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Since its premiere in the infancy of the year 1975, Wheel Of Fortune has undergone a bevy of changes. Some good, some great, some not so hot, others annoying.
Changes in personnel in front of and behind the camera and in segments of game play.
Leaving out different hues of colors on certain wheel wedges a Crayola box would be necessary to define accurately, what all has changed about WOF since Charlie O. first invited us to "look at this studio"?
I'll name one and those who want to contribute to this thread's longevity can take over. We are the nearing the 30-year anniversary of the change I'll list: The expansion to an hour on the 1st of December of 1975. Seven weeks later, it was back to thirty minutes.
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Vowels are still worth $250, despite the temporary fix to lower values some 15 years ago...
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Middle of the wheel is still chroma-key ready.
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Introduction of tossups, circa 1996.
I now await Horan to correct me, and someone to type a list of 9 things.
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Addition of a permanent bonus round in late-1981 (I say permanent b/c the hour-long version, as well as promotional "Star Bonus" ep. had their own bonus round as well).
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There were 2 categories that appeared during the late 80's & early 90's & soon disappeared. One was MegaWord where a single row was filled with a long word the players had to solve. That lasted a couple years. I didn't mind that category. The other was Foriegn Words/Foriegn Phrases. That one didn't last too long. I couldn't figure out most puzzles in that category & rightfully dropped it.
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The lovely Vanna White permanently took over Susan Stafford's role as letter-contacter in 1982.
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The intro of the "all-cash with bonus prizes" format. Never again would anyone have to buy a ceramic dalmation.
Doug
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The theme music has changed several times, but probably out of necessity. Can you imagaine today's show with the 1975 or 1983 themes? I think only "The Price is Right" has kept a theme longer than about a decade without changing it. Even "Jeopardy's" theme has been redone over the years.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Nov 25 2005, 12:11 PM\']The theme music has changed several times, but probably out of necessity. Can you imagaine today's show with the 1975 or 1983 themes? I think only "The Price is Right" has kept a theme longer than about a decade without changing it. Even "Jeopardy's" theme has been redone over the years.
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Several years ago, the idea was thrown around to replace the main theme with the $1M Spectacular theme.
Thankfully, it never happened.
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Back to topic...
The change of said bonus round, first to W-H-E-E-L blind draw, then the bonus wheel.
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We can't forget the many additions of what I call special wedges on the Wheel. These include the $10,000 space, the Surprise wedge, the original Jackpot wedge circa 1986, the ill-fated Double Play, the modern Jackpot and Mystery wedges, and the mega overdoses of $1000 gift tags...
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The Free Spin wedge was replaced by a Free Spin on the wheel. I recall being ticked off when they did that.
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The constant "champion rule" - no champion in the 80's (please correct me if I'm wrong), 3-day champs around 89 or 90, Friday Finals in 96/97, then no champs at all...
Ryan
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The constant "champion rule" - no champion in the 80's (please correct me if I'm wrong), 3-day champs around 89 or 90, Friday Finals in 96/97, then no champs at all...
Absolutely correct for nighttime. Daytime, according to some ATGS posts, had a 5-day limit in the early, early days before switching to a 3-day limit for the rest of the run.
-Jason
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 09:00 AM\']The constant "champion rule" - no champion in the 80's (please correct me if I'm wrong), 3-day champs around 89 or 90, Friday Finals in 96/97, then no champs at all...
Ryan
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The 1989-90 through 1995-96 seasons had the three day champ rule. Returning contestants were seen on a Battle of the Sexes week in September 1987(just before they went to cash in the maingame) and a couple of College weeks in a Friday finals format. Returning champions were also seen on two Wipeout weeks in 1988-89. On those weeks, a player could come back on the next show, and stay until they either lost or the week ended(during those weeks, a bonus round win wiped out the prize from being won later in the week). 1996-98 had the Friday finals format, as did an NFL players week for a season or two after that.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Nov 25 2005, 10:11 AM\']Can you imagaine today's show with the 1975 or 1983 themes?
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Not either of those, but what about the 1989 or 1992 themes? Wishful thinking on my part, I know.
I don't like the current theme, but it does fit for the travesty if a show they have today.
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Was Wipeout week ever featured in the 1987-88 season as well?, because if it was then 1988 would have had 2 Wipeout weeks.
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 07:56 PM\']Was Wipeout week ever featured in the 1987-88 season as well?, because if it was then 1988 would have had 2 Wipeout weeks.
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Nope, just the two in the 1988-89 season(airdates 10/24/88-10/28/88 and 2/13/89-2/17/89)
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I didn't know about the airdates about the Wipeout weeks but I might predict that the Wipeout weeks were October 10-14, 1988 and January 23-27, 1989 since Charlie O's return was on February 6, 1989.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 08:53 PM\'][quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 09:00 AM\']The constant "champion rule" - no champion in the 80's (please correct me if I'm wrong), 3-day champs around 89 or 90, Friday Finals in 96/97, then no champs at all...
Ryan
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The 1989-90 through 1995-96 seasons had the three day champ rule. Returning contestants were seen on a Battle of the Sexes week in September 1987(just before they went to cash in the maingame) and a couple of College weeks in a Friday finals format. Returning champions were also seen on two Wipeout weeks in 1988-89. On those weeks, a player could come back on the next show, and stay until they either lost or the week ended(during those weeks, a bonus round win wiped out the prize from being won later in the week). 1996-98 had the Friday finals format, as did an NFL players week for a season or two after that.
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<buzz>
Friday Finals was only during the 96-97 season. I had a friend who played in Jan 98 and she was on a Friday show as a new contestant.
Ryan
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[quote name=\'vtown7\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 10:36 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Nov 26 2005, 08:53 PM\']1996-98 had the Friday finals format, as did an NFL players week for a season or two after that.
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<buzz>
Friday Finals was only during the 96-97 season. I had a friend who played in Jan 98 and she was on a Friday show as a new contestant.
Ryan
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The week your friend was on could have been one of a handful of "special" themed weeks when there was no Friday Finals. I definitely recall that for the vast majority of the '97-'98 season the Friday Finals format was the dominant format.
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Absolutely correct for nighttime. Daytime, according to some ATGS posts, had a 5-day limit in the early, early days before switching to a 3-day limit for the rest of the run.
I'm pretty sure that when the show first debuted they had a 3-day limit, which went to 5 and then back to 3.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Nov 27 2005, 08:50 PM\']
Absolutely correct for nighttime. Daytime, according to some ATGS posts, had a 5-day limit in the early, early days before switching to a 3-day limit for the rest of the run.
I'm pretty sure that when the show first debuted they had a 3-day limit, which went to 5 and then back to 3.
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I'm pretty sure it was five from the beginning. At the start, they even had Chuck counting the undefeated champs the way Art Fleming did on "J!" ("If you win today, you'll retire as our second undefeated champion.").
As I've mentioned before, a TV Guide article claimed that they went from five to three days because they were getting complaints from viewers that the contestants were getting *too much.* Strange as that may seem--but I guess there is a limit on the number of ceramic Dalmatians you can own.
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I was wrong about the airdates of the first Wipeout Week so that Wipeout week was October 17-21, 1988.
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Do you know when did the Radio City Music Hall episodes aired in the fall 1988? Because that happens to be their very first out on location area they did.
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 12:58 AM\']Do you know when did the Radio City Music Hall episodes aired in the fall 1988? Because that happens to be their very first out on location area they did.
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I don't, but I suspect either you or Encyclopedia will tell me in 5...4...3...
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 12:58 AM\']Do you know when did the Radio City Music Hall episodes aired in the fall 1988? Because that happens to be their very first out on location area they did.
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November 88. There, happy?
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 01:24 AM\'][quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 12:58 AM\']Do you know when did the Radio City Music Hall episodes aired in the fall 1988? Because that happens to be their very first out on location area they did.
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November 88. There, happy?
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It will be happier if you tell them it aired originally November 7-18, 1988.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 08:30 AM\'][quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 01:24 AM\'][quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 12:58 AM\']Do you know when did the Radio City Music Hall episodes aired in the fall 1988? Because that happens to be their very first out on location area they did.
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November 88. There, happy?
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It will be happier if you tell them it aired originally November 7-18, 1988.
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Of course, you're not to be outdone. :-P
Oh, and wow.
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We talked about the contestant the contestant from 1988 won the Motorhome on the week of November 7, 1988 and they were not at the Radio City Music Hall that week because the Motorhome didn't appear in the bonus prizes list on the first week in New York so their first week in New York happened to be on the week of November 14.
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 09:00 AM\']We talked about the contestant the contestant from 1988 won the Motorhome on the week of November 7, 1988 and they were not at the Radio City Music Hall that week because the Motorhome didn't appear in the bonus prizes list on the first week in New York so their first week in New York happened to be on the week of November 14.
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So you knew the answer, and yet you asked us anyway.
Do all of us a favor and go back to bed.
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[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 09:16 AM\'][quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 09:00 AM\']We talked about the contestant the contestant from 1988 won the Motorhome on the week of November 7, 1988 and they were not at the Radio City Music Hall that week because the Motorhome didn't appear in the bonus prizes list on the first week in New York so their first week in New York happened to be on the week of November 14.
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So you knew the answer, and yet you asked us anyway.
Do all of us a favor and go back to bed.
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If IT knew the answer, IT also didn't mention that that motorhome winner won $90,095, which was the highest one-day total and the biggest winner in WOF history up to that point. Someone now will tell me it's not fun to chide IT, even if it is such a popular pastime around here.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 10:17 AM\']If IT knew the answer, IT also didn't mention that that motorhome winner won $90,095, which was the highest one-day total and the biggest winner in WOF history up to that point. [/quote]
You help nothing by piling on extraneous information like this.
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 07:44 AM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 26 2005, 10:17 AM\']If IT knew the answer, IT also didn't mention that that motorhome winner won $90,095, which was the highest one-day total and the biggest winner in WOF history up to that point. [/quote]
You help nothing by piling on extraneous information like this.
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He's (and by "he" I mean Zach, make no mistake) trying desperately (yet again) to be in when he is so obviously out. He's as big of a joke as Iris is in most people's eyes, and he knows it.