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THE PRIZES
The one thing that I've really missed about "Wheel of Fortune" is the shopping segment. You remember
this, don't you? This is where contestants used the money that they won to buy such fabulous prizes as
ceramic dogs or prints of flower paintings!
GIFT CERTIFICATE/ON ACCOUNT
This was an underappreciated option since it befell the same fate as "Family Feud's" play/pass rule.
About 99.99% of the time the contestants chose to put the rest of their spending cash on a
Giorgio/Tiffany/Service Merchandise gift certificate. Hardly anybody took the gamble to put any money
"on account." It's a shame because "on account" added an element of risk. Should the contestant to
place all of the money that they won in Round 1 "on account" in hopes of winning enough money in the
later rounds to buy bigger prizes like a car in the later rounds?? Was the gamble worth losing it by
not solving any later puzzles or hitting BANKRUPT?? The addition of the bonus round in 1981 made
things worse for the "on account" option by taking away any incentive to take the "on account"
gamble since a contestant could simply win the big prize in the bonus round. This drove the final
nail in the coffin for putting things "on account."
OPENING SPIEL
- Charlie O' Donnell on a June 20, 1980 episode:
Look at these luxurious prizes...fabulous merchandise just waiting
to be won today on "Wheeeeeeeeeeel of Fortune!"
A 14 Karat gold money clip and lighter!
A pair of motorcycles!
Total retail value: over
- Jack Clark on an November 1980 episode:
Look at these luxurious prizes...fabulous merchandise just waiting
to be won today on "Wheel of Fortune!"
A sparkling diamond pendant!
A leather Chippendale sofa!
A trip to Bermuda!
Total retail value: over
PRIZE HIGHLIGHTS ON "WHEEL"
From candy dishes to ceramic pigs, "Wheel of Fortune" boasted an, uh, eclectic set
of prizes for their contestants to buy. Here are some examples:
- Brass coffee grinder - [$119] "Fresh coffee in a pull-out drawer!
And it's also very pretty!!!"
- Magazine Bin - [$175] "Imported from Italy...can also be used for
a plant!"
- A Chagall print! - [$195] A French-looking painting with a dog.
- MCA Records - [$213] Features the Xanadu soundtrack!
- Lapiz gold cuff link - [$1200] Featuring "contemporary gold zig-zag
design!"
- Color TV - [$720] "Zenith 19" diagonal System 3 color TV with Computer
Space Command remote control and new Space Phone that lets you
receive phone calls through the speaker of your TV!"
CHUCK'S TAKES ON SHOPPING
Chuck never hestitated to take pot-shots at some of the odd prizes offered in such places
as the Travel Boutique. This probably added to the friction between Chuck and Merv during
the little contract dispute that ended up with Chuck quitting "Wheel." Here are some highlights:
- On a candy dish:
"You're gonna get [your husband] a candy dish probably...right?"
- On that hideous print featuring the dog:
"Get the print...It's nice...Plus you have to..."
"Did you see that print up close? Do you like it? You're just being
polite...It's better than the other Chagall that we had. It was seventeen
lizards sucking on an orange..."
- On prize deliveries:
"Maybe by the time you get [the motorcycles], [your son] will be old enough
[to drive them]."
CLOSING SPIEL
Charlie O'Donnell and Jack Clark:
- "The prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants before the
show and have been rounded to the nearest dollar. Gift certificates do
not include sales tax."
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