April 2, 1984 recap

Airdate: April 2, 1984

Look at this studio filled with glamorous and imaginative gifts! Fabulous merchandise including...

A $35,000 sapphire and diamond ring
A one-week Hong Kong adventure
A $21,000 customized Cadillac (Pat not included)

Over $126,000 just waiting to be won on...

Wheel Of Fortune!

The curtain gets caught and doesn't close. Pat pulls it down, but it won't open automatically for Vanna.

Today's contestants:
Thelma Harad (?): Homemaker and grandmother, South Bend, IN
Sam Morrin: Retired meat market operator
Lisa Cooper: Real estate broker, Lancaster, PA

The top-dollar value on the Wheel is $1,000. Try not to hit Bankrupt, or you will lose all your cash, but once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep. Here's our first puzzle!

Vanna reveals a hyphen...when it finally lights up!


Lisa almost adds a "THE", but corrects herself to MASON-DIXON LINE. It is accepted, and Pat states that adding "THE" is prohibited.



It's time to add a prize to the Wheel. We throw in a Panasonic Omni Series component video system (labeled TV) worth $890.


Lisa says A BACHELOR'S-BUTTON, which is accepted.



By now, the $1,500 is almost as valuable as the $5,000 space.


That's more like it. Sam solves KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS for considerably more.


Pat does not offer the on account option.


Pat will give the Wheel a Final Spin, and Round 4 will be played for a Tiffany gift certificate. Consonants are worth...$300 a piece. Thelma starts:

Thelma: N (DUD!)
Sam: D (DUD!)
Lisa: L ($300)

Lisa quickly guesses LEE MAJORS. Good guess, but that's not it.

Thelma: S (DUD!)
Sam: M ($300)
Lisa: R ($600)

Lisa is correct the second time with LEE REMICK for a $600 gift certificate.


Very gutsy moves by Thelma, but they didn't pay off. She leaves with some nice parting gifts.





BONUS ROUND:

One round was all he needed. Now Sam looks at the big prizes and picks...

Cadillac Eldorado Coupe ($23,728).

The final puzzle is...

Now...you have to pick a vowel! Sam takes MSLNTE:

And he doesn't need 15 seconds. He instantly solves NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA to keep the Cadillac! He leaves with a much more impressive total of $26,828!

And it seems that pre-recorded fee plugs were slowly becoming the norm from day one.