Wheel of Fortune timeline (network)

An incomplete timeline for the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune. For the nighttime version, see Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated).

(Due to NBC's practice at the time, many episodes from 1975-80 were destroyed or recorded over. Further, GSN has only shown three daytime episodes {not including Wheel 2000}. As such, this timeline will be much less detailed than the nighttime one.)

Pilots (1973-74)
September 1973 :
 * At some point in September, the Shopper's Bazaar pilot is taped for NBC by request of Lin Bolen to Merv Griffin. It is markedly different from the eventual series in various ways, including:
 * 1) The show is hosted by Chuck Woolery, with announcer Mike Lawrence.
 * 2) The Wheel is vertical and mechanical, with no Bankrupts and only one Lose A Turn. Unique spaces on this Wheel are $0, Free Vowel, and Your Own Clue.
 * 3) Your Own Clue involves a rotary telephone where Lawrence dispenses a clue for the contestant who spins it. The clues get more detailed the more it is hit, but only for that player.
 * 4) Top dollar is $500 for Rounds 1-2 and $1,000 for Round 3 onward.
 * 5) The Bonus Round, called the "Shopper's Special", is the name of the prize the contestant is playing for. The winner is shown all vowels in the puzzle, then has 30 seconds to give consonants to fill in the solution.
 * This pilot is held by Game Show Network (GSN) who, despite airing numerous pilots over the years, have (so far) not shown it.

September 1974 :
 * At some point in September, the second and third pilots (now called Wheel of Fortune) are taped in Los Angeles for NBC. Changes include:
 * 1) Edd Byrnes and Charlie O'Donnell replace Woolery and Lawrence.
 * 2) The show's theme song is changed to "Give It One", by Maynard Ferguson. It is unknown what music was used on the 1973 pilot.
 * 3) The Wheel is now horizontal, with much larger wedges plus the introduction of Bankrupt and Buy A Vowel.
 * 4) The Wheel's top dollar for each round is presumably increased to $500 for Rounds 1-2, $750 for Round 3, and $1,000 thereafter. The minimum value is $50.
 * 5) The puzzle board is now gray with 39 trilons on three rows and a single light border. The trilons show green sparkles for unused spaces, a solid white for unrevealed letters, and black letters on a white background. Once a contestant solves the puzzle, all letters light up and the unrevealed ones are turned around to a portion of "Give It One".
 * 6) Contestants now purchase from a "showcase" of prizes located behind the puzzle board, which moves away so the player can shop. Both pilots use the same prizes, with their names and values scrolling on-screen; a "SOLD" tag marks prizes already purchased.
 * While the puzzle board is designed to be mechanical, this element is not completed by the time of taping. Susan Stafford is hired to turn the letters.
 * Edd is drunk during these pilots, as he recounts in his autobiography Kookie No More. On the first taping, he makes faces at the camera; on the second, he makes noises as the Wheel spins. He also bullies at least one contestant into spinning again, yelling "No! You only have $300! You can't solve yet!"
 * When shown to test audiences, the response is that the new set is too busy and Byrnes does not fit. Bolen insists the show be picked up anyway, and her bosses agree on one condition – Chuck is host, not Edd. (It is rumored that Edd was caught reciting his vowels backstage by Merv.)
 * Clips from one of the pilots were shown during the nighttime version's ceremonial 3,000th show on November 20, 1998, which includes contestant Roseanne solving PRINCESS ANNE for $825.

Season 1 (1975)
January 1975 :
 * Wheel of Fortune debuts on January 6, 1975, replacing Jeopardy! as per contract but in the 10:30 AM slot formerly held by Winning Streak. Changes from the 1974 pilots, other than Chuck hosting, are:
 * 1) The show's theme song is changed to "Big Wheels" by Alan Thicke, who also supplies the show's other music cues.
 * 2) The Wheel's values are moved around a bit, with the minimum now $25. $50 and $75 spaces are also present.
 * 3) The puzzle board trilons now turn clockwise instead of counterclockwise.
 * January 6 has the first discarded puzzle. As mentioned by Charlie during the credits, the contestant who won it was credited with her winnings, a new puzzle was substituted, and the program edited.
 * The January 6 show is known to exist, as clips of it were used in the show's E! True Hollywood Story.

February 1975 :

March 1975 :
 * On March 17, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, Wheel and NBC's other daytime games (then Blank Check, Celebrity Sweepstakes, High Rollers, The Hollywood Squares, and Jackpot!) participate in the "Shamrock Sweepstakes". Players from these games answer questions about Ireland and Irish(-American) people, with a top prize of $100,000.

April 1975 :

May 1975 :

June 1975 :

July 1975 :

August 1975 :

Season 2 (1975-76)
September 1975 :
 * By about this point, Milton-Bradley releases two board game adaptations; these are the only ones to be released in the 1970s, and the only ones to use the shopping element (represented by a deck of 20 prize cards ranging in value from $100-$3,000).
 * The puzzle on the First Edition cover is LADY MACBETH, while the Second Edition uses KING RICHARD (albeit with a different font); both puzzles have the A's/I's, respectively, replaced with the green-glitter trilon side on the box cover, but are intact on the instruction booklet.
 * The cover of these games show a host who looks a bit like Chuck, but isn't. The instruction booklet's picture shows a far different Wheel angle and what appears to be a red car to the right of the puzzle board.
 * There are four Free Spins, represented on cards much like the prizes.
 * Puzzles are listed in the instruction booklet, with the user placing them into the puzzle board letter by letter; this also allows for custom puzzles.
 * Also unlike subsequent versions, there is no Used Letter Board.
 * By the time of Milton-Bradley's First Edition game, the Wheel has undergone several changes to Round 1: The green $75 becomes a second $500, the sole $25 becomes $300, the red $50 becomes $150, the yellow $75 becomes $200, and the blue $50 becomes $100. The minimum value is now $100.
 * By the time of Milton-Bradley's First Edition game, the shopping round begins allowing contestants to put their winnings on a gift certificate, in addition to the existing "on account" option. From this point until the removal of the shopping rounds, most contestants choose the gift certificate.
 * As of Milton-Bradley's Second Edition game, Buy A Vowel is still present on the Wheel.

October 1975 :

November 1975 :

December 1975 :
 * On December 1, in the wake of The Price Is Right expanding to 60 minutes a month earlier (November 3), Wheel expands to 11:30 AM. High Rollers, which normally occupies the 11:00 slot, does not air during this period.

January 1976 :
 * On January 19, Wheel returns to a half-hour, now at 11:00 AM. High Rollers returns at 10:30.

February 1976 :

March 1976 :

April 1976 :

May 1976 :

June 1976 :
 * On June 3, 4, or 6, contestant Linda sets a single-round winnings record of $8,325.
 * By June 7 (#368), the Wheel has gone through several changes:
 * 1) Buy A Vowel is removed entirely from the format. Contestants may now purchase a vowel at any time for $250.
 * 2) The second Lose A Turn wedge, used from Round 3 onward, is also removed.
 * 3) Bankrupt, Lose A Turn, and Free Spin adopt their normal appearances.
 * 4) Top dollar in Rounds 2 and 3 are increased to $1,000 and $1,500, respectively.
 * By June 7, the contestant score displays are changed to white. Previously, they had been the same color as the respective contestant's arrow.
 * As of June 7, there is still no sound effect for hitting Bankrupt.
 * As of June 7, champions still remain on for up to five days.
 * As of June 7, the original category displays are still in use; these displays will return in the 1980s.
 * On June 7, there is a noticeable layer of dust on top of the contestant arrows.
 * Several other events happen on June 7:
 * During Round 1, a buzzer sounds on a correct letter.
 * With only vowels remaining, contestant Gerry mis-solves the Round 1 puzzle KILL THE UMPIRE as KILL THE VAMPIRE.
 * Following Round 1, Chuck mentions getting letters from people who don't like seeing him hug contestants. He responds by saying "I like to hug folks. I'm a hugger. A lot of people are handshakers; I'm a hugger. And one more thing: If you were here, I'd hug ya too!"
 * During Round 2, contestant Lee loses a then-very high total of $2,750 to a Bankrupt.
 * After Lee solves the Round 3 puzzle (NORMAN ROCKWELL) for $800, Chuck has her spin one more time before announcing the winner. She hits $1,500.
 * Returning champion Linda sets a new half-hour total winnings record of $23,200.
 * The June 7 show is the earliest Wheel episode, one of only three daytime episodes, and the only episode hosted by Chuck to be aired by GSN; the network reruns it in 2007 as part of a special string of repeats following Merv Griffin's death. As per the network's standard at the time, the ticket and fee plugs are cut out and the credits are crunched.

July 1976 :

August 1976 :

Season 3 (1976-77)
September 1976 :
 * By this point, and probably much earlier, Chuck and Susan play Celebrity Sweepstakes for home viewers on the last day of a play-by-phone week (the only non-soap opera personalities to do so). The winning home players get $75,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, and $5,000 for third.

October 1976 :

November 1976 :

December 1976 :

January 1977 :

February 1977 :

March 1977 :

April 1977 :

May 1977 :

June 1977 :

July 1977 :

August 1977 :

Season 4 (1977-78)
September 1977 :
 * At some point in late September, Arte Johnson briefly fills in for Susan. This was likely to promote his upcoming game Knockout, which debuts October 3.

October 1977 :

November 1977 :

December 1977 :

January 1978 :
 * The January 18 show (#785) is known to be held by the Paley Center For Media.

February 1978 :

March 1978 :
 * On March 18, Gordon MacRae makes an appearance.
 * By March 18, the Round 1 Wheel layout changes a bit: The blue $100 near Free Spin becomes $400, the blue $100 next to Lose A Turn becomes $400, the orange $100 near Bankrupt becomes $500, and the blue $100 next to Bankrupt becomes $350. The Wheel's "face value" (all the wedge values added together) is increased from $4,875 to $6,125.
 * By March 18, the score displays are extended to show five digits and a dollar sign.
 * By March 18, the category displays are changed to a thin, computer-esque font in various colors.
 * On an episode after the above changes, contestant Pat puts $15 "on account" after Round 1. Later in the same episode, contestant Barbara purchases a 1978 Camaro for $6,125 (coincidentally, the Round 1 Wheel's "face value").
 * At some point between March 18 and April 6, the Star Bonus token is introduced; the token begins on the red $100 next to Free Spin. The token cannot be lost to Bankrupt nor forfeited by failing to solve the round's puzzle, but is removed from the Wheel following Round 3 to play a fourth round.

April 1978 :
 * On April 5, contestant Karen retires with over $16,000.
 * Veteran game show contestant Scott Hostetler plays on April 6 and 7.
 * By April 6, the curtain's lights are removed.
 * By April 6, and probably much earlier, Susan begins entering through the center of the curtain. Previously, she entered from Chuck's left and helped introduce the contestants.
 * By April 6, and probably much earlier, a sliding whistle is added for when Bankrupt is hit.
 * By April 6, the blue $400 near Free Spin is turned red, presumably because it sat next to a blue $300.
 * On April 6, the first commercial outro is a closeup of the Star Bonus token, zooming out to a full shot of the Wheel.
 * On April 6 and 7, Chuck hits $1,500 in the Final Spin.
 * As of April 6, Nyesta still provides Susan's wardrobe.
 * April 7 has a few notable events:
 * Round 1 is the first known puzzle containing punctuation, that being the hyphen in LOVEY-DOVEY (a puzzle placed on two lines instead of one). Eyewitness accounts have said that early puzzles that would have required punctuation simply omitted it.
 * During Round 1, a bell sounds on an incorrect letter.
 * Contestant Peggy sweeps the game.
 * The Star Bonus is played for the only known time, which results in the contestant interviews being edited down considerably. The prizes are a trip to Las Vegas (Easy; $675), a sterling-silver tea set (Medium; $2,303), a diamond pendant (Hard; $4,060), and a Porsche 924 (Difficult; $13,586). Scott plays the Difficult puzzle, and fails to solve PABLO PICASSO.
 * Charlie's closing spiel about the prizes is "covered" by a different voice saying "Additional prizes furnished by Jockey's Club Resort, Bob Smith Porsche Audi."
 * On April 24, the show moves to 11:30 AM.

May 1978 :

June 1978 :

July 1978 :

August 1978 :

Season 5 (1978-79)
September 1978 :

October 1978 :

November 1978 :

December 1978 :
 * By the end of December, original director Jeff Goldstein is replaced by Dick Carson.

January 1979 :

February 1979 :

March 1979 :
 * On March 27, the first few seconds of the opening has the audience muttering before "Big Wheels" kicks in.
 * March 27 has the earliest known appearances of the Quotation and Occupation categories.
 * By March 27, and probably much earlier, the Star Bonus is removed from the format.
 * By March 27, Roselon Industries begins providing Susan's wardrobe.
 * On March 27, the first three spins of Round 2 are all Bankrupt, to which Chuck responds by beginning his Round 2 intro spiel again. It takes a total of seven spins before a letter gets on the board, and another 11 before FOURSCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO is solved.
 * Overall, the contestants in this round end up hitting Bankrupt six times, which may be a one-round record.
 * In the same round, Susan turns the V too hard, causing the plastic letter sheet to slide about halfway off the trilon.
 * Also in the same round, for some odd reason, contestant Anita prefaces her letter picks with "I'd like to buy a..."
 * On March 27, Chuck's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt, to which the sound plays (his second attempt hits $1,500). This is the first known instance of its sound effect being used, a wrinkle which is dropped much later.

April 1979 :

May 1979 :
 * On May 31 and June 1, Summer Bartholomew fills in for Susan. She probably filled in for the rest of that week or longer, but this is uncertain.
 * May 31 has the earliest known appearance of the Nickname category. Given that many episodes around this point had a common theme in the day's puzzles, it is believed that the answer was LONE STAR STATE, since the other puzzles in this game were HOW THE WEST WAS WON and SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS.
 * On May 31, contestant Hilarie puts $5 and $89 "on account" after Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.
 * On May 31, Summer forgets to turn an X in Round 3, and has to be reminded by Chuck.

June 1979 :
 * June 1 has the earliest known appearance of an apostrophe in a puzzle.
 * June 1 is the earliest known game with two puzzles of the same category (Title).
 * As of June 1, the show's theme is still played when going to commercial.
 * As of June 1, the Wheel's top values are still $500/$1,000/$1,500.

July 1979 :

August 1979 :

Season 6 (1979-80)
September 1979 :

October 1979 :

November 1979 :

December 1979 :
 * For the month of December, the puzzle board and contestant area is decorated for Christmas. In addition, many Christmas-themed prizes are available for purchase.
 * By December 4, the top amounts are increased to $750 for Round 1, $1,000 for Round 2, and $2,000 thereafter.
 * By December 4, a new music cue is introduced for use when going to commercial.
 * On December 4, contestant Susan remarks after Round 2 that "How am I gonna pay for the taxes, we don't have any money!"
 * By December 31, holiday decorations are added to the curtain as well.
 * By December 31, and likely much earlier, the returning-champion limit is decreased to three days.
 * By December 31, the aforementioned commercial outro cue is replaced by an electric-guitar music cue.
 * December 31 has a few notable events:
 * Round 1 is the earliest known appearance of the People category.
 * Contestant Lou remarks after Round 1 that Chuck looks taller than he does on TV. Chuck replies that he's "gonna get out of television because it makes you old, fat, and short".
 * During Round 2, the puzzle solve cue accidentally plays for a second instead of the "only vowels remain" beep (which is itself played a second later). The contestant solves the puzzle, and the cue begins playing from the point it was halted.
 * Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestant who started it, with no mistakes or Lose A Turn/Bankrupt.
 * The December 4 commercial cue is used for the prize descriptions after Round 3.
 * In Round 4, the puzzle intro cue is played over a shot of Chuck before quickly switching to the puzzle board.
 * Contestant Allan retires with $15,425, which Chuck mistakenly refers to as $1,425 until he is corrected from offstage. (The total champion winnings/"on account" display simply removes the dollar sign; on June 7, 1976, the display was simply left blank.)
 * For the closing segment, Chuck and Susan promote their appearance the next day during the Tournament of Roses pre-parade.
 * "Auld Lang Syne" is played from Chuck and Susan's sign-off through the end of the credits.

January 1980 :
 * Wheel does not air on January 1 due to the aforementioned Tournament of Roses parade.

February 1980 :

March 1980 :
 * On March 17, contestant Becky puts money "on account". According to comments the next day, it works to her advantage.
 * March 18 has several events:
 * Contestant Charlene gets two Free Spins in a row during Round 1.
 * During Round 1, Chuck forgets on two separate occasions to ask if a contestant wants to use their Free Spin following an incorrect letter call.
 * Contestant Les' microphone falls off during Round 2. He quickly retrieves it, and it is reattached during the commercial break.
 * Contestant Becky puts $240 "on account" following Round 2. She loses it to Bankrupt on her very next spin.
 * During Round 3, the contestants are shown turning their backs during the mid-round commercial outro.
 * No music is played during the commercial outro after Round 3.
 * By March 18, the closing segment has Chuck and Susan saying goodbye as the camera zooms out to show the Wheel spinning.
 * As of March 18, the electric-guitar cue is still used when going to commercial.
 * March 25 has several notable events:
 * During Round 3, Susan turns all four A's in the puzzle RAIN RAIN GO AWAY before they light up or their respective bells play.
 * A buzzer fails to sound on an incorrect letter in Round 4.
 * Round 4 has the first known instance of a one-word puzzle, in this case PORCUPINE.
 * Right as contestant Kevin selects his first prize after Round 4, the camera suddenly shifts to the right.
 * Five rounds are played, an unusual event for the shopping era. Chuck states that it's the "first time in a long time".
 * Rounds 4 and 5 are both Thing.
 * Chuck and Susan say goodbye to stage manager Rob Keith, who is listed as "Robin Kenner" in the credits and who Chuck mistakenly refers to as unit manager (the actual person holding that position at this point is Michael Koljan).
 * Chuck and Susan's signoff is quite different than usual: "I'm Chuck Woolery," "And I'm Susan Stafford." "See you all tomorrow, bye-bye everybody." "Bye-bye, God bless!"
 * By March 25, the commercial outro cue used on December 4, 1979 returns.
 * By March 25, original producer John Rhineheart is replaced by Nancy Jones.

April 1980 :

May 1980 :
 * On May 6, a champion retires undefeated.
 * On May 7, in a rare occurrence, all three contestants are left-handed; one of them, Cathy, is from Paris. Also on this episode:
 * During Round 1, contestant Diane lands on Free Spin and, after receiving a token, tries to call an S. She is not penalized, and after her next spin is credited with the S, which is in the puzzle.
 * The Round 1 puzzle, APHRODISIAC, is believed to be the longest one-word puzzle up to this point.
 * Early in Round 2, the trilon containing the P in STOP LOOK AND LISTEN is accidentally lit up after T is called. The mistake is quickly corrected.
 * During Round 2, Diane manages to land on the $450 next to Lose A Turn three times in a row.
 * Rounds 1 and 3 are both Thing.
 * In Round 3, the contestants are shown turning their backs during the mid-round outro.
 * The Round 3 puzzle, MOZZARELLA CHEESE, is the earliest known use of Z.
 * At the end of the show, Chuck and Susan address rumors about the show's cancellation, dispelling them but noting that NBC's daytime schedule will be undergoing a few changes. "In the meantime, we're gonna be doing this show until we get it right!"
 * By May 7, the show now uses both commercial cues: The December 4, 1979 cue after each round, and the electric-guitar cue for mid-round breaks.

June 1980 :
 * June 20 has several interesting events:
 * Chuck makes an odd comment to Susan after her entrance, saying she looks like "a little Swedish girl".
 * Charlie coughs briefly during the second prize plug, which Chuck brings up before Round 2.
 * A somewhat infamous moment after Round 1 where contestant Charlotte reluctantly says "Take the...candy dish.", to which Chuck talks with her and the purchase is discarded. Chuck then remarks after the prize plugs that the painting she bought was better than the other one the show had from the same artist, which was "seventeen lizards sucking on an orange".
 * The Bankrupt sound does not play when it is first landed on in Round 3.
 * The Round 3 puzzle is APRIL FOOLS' DAY, and there is no inlaid contestant shot during the shopping portion.
 * Rounds 2 and 4 are both Phrase.
 * Chuck's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt, leading to only the second known instance of its sound being played in the Final Spin.
 * At the end of the show, Chuck and Susan discuss the waiting period for prize delivery (90 days). When asked by Chuck, an offstage staffer says they're shipped "whenever we get around to it".
 * By June 20, the commercial outro cues are changed up again: The electric-guitar cue is used after Rounds 1 and 4 plus the break during Round 3; the December 4, 1979 cue is used after Rounds 2 and 3.
 * On June 20, NBC airs a promo detailing the new schedule to begin the following Monday. The promo includes a clip from Wheel of a female contestant right after solving CREPES SUZETTE (Things), and apparently screaming so loud Chuck is seen with his hand up to his ear.
 * Also on June 20, Vanna White appears as a contestant on The Price Is Right, her first television "role". Despite being called down fourth, she never gets out of Contestant's Row.

July 1980 :

August 1980 :
 * August 1 is taped as the series finale, due to a cancellation order from NBC boss Fred Silverman that is overturned by the time it airs. The episode features an appearance by Chuck's then-wife, Jo Ann Pflug.
 * August 1 is Charlie's last episode until 1989. He leaves to announce The Toni Tennille Show.
 * On August 4, the show moves back to 11:00 AM.
 * Don Morrow apparently fills in as announcer for the week of August 4.
 * The August 4 show opens with Chuck joking about the show's demise.
 * Jack Clark takes the announcing reins permanently by August 11. Charlie O'Donnell and Johnny Gilbert are known to have filled in when Jack was unavailable.
 * Alex Trebek fills in for Chuck for one week in August 1980, possibly the week of the 11th.
 * On August 18, the "correct letter" bell fails to sound in Round 3 after the A's are purchased. Later in the same round, a buzzer sounds on a correct letter and again after the puzzle is solved.
 * On August 18, contestant Mike (from South Africa, but living in Canada) loses $3,750 to a Bankrupt.
 * On August 18, Chuck's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt, leading to only the third known instance of its sound being played in the Final Spin.
 * On August 18, the Wheel does not spin during the credits. The camera shot is also zoomed out farther than usual.
 * By August 18, the commercial outro cues are changed up once again: The December 4, 1979 cue is used when going to commercial during and after Round 3.

Season 7 (1980-81)
September 1980 :

October 1980 :

November 1980 :
 * November 3-6 (and possibly October 31 as well) features NBC game show hosts playing for members of the audience, who also determine what prizes to buy in the shopping rounds. Each match pits the host against two contestants who play normally. Wink Martindale and Jim Perry are among the participants, and it is rumored that Art Fleming also played.
 * Bill Cullen plays on November 5, and based on comments the next day ("He blitzed everybody."), he sweeps the main game.
 * On November 6, Tom Kennedy plays for Art and wins $1,400.
 * November 6 has the earliest known appearance of the Landmark category.
 * By November 6, the electric-guitar commercial cue is moved to the mid-show consolation prize plug (although it is barely audible on November 6). The December 4, 1979 cue is now the only one used for commercial breaks.
 * November 7 begins the show's first Armed Forces "Week", plugged as such despite beginning on a Friday.
 * Immediately following the Armed Forces episodes is "Celebrity Week On The Town".
 * The returning champion from November 6 probably returns on the 24th.

December 1980 :
 * By December 18, and probably for the entire month, the set is again decorated for Christmas. Unlike 1979, the curtain has a wreath on it and the foliage behind the contestants is thicker.
 * December 18 has three female contestants.
 * On December 18, Chuck's cord gets caught on the nearby car as he makes his entrance.
 * On December 18, the contestant score displays are tinted yellow.
 * On December 18, the shopping cue begins in the wrong place after Round 2, then starts again from the beginning.
 * On December 18, the camera fails to switch to the first prize description after Round 3 until Jack Clark is halfway through it.
 * On December 18, contestant Joyce retires with $17,550.
 * As of December 18, the December 4, 1979 cue is still the only one used for commercial breaks.
 * By December 24, the commercial cues are changed up once again: For the first time in over a year, the show's theme is used when going to commercial during Round 1 and after Round 3; the December 4, 1979 cue is used after Round 2, while the electric-guitar cue remains at the mid-show consolation prize plug.
 * On December 24, contestant Vicki's first spin runs into some kind of error that is not explained clearly on-air (primarily since the error and resolution happen while the camera is focused on the puzzle board); the Wheel is reset, and she spins again.
 * On December 24, Chuck mistakenly says that the top dollar for Round 2 is $2,000.
 * December 24 has the earliest known instance of a puzzle containing two punctuation marks, in this case Round 2's Quotation SLEIGHBELLS RING ARE YOU LIST'NIN'. It is also very large for the era, using all but nine trilons, and is solved by contestant Linda for a then-massive $6,700.
 * After Linda buys a $6,168 Mazda, Susan is seen closing the driver's-side door from the inside; once Jack gets to the car plug, Susan drives it around to stop in front of the prize displays, honks the horn, and gets out.
 * On December 24, Rounds 3 and 4 are both Thing.
 * On December 24, a buzzer fails to sound on an incorrect letter during Round 4.
 * On December 24, no music is played during the commercial outro after Round 4, although there does not appear to have been time.

January 1981 :

February 1981 :

March 1981 :

April 1981 :
 * April 21 has three female contestants.
 * By April 21, the electric-guitar cue returns to use for all commercial breaks and the mid-show car plug.
 * On April 21, Jack Clark's introduction of Chuck is "And now, let's meet your host: Chuck Woolery!"
 * On April 21, Chuck mentions his habit of licking his finger before touching the Wheel, and that the producer replied by saying "You don't know where that Wheel's been!" His reply is simply that "I don't care where that Wheel's been!"
 * On April 21, contestant Virginia attempts to spin the Wheel during the Speed-Up round, but is stopped by Chuck before she can do so.
 * Later in the Speed-Up round, a buzzer fails to sound to end a turn. A few turns later, Susan turns the N too hard, causing the plastic letter sheet to slide about halfway off the trilon.
 * April 21 has what is believed to be the lowest one-round score up to this point: $250.
 * On April 21, contestant Lori sweeps the game.
 * At the end of April 21's show, Chuck mentions that a couple of weeks ago, he had brought up the fact that the show has done over 1,600 episodes.
 * As of April 21, the Final Spin split-screen shot still has the puzzle on top and the players on the bottom.

May 1981 :

June 1981 :

July 1981 :

August 1981 :

Season 8 (1981-82)
September 1981 :
 * There is a Portland Week at some point in September, where contestants from that city are flown in to compete.
 * On an episode during Portland Week, contestant Linda prepares to solve the puzzle AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER before a voice (that of opponent Frank) tells her to spin again; she does so and hits Bankrupt, after which he solves for $1,800.
 * As of the Portland Week, the electric-guitar cue is still in use for at least one of the commercial breaks (a mid-round outro).

October 1981 :

November 1981 :

December 1981 :
 * The week of December 14 is Christmas Wish Week.
 * On December 18, Susan previews the set changes to take effect the following Monday.
 * The week of December 21 is Christmas in New York; much like the Portland Week, contestants are flown in from that city to compete. The opening for this week does not use the Wheel logo, instead showing Susan walking in a light New York shower.
 * On December 21, the set is overhauled:
 * 1) The various areas of prizes are replaced by a single, large turntable in center stage.
 * 2) The puzzle board is given a fourth row and another nine trilons, for a total of 48 (11 on the top and bottom rows, 13 in the middle two).
 * 3) The contestant area is changed to solid starbursts of the same color as the respective contestant's arrow. They continue to display the money put "on account" or total champion winnings.
 * By December 25, the December 4, 1979 cue returns once again; it is used for all commercial breaks, plus the mid-show plug for the airline which flew the players to California.
 * By December 25, the $2,000 space is changed from red to a yellowish color.
 * On at least December 25, Susan does not make her entrance through the curtain; rather, she walks over from next to the puzzle board as the turntable spins.
 * December 25 is Chuck's last show. Among the events that day:
 * Susan's entrance includes her blowing kisses to Chuck.
 * There is a commercial break during Round 1, which Chuck erroneously states as having never happened before; one such break occurred on December 24, 1980, and probably other times.
 * During Round 2, Chuck quips that one of the contestants (Betty?) is "the only person I've ever known to hit [Lose A Turn] seventeen times consecutively".
 * After recapping the scores and announcing the winner, Chuck thanks Susan for being such a confidant over the previous years; he then thanks several people, including John Rhineheart, Nancy Jones, Charlie O'Donnell, Jack Clark, and Merv Griffin. Chuck follows this by admitting that leaving Wheel is "one of the most difficult things I've ever done".
 * "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is played during the fee plugs and credits.
 * During the credits, Jack mentions that due to a technical difficulty, "a third puzzle was discarded and the program edited".
 * Susan presents Chuck with a gift: A pair of goggles with wipers.
 * On December 28, Pat Sajak becomes the show's host. Oddly, on December 16-18 and 21-22, he appeared on Password Plus and was credited as being "from Wheel of Fortune".
 * On December 28, Pat thanks Chuck for hosting the show and wishes him well, then jokes that he is leaving the show as well.
 * The week of December 28 is a Teen Week. As with the previous week, the Wheel logo is not used in the opening; the font used is similar to, but not precisely like, the logo from the 1980-81 version of To Tell The Truth.
 * December 28 is believed to be the debut of the standard bonus round. For this week only, it is played from the contestant area.
 * On December 28, the commercial cues are changed up once again: The electric-guitar cue returns, now used during Round 1, during the mid-show catalog plug, and after the bonus round; the December 4, 1979 cue (sounding slightly different) is used for the break during Round 2 and after Round 3. An unknown cue is used following Round 2, as it only plays extremely briefly.
 * On December 28, during Round 2, the camera zooms out from the $550 space while an incorrect letter is called.
 * On December 28, contestant Jay opts not to buy the $2,195 hot tub after Round 2 and instead purchases the other 10 prizes in that showcase with the remaining $849 placed on a gift certificate; the resulting prize copy runs a solid two minutes, and Pat remarks afterward about Jay not buying the hot tub.
 * By December 28, the Final Spin rules are altered a bit: If the Speed-Up round is the entire round, it is played for a gift certificate (or, during this week, a savings bond).
 * By December 28, the Final Spin split-screen display is changed to have the puzzle board on the bottom.
 * As of December 28, the money graphic is still green and still zooms in.
 * As of December 28, Roselon Industries still provides Susan's wardrobe.
 * During Pat's first week, a contestant buys a vowel which is not in the puzzle and Pat tells the player to spin again. He is then told by Nancy Jones that the player has in fact lost their turn.
 * During Pat's first week, a contestant mis-solves the puzzle ABRAHAM LINCOLN as ABRAHAM BINCOLN.

January 1982 :
 * Claudia, the returning champion from Chuck's last episode, presumably returns on January 4.
 * Beginning on January 4, the bonus round is played on the floor in front of the puzzle board.
 * At some point in January, the show apparently goes to Hawaii, as promoted by Pat during his week on Password Plus. His phrasing does not specify whether this is a week like Christmas in New York, or a road show; if it was the latter, and it was followed through, it would predate the Radio City Music Hall weeks by over six years.

February 1982 :

March 1982 :
 * By March 11, the money graphic is changed to white and "springs" or "flips" toward the camera.
 * By March 11, the show's theme returns to use for all commercial breaks and the mid-show car/catalog plug.
 * By March 11, the credits are slightly changed to show the Wheel spinning below Pat, Susan, and the day's champion.
 * March 11 has the earliest known instance of a puzzle using all four lines of the puzzle board, in this case Round 2's A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING.
 * On March 11 and 12, Pat's Final Spin has the camera start at an overhead shot of the Wheel and zoom in to the red player's arrow (which is not flashing on March 11) as the Wheel stops.
 * March 11 has the first known instance of a contestant calling R, S, T, L, N, and E in the bonus round (although not in that order).
 * On March 12, after Susan makes her entrance, Pat makes a remark about her outfit: "Zontar called, he said the invasion of Neptune is off." He makes a few more comments during the post-game chat, then admits he likes the outfit.
 * On March 12, Pat mentions that the contestants drew numbers to see who would start the game, then holds up a cue card with a 4 drawn on the back and says "This is the number I drew, and that made me a loser."
 * On March 12, contestant Bill purchases 11 items after Round 2; with $1,103 remaining and nothing left to spend it on, he puts it on a gift certificate. The resulting prize copy runs for two minutes and ten seconds.
 * On March 12, Bill sweeps the main game and wins a bedroom set in the bonus round.
 * On March 12, the December 4, 1979 cue is used when going to commercial after the bonus round.
 * By March 12, Climax begins providing Susan's wardrobe; considering the strange outfits she wears on March 11 and 12, along with Pat's comments on the latter show, this association was probably short-lived.

April 1982 :
 * On April 26, the show moves back to 10:30, replacing Blockbusters.

May 1982 :

June 1982 :

July 1982 :

August 1982 :

Season 9 (1982-83)
September 1982 :

October 1982 :
 * October 22 is Susan's last episode, as she wishes to pursue charity work. As seen on the show's E! True Hollywood Story, she was presented with flowers and many of the crew said goodbye.
 * Beginning on October 25, the show rotates guest co-host duties among Summer Bartholomew, Vicky McCarty and Vanna White. It is currently unknown how long each guest-hosting stint lasted.

November 1982 :

December 1982 :
 * December 13 is Philadelphia Week, which is the same as the previous city-oriented weeks minus the returning champion from December 10. The open shows Pat in that city, waving in front of a large fountain.
 * On December 13, Vanna is officially named the show's second permanent hostess, although Pat's comments seem to imply that she had also done the previous few weeks. Her first official puzzle is GENERAL HOSPITAL, and the first letter she turns is the T.
 * On at least December 13 and 29, there is a large pot of flowers behind each player.
 * On December 13, the first two rounds are played entirely by the contestant who began them.
 * On December 13, the camera mistakenly holds on a still shot of an $840 curio cabinet after Round 2 while Jack describes it. Also in that segment, the prize cue runs to its end and begins again.
 * On December 13, footage from Pat's trip to Philadelphia is shown just before the credits, and this is where Pat signs off.
 * By December 13, the money graphic and Wheel logo begin to be displayed in different colors.
 * By December 13, the commercial cues are changed up once again: The show's theme is used after Round 1, during the mid-show car plug, and after the bonus round; the December 4, 1979 cue is used during Round 2, after Round 2, and after Round 3.
 * By December 13, the Final Spin shot returns to normal (although the red arrow is again not flashing).
 * December 27 is a Teen Week.
 * December 29 has the first of only two known instances of a four-line puzzle in a Speed-Up round.

January 1983 :
 * On January 3, the show moves back to 11:00 AM.

February 1983 :

March 1983 :

April 1983 :

May 1983 :

June 1983 :

July 1983 :

August 1983 :
 * On August 8, Thicke's music package is replaced with a new music package composed by Griffin, including a new theme tune called "Changing Keys". The last three notes of "Changing Keys" are also the cue for solving a puzzle. Shopping rounds use a music cue called "Nightwalk".
 * For its first year of use, "Changing Keys" is cued up at the 0:56 mark during the intro, and the bridge is used when Vanna walks out. The instrumentation is also more "chirpy".

Season 10 (1983-84)
September 1983 :

October 1983 :
 * October 31's bonus puzzle WIN LOSE OR DRAW uses all four lines of the puzzle board. It is not known why this was done, as the answer would fit easily on two.

November 1983 :
 * November 7 is a Couples Week, with three husband-and-wife teams playing.
 * On November 9, a couple plays for a big-screen TV in the bonus round and fail to solve TOP SECRET with T__ SE_RET showing.

December 1983 :

January 1984 :

February 1984 :
 * February 27 is probably the show's first Battle of the Sexes week. Three of the same gender compete on Monday-Thursday, with the top winner of each gender playing on Friday for a shot at $5,000 in the bonus round.
 * The opening for Battle of the Sexes shows the week's contestants playing a tug-of-war in front of the puzzle board, which reads BATTLE OF THE SEXES on the middle two lines. Interestingly, there are six men and seven women.
 * On February 29, the Wheel spins very slowly during the open.

March 1984 :

April 1984 :

May 1984 :
 * For the week of May 7, Pat and Vanna play Dream House for the first week of a two-week All-Star Charity Tournament against Jamie Farr and Kari Michaelson; Pat and Vanna play for the American Cancer Society (winning $9,450), while Jamie and Kari play for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (winning $10,300). The game is played the same as normal, except:
 * 1) The "Prize" display on the Money Machine is replaced by "Double $$".
 * 2) The bonus round awards $1,000 for each correct number picked, or $5,000 if the correct combination is entered.
 * 3) The team with the highest score at the end of the tournament wins a $50,000 "cash building fund".
 * 4) The rooms of furniture normally awarded for winning the game are given to audience members whose cards are drawn from a bin in front of host Bob Eubanks.

June 1984 :

July 1984 :

August 1984 :
 * At some point in August, "Changing Keys" is re-orchestrated slightly. It is now cued up at the very beginning during the intro, instead of the 0:56 mark.

Season 11 (1984-85)
September 1984 :

October 1984 :

November 1984 :

December 1984 :
 * As of December 19, the category strips still use the computerized font.

January 1985 :

February 1985 :
 * By February 1, the category strips are updated to a bold Helvetica font, in one of several colors (most often matching Vanna's outfit) with a white outline. Winning totals after the bonus round also flash in the same font.

March 1985 :

April 1985 :

May 1985 :

June 1985 :

July 1985 :

August 1985 :

Season 12 (1985-86)
September 1985 :

October 1985 :

November 1985 :

December 1985 :

January 1986 :

February 1986 :

March 1986 :

April 1986 :

May 1986 :

June 1986 :
 * June 16 is a Teen Week, which uses a version of what would eventually become the Friday Finals: Three contestants compete on Monday-Thursday, and the three biggest winners return on Friday. The contestants play for savings bonds.
 * For the week of June 16, Susan briefly returns to fill in for Vanna, who has the week off (a then-recent plane crash killed her spouse, John Gibson).
 * On at least June 20, Pat and Susan are introduced together by the day's contestants. Such a practice would later become permanent on the nighttime show in late 1987.
 * On June 20, no credit is given for Susan's wardrobe.

July 1986 :

August 1986 :

Season 13 (1986-87)
September 1986 :
 * September 15 is the debut of the daytime version's Jackpot wedge. The Jackpot begins at $5,000 and increases by $1,000 each day until it is won. Unlike the current Jackpot round on nighttime, the daytime Jackpot only needs to be landed on to be claimed.

October 1986 :

November 1986 :
 * The November 13 game ends in a tie. As a result, no bonus round is played, and all three contestants continue the next day. The returning champion, who is not one of the tied contestants, is informed that the next day's game will be a "contiunation of [her] second appearance". In place of the bonus round, Pat shows the device from which contestants draw numbers to determine who starts the game.
 * November 17 is a College Week.

December 1986 :
 * December 22 is a Teen Week.

January 1987 :

February 1987 :
 * February 9 is a Battle of the Sexes week. The open is the same, with the genders' positions swapped and the puzzle board reading BATTLE OF THE SEXES on the top three lines; oddly, there are eight women and seven men.

March 1987 :

April 1987 :
 * On April 27, the puzzle board reads BEAST during the credits. This was done, presumably by Pat, by rearranging the letters in the bonus puzzle BEST MAN. He is known to have scrambled the bonus puzzle on at least two other occasions.

May 1987 :

June 1987 :

July 1987 :

August 1987 :

Season 14 (1987-88)
September 1987 :

October 1987 :

November 1987 :

December 1987 :

January 1988 :

February 1988 :

March 1988 :

April 1988 :

May 1988 :

June 1988 :

July 1988 :
 * Jack Clark dies on July 21. M. G. Kelly begins filling-in as announcer immediately afterward.

August 1988 :

Season 15 (1988-89)
September 1988 :
 * September 15 is believed to be the last appearance of the original Jackpot.

October 1988 :


 * As on nighttime, the bonus round rules are changed on October 3 to provide R, S, T, L, N and E automatically, then ask the contestant for three more consonants and a vowel (also cutting the time limit to 10 seconds). The first daytime bonus puzzle under these rules is OREO COOKIES; it is not solved.

November 1988 :

December 1988 :

January 1989 :
 * January 9 is Pat's last daytime show. He steps down from daytime to host his short-lived talk show, The Pat Sajak Show.
 * Appropriately, the first puzzle on January 9 is TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF.
 * Following the bonus round on January 9, Pat makes out with Vanna until series creator Merv Griffin walks up and pokes Pat's shoulder.
 * No name is ever given for Pat's replacement on January 9, likely because no host had been selected yet.
 * On January 10, M.G.'s introductory spiel ends with "And now, here is your hostess: Vanna White!" Vanna walks out to the host's area, and introduces new daytime Wheel host Rolf Benirschke.
 * January 10 contestant Cheryl Gilmore previously won the top prize on The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime.

February 1989 :
 * On an episode during Rolf's tenure, for what is believed to be the first time, a contestant incorrectly solves a fully-revealed puzzle. The answer is SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, which the contestant mispronounces.
 * On two different episodes during Rolf's tenure, the show ends in a tie. On the first instance, Rolf admits on-camera that he does not know what to do.
 * On another episode during Rolf's tenure (during a Teen Week), he congratulates himself for hitting $2,000 in a Final Spin. A contestant then points out that Rolf is looking at the wrong arrow and has actually hit Bankrupt.

March 1989 :
 * At some point in March, Charlie returns as announcer on both daytime and nighttime.
 * During a March episode after Charlie returns (definitely before March 27), contestant Lois gets three Free Spins in Round 1.

April 1989 :

May 1989 :

June 1989 :
 * June 30 is Rolf's last episode and the last taped at NBC Studios.
 * Amusingly, the first puzzle on June 30 is TALK TO THE POWERS THAT BE.
 * June 30 is also the last episode with $2,000 as a cash value.

July 1989 :
 * On July 17, the show moves to CBS at its original timeslot of 10:30 AM. Among the changes are:
 * 1) Bob Goen becomes the show's host.
 * 2) The show now tapes at CBS Studio 33.
 * 3) The shopping format is retired, replaced by a scaled-down version of the nighttime version's play-for-cash.
 * 4) The wrong-letter buzzer, Bankrupt slide whistle, "only vowels remain" beep, Final Spin bells, and category chimes are all updated, as is "Changing Keys". "Nightwalk" is retained as a prize cue.
 * 5) The "Look at this studio!" intro is replaced with "From Television City in Hollywood, It's America's most watched game show! The famous Wheel is spinning your way with lots of cash and an assortment of fabulous and exciting prizes! And now, here's your host, Bob Goen!" Bob then introduces Vanna.
 * 6) The contestant nametags are now trapezoidal, with white letters.
 * 7) The Wheel offers far less than it did previously: $500 is once again top value for Round 1, $750 for Round 2, and $1,250 thereafter. For the first time since 1975, $50 and $75 appear on the Wheel.
 * 8) Vowels now cost $200.
 * 9) The bonus round now offers subcompact cars and a cash prize of $5,000. The latter is displayed on a rotating green disc suspended from the ceiling. While the nighttime version changes bonus round prize selection to a random draw from envelopes spelling W-H-E-E-L in September 1989, daytime still allows contestants to pick their own bonus prize until the daytime version is canceled. Strangely, picking the cash is not as common on daytime.
 * July 17 is also the debut of the Person/Fictional Character category. By early 1990, the category is renamed to its current name, Star/Role.
 * On July 18, the two-digit values are given diamonds. In addition, the yellow $50 near Bankrupt in Round 1 is increased to $300.
 * On July 19, the contestant nametags change to black lettering on a gray background.
 * On July 19, the Round 1 Wheel undergoes several value changes: The aforementioned $300 drops to $125, the $125 formerly next to it drops to $50, the pink $50 between Bankrupt and Free Spin increases to $175, the purple $50 nearby increases to $300, and the blue $75 between Free Spin and Lose A Turn increases to $200.
 * As of July 21, Same Name begins using an ampersand instead of spelling out AND.
 * On July 21, EGG & VANNA WHITE is the answer to a Same Name puzzle.

August 1989 :
 * By August 29, the NBC "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" opening and money graphic are dropped.
 * By August 29, the purple $50 space in Round 1 is increased to $300. Only one each of $50 and $75 remain on the Wheel.
 * August 31 has one of the last appearances of the Nickname category. The episode also has an apparently-unique category of Person/Title, for which the answer is CANDICE BERGEN IN MURPHY BROWN.
 * On August 31, both Wheel prizes are introduced in round 3.

Season 16 (1989-90)
September 1989 :
 * For a few weeks around this point, some O's on the board are wider and rounder than usual, clearly not matching the font of the other letters. They are believed to have been zeroes loaded in by mistake.
 * By September 18, the Round 1 minimum is increased to $100: The pink $50 is increased to $250, the blue $75 is increased to $400, and the purple $300 near Bankrupt is decreased to $100.

October 1989 :
 * On October 16, the tan Free Spin wedge becomes a single green Free Spin token placed on various amounts. The spot formerly holding the wedge becomes $400.

November 1989 :

December 1989 :

January 1990 :

February 1990 :

March 1990 :

April 1990 :

May 1990 :

June 1990 :

July 1990 :
 * The week of July 2 is an Armed Forces Week, where contestants are called from the audience to play.
 * By July 4, the cost of buying a vowel is decreased to $100.

August 1990 :

Season 17 (1990-91)
September 1990 :
 * On September 3, the score displays are altered to allow for seven digits. The dollar sign now "adjusts" to the scores instead of remaining at the far left.
 * As of this season, there is one Wheel prize each in the first three rounds.

October 1990 :
 * The Clue category debuts around this point. On the daytime show, the bonus is $250.

November 1990 :

December 1990 :

January 1991 :
 * On January 14, the show moves back to NBC, but stays in CBS Studio 33. Unlike the move to CBS two years earlier, the previous episode's winner returns to play again.
 * On January 14, the opening is slightly altered to superimpose the logo over a shot of the day's contestants.
 * Beginning on January 14, Charlie introduces both Bob and Vanna (although they still make their entrances separately).

February 1991 :
 * There is a Teen Week at some point in February.
 * By the Teen Week, the opening is slightly altered to remove the superimposed Wheel logo from the shot of the day's contestants.
 * During Teen Week, Bob does not do the opening spin.
 * During Teen Week, the usual backdrop behind Bob is not present.
 * On the last day of Teen Week, a contestant wins $11,802 in the main game.
 * On the last day of Teen Week, the contestant's letters fill in the bonus puzzle SNACK BAR completely.

March 1991 :
 * During the weeks of March 11 and 18, the show holds its Cashpot Sweepstakes, where home viewers enter to solve each day's Cashpot puzzle.
 * At some point following the Cashpot Sweepstakes, Bob stops doing the opening spin entirely.

April 1991 :

May 1991 :
 * On May 23, the cameras switch to the over-the-Wheel shot too soon, catching the wheel in "mid-flight".
 * On May 24 and 27, a light saxophone sting is played when a contestant gives the right answer to a Clue puzzle's question.
 * May 27 has only the second known daytime instance of a four-line puzzle in the Speed-Up round.

June 1991 :

July 1991 :

August 1991 :

September 1991 :
 * September 20 is the last daytime episode for six years, although the show appears to have gone into reruns by this point.
 * It was once rumored that Wheel continued through December 31, 1993 in first-run or repeats along with reruns of Classic Concentration. While there have been cases of affiliates showing repeats of cancelled network games (the original versions of Jeopardy! and Gambit), and Classic Concentration was indeed rerun until that date, the idea of daytime Wheel continuing for another two years is (as far as anyone can tell) merely a bit of wishful thinking.

Wheel 2000 (1997-98)

 * While Wheel 2000 did air in daytime on network television, it is considered a derivative and not a revival of the daytime show. See Wheel 2000.