV. Vila has also appeared on several television series such as the sitcoms Home Improvement and Tool Time. He made a cameo in the 1993 parody film Hots Shots! Part Deux.
What Is The Former This Old House Host Up To?
Though he doesn’t appear on television as often as he used to, Bob Vila is still relevant in the media space. He has written several books, including Bob Vila’s Guide to Buying Your Dream House (1990) and Bob Vila’s Guides to Historic Homes of America (1993 to 1994). The latter is a five-book series. Vila founded a brand of tools in 2016 which he appeared on Home Shopping Network to promote.
Most recently, Bob Vila has been working with his son Chris. The father and son duo renovate homes in Palm Beach, Florida. In typical Vila style, they prioritize the old structures. One of their latest projects is from the early 1900s. They have mostly worked on houses from the 1940s to the 1950s.
Bob Vila Has Been Married To Diana Barrett Since 1975
From being business partners, Bob Vila and Diana Barrett exchanged marriage vows in 1975. The couple met in the mid-1970s and began a business partnership that saw them consult on renovating old homes. With Barrett, Vila has three children – a son and two daughters. Here’s one of the most popular renovation and design experts on television, David Bromstad.
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