Bob Vila

Robert Joseph Vila (born June 20, 1946) is an American home improvement television show host. He is best known for hosting This Old House (1979–1989), Bob Vila's Home Again (1990–2005), and Bob Vila (2005–2007). Vila, a Cuban-American, was born in Miami, Florida. Growing up, his father built the family home by hand. After graduating from Miami Jackson High School, he studied journalism at the University of Florida. Vila then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama and went on to study and travel in Europe for two years. He eventually enrolled at the Boston Architectural Center. Vila's hosting career began in 1979 when he was hired as the host of This Old House. He left the show in 1989 but continued to make appearances on various television programs.