tenpoundhammer
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Post by tenpoundhammer on Aug 24, 2012 15:14:02 GMT -5
I just got the 1987 Wheel of Fortune paperback from David R. Sams and Robert L. Shook. It has a lot of fascinating info, including a complete rundown of the rules. There are some contestant stories from the late 80s, some technical behind the scenes stuff (If they had to throw out a puzzle, the contestants got $200 gift certificates), etc.
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Aug 24, 2012 15:17:11 GMT -5
That's cool. They should really make an updated version of that. I have the "Official Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Book" from ~1988.
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germanname1990
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Post by germanname1990 on Aug 24, 2012 15:49:00 GMT -5
Oh, the St. Martin's publishing? I have that too. I've still yet to finish reading it, but it had some interesting facts about game shows before Wheel. They even went into detail about the scandals.
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Guint
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Post by Guint on Aug 24, 2012 16:51:37 GMT -5
That's cool. They should really make an updated version of that. I have the "Official Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Book" from ~1988. ....and you haven't told me this WHY?  |
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Aug 24, 2012 16:56:30 GMT -5
It's not what you think. It's not a list of puzzles or anything. It's just a book giving partially-filled puzzles that you fill in much like the show using a "letter guide" that's included in the back of the book like the Pressman board games. You score yourself based on how fast you solve the puzzle. |
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trisspinner
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Post by trisspinner on Aug 24, 2012 16:58:14 GMT -5
So, it's more like a puzzle/logic book then, right?
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Aug 24, 2012 17:01:48 GMT -5
Yeah, pretty much. More like a game if anything. And a few short bios of the staff.
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WarioSajak
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Post by WarioSajak on Aug 24, 2012 17:51:51 GMT -5
I just got the 1987 Wheel of Fortune paperback from David R. Sams and Robert L. Shook. I have the "Official Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Book" from ~1988. I have neither, sadly; my library doesn't have either, and neither does eBay. I'd ask you guys for scans or PDF files, but I'm not sure whether that's a good idea. (TPH, quick thing: does your book name who won over $64,000 in 1976?) |
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Post by MarioGS on Aug 24, 2012 17:59:52 GMT -5
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tenpoundhammer
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Post by tenpoundhammer on Aug 24, 2012 19:09:02 GMT -5
(TPH, quick thing: does your book name who won over $64,000 in 1976?) Eeyup. It was Judy Bongarzone from the 1976 tournament. I got mine from Amazon as well. |
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Post by WarioSajak on Aug 24, 2012 19:40:35 GMT -5
^I'm guessing that's also the source of this? A Google search for that specific amount in relation to Wheel turned up a generic mention with no details. As for the links, I found Amazon a bit confusing. I was looking for eBay since I've still got $35 on my gift card, and while I found the Puzzle Book for $4.48 with free shipping, it'd take something like two weeks for delivery (between 8/28 and 9/11). How long did it take through Amazon? |
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tenpoundhammer
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Post by tenpoundhammer on Aug 24, 2012 19:54:06 GMT -5
^I'm guessing that's also the source of this? |
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Post by MarioGS on Aug 24, 2012 20:19:07 GMT -5
I just found out that the puzzle book has a "Trivia" section. Here's everything is says...
WHEEL OF FORTUNE "TRIVIA" (as of 8/1/87)
Number of Shows Taped to Date:
Over 4,000
Number of Contestants Who Have Appeared on Show:
12,172
Number of Cars Given Away:
1,012
Total Prize Money Since Inception of Show:
Over $1 billion
Most Won By One Contestant:
$64,461 by Judy Bongarzone of Los Angeles
Oldest Contestant:
92 years old
Youngest Contestant:
13 years old
Foreign Contestants:
There have been British and Canadian citizens who have appeared on Wheel.
Number of Times Puzzles Guessed From One Letter:
Three. One such puzzle was "I BEFORE E EXCEPT AFTER C," which was solved with only the letter T exposed.
Number of Viewers Daily:
42 million, including daytime and nighttime versions
Number of Stations That Carry the Show:
208 nighttime, 205 daytime
Most Times Show Appears in One Market in a Day:
There are many markets where the show appears four or five times a day, including network, syndicated, and cable stations.
Fan Mail:
3,000 pieces of fan mail come in during any given week.
Vanna's Dresses:
Vanna wears 450 different dresses per year and repeats some of them.
Most Expensive Prize:
A $60,000 log cabin
Keep the Tape Rolling:
On taping days, Wheel does 5 shows and has taped as many as 60 in one month.
Studio Audience:
250 fans watch the tapings in the studio.
Wheel and Hope:
Wheel of Fortune is taped in Burbank at NBC Studio Four. It's the same studio where Bob Hope tapes his specials.
Puzzles:
The show chews up 45 puzzles per week.
Born to Shop:
Wheel's producer, Nancy Jones, takes one day per week to do nothing but shop for the prizes given away on the show.
Your Host and Hostess:
Chuck Woolery was the original host of Wheel of Fortune. He is now hosting Love Connection. Susan Stafford was the original hostess. She left the show to pursue a career outside of show business.
Dimensions:
The puzzle board is 13 feet high, and the Wheel is 7'8".
More Dimensions:
Vanna is 5'6". She wears a size 4 dress.
Money Matters:
The largest sum of money on the Wheel during the nighttime version is $5,000. Daytime's largest sum is $2,000.
Wheel Music:
The music you hear on Wheel of Fortune was composed by Merv Griffin. He also composed the theme for Jeopardy!--another game show he created.
More Money Matters:
In 1986, Merv Griffin sold his company to The Coca-Cola Company and in doing so, sold Wheel of Fortune with it. How valuable are game shows? Coke paid Merv more than $200 million.
You Want It, You Got It:
Wheel of Fortune is already booked through 1992 on some stations.
Most Inexpensive Prize:
$20 pack of playing cards
Most Money Lost to Bankrupt:
$11,000
Prize Chosen Most Often:
Ceramic dalmatian
Prize Never Chosen:
Home wine-cellar
Wheel of Fortune Staff:
It takes 25 people to bring you Wheel of Fortune every day, not including camera and technical crew.
Producer:
Nancy Jones, Wheel's producer, has been in charge of the show for 13 years.
Winners and Sex:
There are more women contestants than men, therefore more female winners.
It Ain't That Easy:
65% of the people who try the Wheel written exam fail.
Bringing the Wheel Home:
You can buy Wheel of Fortune board games, computer software, watches, shirts, electronic games, with more licensees being added monthly.
Vanna's Secret:
Vanna knows the answers to the puzzles prior to the show's taping. But she knows how to keep a secret.
All in the Family:
Wheel of Fortune is directed by former Merv Griffin Show director, Dick Carson. Dick's brother, Johnny Carson, is also in the television business.
Wheel Worldwide:
Wheel of Fortune's format is licensed in several foreign countries, including France, where the French "Wheel" is #1 in its time slot.
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WarioSajak
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Post by WarioSajak on Aug 25, 2012 8:13:11 GMT -5
I just found out that the puzzle book has a "Trivia" section. Here's everything is says... WHEEL OF FORTUNE "TRIVIA" (as of 8/1/87)Well, you didn't have to do that. Still, thanks for saving me $4. I'm guessing, then, that no puzzles were solved with no letters showing at this point. I'm sure those weren't the dimensions inquiring minds wanted to know (like me!). ...Wow. It's quite possible this was beaten in the next two years. Giggity? Oh. See, I thought she didn't know the puzzles, hence why she waited for the letters to light up. |
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Post by nowhammies11 on Aug 26, 2012 9:35:48 GMT -5
Nowadays, Vanna is shown the puzzle (on a card not unlike those included with the WOF watch) just before they come back from commercial, so she knows where to stand when the puzzle is revealed. Back then, I'm not sure how she knew them, but it's probably the same sort of idea.
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Post by StrangerCoug on Aug 28, 2012 19:05:25 GMT -5
Nowadays, Vanna is shown the puzzle (on a card not unlike those included with the WOF watch) just before they come back from commercial, so she knows where to stand when the puzzle is revealed. Back then, I'm not sure how she knew them, but it's probably the same sort of idea. If you're wondering about where to stand, they would have to bring the board back onto the set after they're done loading it, so she would have an obvious visual cue there. I'm with you as to how she was given the actual answer, though. |
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tenpoundhammer
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Post by tenpoundhammer on Aug 28, 2012 19:32:58 GMT -5
^ Wasn't she given the answer on paper and told "Stand X squares to the right/left"? Seems like I read something to that effect once.
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Post by nowhammies11 on Aug 29, 2012 8:31:37 GMT -5
I distinctly remember that the method I explained was part of a Host Chat from within the last 5 seasons.
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Post by woffan4ever on Aug 29, 2012 8:38:05 GMT -5
That's how it's done now. She's shown the puzzle on a card before each show or round so she knows where to stand. As for pre-February 24th, '97, I'm sure she knew the answers, because I was watching a behind the scenes on Wheel from the 80s on YT, and Vanna is seen helping to load the puzzles into the board, therefore she had to know the answers.
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Post by gameshowguy2000 on Sept 3, 2012 11:43:26 GMT -5
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