Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
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''Wheel of Fortune'' (often known simply as ''Wheel'') is an American television
game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...
created by
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
. The show has aired continuously since January 6, 1975. Contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those in hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel. The current version of the series, which airs in nightly syndication, premiered on September 19, 1983. Since September 9, 2024, the show has been hosted by
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American television presenter and producer. Seacrest is the host of '' Wheel of Fortune'', having hosted since replacing long-time host Pat Sajak in September 2024. Seacrest co-hosted and ser ...
and
Vanna White Vanna Marie White (née Rosich; born February 18, 1957) is an American television personality and game-show hostess, best known as the co-host of the game show '' Wheel of Fortune'', a position she has held since 1982. She began her career as a ...
, with Jim Thornton as announcer. The original version of ''Wheel'' was a network daytime series that ran on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
from January 6, 1975, to June 30, 1989, and subsequently aired on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
from July 17, 1989, to January 11, 1991; it returned to NBC on January 14, 1991, and was cancelled that year, ending on September 20, 1991. The network daytime and syndicated nighttime versions aired concurrently from 1983 until the former's conclusion.
Chuck Woolery Charles Herbert Woolery (March 16, 1941 – November 23, 2024) was an American television host, actor, and musician. He had long-running tenures hosting several game shows. Woolery was the original host of the original daytime '' Wheel of Fortun ...
and Susan Stafford were the original hosts of the daytime network version. Woolery left in 1981, and was replaced by
Pat Sajak Patrick Leonard Sajak ( ; né , born October 26, 1946) is an American game show host, television personality, and creative consultant. He is best known as the host of the television game show '' Wheel of Fortune'', a position which he held fr ...
. Sajak left the network version in January 1989 to host his own
late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show, originating in the American Media, United States. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest interviews, comedy sketches and music performances. It is charact ...
, while remaining as host of the nighttime ''Wheel''. Succeeding Sajak on the daytime version was
Rolf Benirschke Rolf Joachim Benirschke (born February 7, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the San Diego Chargers from 1977 until 1986. He is probably most kno ...
, who was in turn replaced by
Bob Goen Robert Kuehl Goen (born December 1, 1954) is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on ''Entertainment Tonight'' between 1993 and 2004 and as the fourth and final host of the daytime ''Wheel of Fortune ( ...
when the network show moved to CBS. Stafford left in 1982 and was replaced by Vanna White, who remained on the network show for the rest of its run. Sajak retired from the nighttime version in June 2024 and was replaced by Seacrest in September of the same year. The show has also had four announcers in its history: Charlie O'Donnell, Jack Clark,
M. G. Kelly Gary D. Sinclair (born 1952), known professionally as Michael Gary "M.G." Kelly and Machine Gun Kelly, is an American actor, disc jockey, and radio personality. In addition to hosting several radio programs over the years, Kelly has held severa ...
, and Jim Thornton. ''Wheel of Fortune'' ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States, with 8,000 episodes taped and aired as of June 7, 2024. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'' named it the "top-rated syndicated series" in a 2008 article, and in 2013, the magazine ranked it at No. 2 in its list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. The program has also come to gain a worldwide following with 60 international adaptations. The syndicated series' 41st season premiered on September 11, 2023. With the show's 36th season in 2018, Sajak became the longest-running host of any game show, surpassing
Bob Barker Robert William Barker (December 12, 1923 – August 26, 2023) was an American media personality, game show host, and animal rights advocate. He hosted CBS's '' The Price Is Right'', the longest-running game show in North American television ...
, who hosted ''
The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...
'' from 1972 to 2007. Two spin-off versions exist as well. The first was ''
Wheel 2000 ''Wheel 2000'' (also known as ''Wheel of Fortune 2000'') is a children's version of the American game show '' Wheel of Fortune,'' produced by Scott Sternberg Productions and Columbia TriStar Television (and the last version of ''Wheel'' of any so ...
'', a version featuring child contestants which aired simultaneously on CBS and
Game Show Network Game Show Network (GSN) is an American basic cable channel owned by the television network division of Sony Pictures Television. The channel's programming is primarily dedicated to game shows, including reruns of acquired game shows, along wit ...
between 1997 and 1998. This version's hosts were David Sidoni and Tanika Ray, the latter in the role of a CGI co-host named "Cyber Lucy". The second, ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'', began airing on ABC on January 7, 2021, and features celebrities playing a modified version of the game with winnings donated to charity.


Gameplay


Main game

''Wheel of Fortune'' is based on hangman. In each round, three players compete to be the first to guess the answer to a word puzzle. At the start of each round, the host reveals the category. Most puzzles are common figures of speech. In general, puzzles must be read exactly when solved, except for
crossword puzzle A crossword (or crossword puzzle) is a word game consisting of a grid of black and white squares, into which solvers enter words or phrases ("entries") crossing each other horizontally ("across") and vertically ("down") according to a set of cl ...
s (which were added to the show in 2016) where the host gives a clue linking the words and contestants may give the words in any order, so long as all words are given without repeating or adding any. The titular Wheel of Fortune is a
roulette Roulette (named after the French language, French word meaning "little wheel") is a casino game which was likely developed from the Italy, Italian game Biribi. In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various grouping ...
-style wheel with 24 wedges. Most are labeled with dollar amounts ranging from $500 to $900, with a top value in each round: $2,500 in round 1, $3,500 in rounds 2 and 3, and $5,000 for round 4 and any subsequent rounds. The wheel also features two Bankrupt wedges and one Lose a Turn wedge. Landing on either forfeits the contestant's turn, with the Bankrupt wedge also eliminating any cash or prizes the contestant has accumulated within the round. Most matches consist of three contestants, although some variants feature three teams of two people each. Contestants in control spin the wheel to determine a dollar value, then guess a consonant. Landing on a dollar amount and calling a correct consonant results in the co-host revealing every instance of that letter, also awarding the value of the spin multiplied by the number of times the letter appears in the puzzle. After a correct consonant, a contestant is able to spin again, buy a vowel for a flat rate of $250 (until no more remain in the puzzle), or attempt to solve the puzzle. Control passes to the next contestant clockwise if the contestant lands on Lose a Turn or Bankrupt, calls a letter not in the puzzle, calls a letter already called in that round, attempts unsuccessfully to solve the puzzle, or takes too much time to call a letter or decide on their next action.


Toss-ups

Each game also features five (three prior to 2021) "Toss-Up" puzzles, in which one random letter is revealed at a time; the first contestant to ring in with the right answer wins a cash bonus. The first, worth $1,000, determines the order of the pre-game interviews conducted by the host. The second, worth $2,000, determines who spins first in round one. The third through fifth, collectively the "Triple Toss-Up", take place prior to the fourth round, replacing a third puzzle worth $3,000 prior to 2021. Three puzzles, each with the same category and a common theme, are played consecutively. Solving any awards $2,000, for a total of $6,000, while solving the third also earns the right to start the fourth round. Beginning in 2022, an additional $4,000 is awarded for a total of $10,000 if the same contestant solves all three. Contestants may only ring in once for each Toss-Up puzzle, and no cash is awarded if all three fail to solve; if this occurs, then the contestant closest to the host controls the next portion of the game. In addition to the Toss-Ups, each game has a minimum of four rounds, with more played if time permits. Rounds 2 and 3 are respectively started by the next two contestants clockwise from the contestant who began round 1.


Rounds 1 - 3

In the first three rounds, the wheel also contains a Wild Card over a selected wedge. If this is claimed by calling a correct letter, the contestant may use it after a correct consonant to call a second consonant for the same value as the present spin, or take it to the bonus round. There is also a special wedge which offers a pre-determined prize, typically a trip or credit to a company. Both also offer $500 per correct letter. The first three rounds also contain a special wedge known as the "Million Dollar Wedge", in which, if won and taken to the bonus round, offers an opportunity to play for $1,000,000. A contestant must solve the puzzle in order to keep any cash, prizes, or extras accumulated during that round except for the Wild Card. Bankrupt does not affect score from previous rounds or prizes from previous rounds, but it takes away the Wild Card and/or the Million Dollar Wedge if either was claimed in a previous round. Contestants who solve a round for less than $1,000 in cash and prizes ($2,000 on weeks with two-contestant teams) have their scores increased to that amount. Round 2 features two "Mystery Wedges". Calling a correct letter on one offers the chance to accept its face value of $1,000 per consonant, or forfeit that to flip over the wedge and see whether its reverse side contains a $10,000 cash prize or Bankrupt. Once one is flipped over, the other becomes a standard $1,000 space and cannot be flipped. Round 3 is a Prize Puzzle, which offers a prize (usually a trip) to the contestant who solves. Since 2013, this round also has an "Express" wedge. A contestant who lands on this space and calls a correct consonant receives $1,000 per appearance. The contestant can then either "pass" and continue the round normally, or "play" and keep calling consonants for $1,000 each (without spinning) and buying vowels for $250. If the contestant calls an incorrect letter, runs out of time during the Express, or solves the puzzle incorrectly, it is treated as a Bankrupt.


Final round

The final round of every game is always played at least in part as a "speed-up". At this point, the contestant who is in control of the wheel spins one last time (known as the "final spin"). Prior to Season 39, the host performed the final spin. When the final spin lands on a dollar amount, that amount has $1,000 added to create the value of a consonant for the rest of the game, and vowels are free. If the final spin lands on anything that is not a dollar amount, another one is performed until one lands on a dollar amount. The contestant in control calls a letter. If the letter appears in the puzzle, the co-host reveals all instances of it and moves to one end of the board, after which the contestant has three seconds to solve the puzzles. Multiple guesses are allowed, and the contestant must recite the entire correct solution before the buzzer sounds in order to win the round. If the chosen letter is not in the puzzle or if the three-second time limit expires, control passes to the next contestant and gameplay continues in this fashion until the puzzle is solved. Contestants may also attempt to solve the puzzle immediately in lieu of guessing a letter. After the speed-up round, the contestant with the highest total winnings wins the game and advances to the bonus round. Contestants who did not solve any puzzles are awarded a consolation prize of $1,000 (or $2,000 on weeks with two-contestant teams). If a tie for first place occurs after the speed-up, an additional toss-up puzzle is played between the tied contestants. The contestant who solves the toss-up puzzle wins $1,000 and advances to the bonus round.


Bonus round

Since 2017, the winning contestant chooses one of three puzzle categories before the round begins (prior to 2017, the category and puzzle were predetermined). After doing so, the contestant spins a smaller wheel with 24 envelopes to determine the prize. The puzzle is revealed, as is every instance of the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. The contestant provides three more consonants and one more vowel, plus a fourth consonant if the contestant has retained the Wild Card. After any instances of those letters are revealed, the contestant has 10 seconds to solve the puzzle; as in the speed-up round, multiple guesses are allowed, so long as the answer is started before time expires. Whether or not the contestant solves the puzzle, the host opens the envelope at the end of the round to reveal the prize at stake. Since the show's 40th season, bonus prizes range from $40,000 to $100,000 in cash, and some weeks also feature vehicles. If the contestant has the Million Dollar Wedge, the $100,000 envelope is replaced with a $1,000,000 envelope. The $1,000,000 prize has been awarded four times. Three regular contestants have won: Michelle Loewenstein (October 14, 2008), Autumn Erhard (May 30, 2013), and Sarah Manchester (September 17, 2014). On October 17, 2021, Melissa Joan Hart was the first celebrity contestant to win the prize on ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' for her charity, Youth Villages, and the 4th overall contestant to do so. In the normal version, contestants who win the $1,000,000 may receive it in installments over 20 years, or in a
lump sum A lump sum is a single payment of money, as opposed to a series of payments made over time (such as an annuity). The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development distinguishes between " price analysis" and " cost analysis" by whether ...
of that amount's present value.


Previous rules

Originally, after winning a round, contestants used their winnings to purchase prizes in showcases that were presented onstage, referred to as a "shopping round". At any time during a shopping round, a contestant could choose to put his or her winnings either on a gift certificate or "on account" for use in a later shopping round. Money put "on account" was lost if the contestant hit Bankrupt or failed to solve another puzzle. The shopping element was eliminated from the syndicated version on the episode that aired October 5, 1987, both to speed up gameplay and to alleviate the
taxes A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
paid by contestants. However, the network version continued to use shopping until the end of its first NBC run on June 30, 1989. Before the introduction of toss-up puzzles in 2000, the contestant at the red arrow always started the first round, with the next contestant clockwise starting each subsequent round. In addition, ties for first place were broken by another speed-up round. If a tie for first place occurred on the daytime version, all three players returned to continue the game on the next episode, and it counted as a single appearance. The wheel formerly featured a Free Spin wedge, which automatically awarded a token that the contestant could turn in after a lost turn to keep control of the wheel. It was replaced in 1989 with a single Free Spin token placed over a selected cash wedge. Free Spin was retired in 2009. From 2009 to 2021, it was replaced by Free Play, a wedge that allowed a contestant to call any consonant or a free vowel, with no penalty if the letter was not in the puzzle or had already been called in the round. Between September 16, 1996 and 2013, the show featured a progressive Jackpot wedge, which had been in several different rounds in its history. The jackpot began at $5,000 and had the value of every spin within the round added to it. To claim the jackpot, a contestant had to land on the wedge, call a correct letter, and solve the puzzle all in the same turn. In later years, it also offered $500 per correct letter and $500 to the jackpot, regardless of whether or not it was won in that turn. The network version allowed champions to appear for up to five days originally, which was later reduced to three. The syndicated version, which originally retired contestants after one episode, adopted the three-day champion rule in 1989. In 1996, this was changed to have the top three winners from the week's first four shows return to compete in the "Friday Finals". When the jackpot wedge was introduced, it began at $10,000 instead of $5,000 on Fridays. The rules allowing returning champions were eliminated permanently beginning with the syndicated episode aired September 21, 1998, and contestants appear only on a single episode, reverting to the pre-1989 rules. The Friday Finals are occasionally used for special themed weeks, such as in nighttime season 40, using teams consisting of contestants and members of
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
as part of WrestleMania 39. Before December 1981, the show did not feature a bonus round. However, two experimental bonus rounds were attempted before then. In 1978, some episodes featured a round known as the "Star Bonus", where a star-shaped token was placed on the wheel. Contestants who picked up the token played an additional round at the end of the game to win one of four prizes, whose value determined the difficulty of the puzzle. The contestant provided four consonants and a vowel, and was given 15 seconds to attempt solving. In one week of episodes airing in March 1980, contestants who won the main game were given 30 seconds to attempt solving a puzzle for a chance to win a luxury automobile, in a week called "Super Wheel Bonus Week". When the current bonus round was introduced in 1981, no letters were provided automatically. The contestant asked for five consonants and a vowel, and then had fifteen seconds to attempt solving the puzzle. Also, bonus prizes were selected by the contestant at the start of the round. The current time limit and rules for letter selection were introduced on October 3, 1988. In the nighttime version, from season 7 to season 19 (September 4, 1989 to October 19, 2001), bonus prizes were selected by the contestant choosing from one of five envelopes labeled W, H, E, E, and L. One prize was always $25,000 in cash, and the rest were changed weekly. Any prize that was won was taken out of rotation for the rest of the week. From 1998 to 2001, the $25,000 remained in-place for each episode during the entire week, regardless if it was won. In 2001, three car envelopes and two $25,000 envelopes were available the entire week of shows. The five-envelope format was replaced by the current bonus wheel on October 22, 2001. From season 19 to 32, the minimum cash value was $25,000, which was later reinstated in ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune''. In seasons 33 to 40, the minimum was $1,000 multiplied by the season number, with the $40,000 minimum from season 40 being retained, starting from season 41.


Conception and development

Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
conceived ''Wheel of Fortune'' using inspiration from hangman, which he would play with his sister on family road trips. After he discussed the idea with Merv Griffin Enterprises' staff, they thought that the idea would work as a game show if it had a "hook". He decided to add a roulette-style wheel because he was always "drawn to" such wheels when he saw them in casinos. He and Merv Griffin Enterprises' then-president Murray Schwartz consulted an executive of
Caesars Palace Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks. Caesar ...
to find out how to build such a wheel. When Griffin pitched the idea for the show to Lin Bolen, then the head of NBC's daytime programming division, she approved, but wanted the show to have more glamour to attract the female audience. She suggested that Griffin incorporate a shopping element into the gameplay, and so, in 1973, he created a
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
episode titled ''Shopper's Bazaar'', with
Chuck Woolery Charles Herbert Woolery (March 16, 1941 – November 23, 2024) was an American television host, actor, and musician. He had long-running tenures hosting several game shows. Woolery was the original host of the original daytime '' Wheel of Fortun ...
as host and Mike Lawrence as announcer. The pilot started with the three contestants being introduced individually, with Lawrence describing the prizes that they chose to play for. The main game was played to four rounds, with the values on the wheel wedges increasing after the second round. Unlike the show it evolved into, ''Shopper's Bazaar'' had a vertically mounted wheel, which was spun automatically rather than by the contestants. This wheel lacked the Bankrupt wedge and featured a wedge where a contestant could call a vowel for free, as well as a "Your Own Clue" wedge that allowed contestants to pick up a rotary telephone and hear a private clue about the puzzle. At the end of the game, the highest-scoring contestant played a bonus round called the "Shopper's Special" where all the vowels in the puzzle were already there, and the contestant had 30 seconds to call out consonants in the puzzle.
Edd Byrnes Edward Byrne Breitenberger (July 30, 1932 – January 8, 2020), known professionally as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the television series '' 77 Sunset Strip.'' He also was featured in the 1978 film '' Gr ...
, an actor from ''
77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American private detective crime drama television series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each epis ...
'', served as host for the second and third pilots, both titled ''Wheel of Fortune''. These pilots were directed by Marty Pasetta, who gave the show an aesthetic that more closely resembled the look and feel that the actual show ended up having, a wheel that was now spun by the contestants themselves, and a lighted mechanical puzzle board with letters that were now manually turnable. Showcase prizes on these pilots were located behind the puzzle board, and during shopping segments a list of prizes and their price values scrolled on the right of the screen. By the time production began in December 1974, Woolery was selected to host, the choice being made by Griffin after he reportedly heard Byrnes reciting "A-E-I-O-U" to himself in an effort to remember the vowels. In his autobiography, Byrnes acknowledged being intoxicated during the pilot's taping. Susan Stafford turned the letters on Byrnes' pilot episodes, a role that she also held when the show was picked up as a series.


Personnel

File:Chuck Woolery 2004 cropped.jpg, Chuck Woolery was the original host of the daytime version of ''Wheel of Fortune'', holding this position from 1975 to 1981., alt=A head shot of Chuck Woolery File:National Memorial Day Parade, Grand Marshall, Pat Sajak, Mon 30 May 2011 (11).jpg, Pat Sajak hosted the daytime version from 1981 to 1989 and the nighttime version of the show from 1983 to 2024, and hosted the celebrity spin-off from 2021 to 2025, alt=A head shot of Pat Sajak File:Rolf Benirschke.jpg, Rolf Benirschke took over hosting duties on the daytime version in January 1989., alt=A head shot of Rolf Benirschke File:Bob Goen Family Feud Live.jpg, Bob Goen hosted the daytime version from mid-1989 until its cancellation in 1991., alt=A head shot of Bob Goen File:Ryan_Seacrest_(2019).jpg, Ryan Seacrest replaced Pat Sajak as the host of ''Wheel of Fortune'' beginning with its 42nd syndicated season in 2024., alt=A head shot of Ryan Seacrest


Hosts

The original host of ''Wheel of Fortune'' was
Chuck Woolery Charles Herbert Woolery (March 16, 1941 – November 23, 2024) was an American television host, actor, and musician. He had long-running tenures hosting several game shows. Woolery was the original host of the original daytime '' Wheel of Fortun ...
, who hosted the series from its 1975 premiere until December 25, 1981, save for one week in August 1980 when
Alex Trebek George Alexander Trebek (; July 22, 1940 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian and American game show host and television personality. He was best known for hosting the syndicated general knowledge quiz game show ''Jeopardy!'' for 37 seasons ...
hosted in his place. Woolery's departure came over a salary dispute with show creator Merv Griffin, and his contract was not renewed. On December 28, 1981,
Pat Sajak Patrick Leonard Sajak ( ; né , born October 26, 1946) is an American game show host, television personality, and creative consultant. He is best known as the host of the television game show '' Wheel of Fortune'', a position which he held fr ...
made his debut as the host of ''Wheel''. Griffin said that he chose Sajak for his "odd" sense of humor. NBC president and CEO
Fred Silverman Fred Silverman (September 13, 1937 – January 30, 2020) was an American television executive and producer. He worked as an executive at all of the Big Three television networks, and was responsible for bringing to television such programs as '' ...
objected as he felt Sajak, who at the time of his hiring was the weather forecaster for
KNBC KNBC (channel 4) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast of the United States, West Coast flagship (broadcasting), flagship station of the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network ...
, was "too local" for a national audience. Griffin countered by telling Silverman he would stop production if Sajak was not allowed to become host, and Silverman acquiesced. Sajak hosted the daytime series until January 9, 1989, when he left to host a
late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show, originating in the American Media, United States. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest interviews, comedy sketches and music performances. It is charact ...
for CBS. The show's producers auditioned a number of potential successors upon his departure. These potential replacements included
Michael Reagan Michael Edward Reagan (born John Charles Flaugher; March 18, 1945) is an American conservative political commentator, Republican Party (United States), Republican strategist, and former radio talk show host. He is the adopted son of former U.S. ...
, John Davidson, Bert Convy, and Tim Brando.
Rolf Benirschke Rolf Joachim Benirschke (born February 7, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the San Diego Chargers from 1977 until 1986. He is probably most kno ...
, a former placekicker in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
, was chosen as his replacement and hosted for a little more than five months. Benirschke's term as host came to an end due to NBC's cancellation of the daytime ''Wheel'' after fourteen years, with its final episode airing on June 30, 1989. When the newly formatted daytime series returned on CBS on July 17, 1989,
Bob Goen Robert Kuehl Goen (born December 1, 1954) is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on ''Entertainment Tonight'' between 1993 and 2004 and as the fourth and final host of the daytime ''Wheel of Fortune ( ...
became its host. The daytime program continued for a year and a half on CBS, then returned to NBC on January 14, 1991, and continued until September 20, 1991, when it was cancelled for a second and final time. Susan Stafford was the original co-host, serving in that role from the premiere until October 1982. Stafford was absent for two extended periods, once in 1977 after fracturing two vertebrae in her back and once in 1979 after an automobile accident. During these two extended absences, former Miss USA Summer Bartholomew was Stafford's most frequent substitute, with model Cynthia Washington and comedian
Arte Johnson Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson (January 20, 1929 – July 3, 2019) was an American actor and comedian who was best known for his work as a regular on television's ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In''. Biography Early life Johnson was born January 20, 19 ...
also filling in for Stafford. After Stafford left to become a humanitarian worker, over two hundred applicants signed up for a nationwide search to be her replacement. Griffin eventually narrowed the list to three finalists, which consisted of Summer Bartholomew, former ''Playboy'' centerfold Vicki McCarty, and
Vanna White Vanna Marie White (née Rosich; born February 18, 1957) is an American television personality and game-show hostess, best known as the co-host of the game show '' Wheel of Fortune'', a position she has held since 1982. She began her career as a ...
. Griffin gave each of the three women an opportunity to win the job by putting them in a rotation for several weeks after Stafford's departure. In December 1982, Griffin named White as Stafford's successor, saying that he felt she was capable of activating the puzzle board letters (which is the primary role of the ''Wheel'' co-host) better than anyone else who had auditioned. White became highly popular among the young female demographic, and also gained a fanbase of adults interested in her daily wardrobe, in a phenomenon that has been referred to as "Vannamania". White also hosted the daytime version until its cancellation in 1991, except for one week in June 1986 when Stafford returned so that White could recover after her fiancé, John Gibson, died in a plane crash. Sajak and White were host and co-host of the syndicated version until 2024, with a small number of exceptions. During two weeks in January 1991, Tricia Gist, the girlfriend and future wife of Griffin's son Tony, filled in for White when she and her new husband, restaurateur George San Pietro, were honeymooning. Gist returned for the week of episodes airing March 11 through 15, 1991, because White had a
cold Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjectivity, subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute t ...
at the time of taping. On an episode in November 1996, when Sajak proved unable to host the bonus round segment because of laryngitis, he and White traded places for that segment. On the March 4, 1997 episode,
Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...
co-hosted the third round with White after O'Donnell's name was used in a puzzle. On April 1, 1997, Sajak and
Alex Trebek George Alexander Trebek (; July 22, 1940 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian and American game show host and television personality. He was best known for hosting the syndicated general knowledge quiz game show ''Jeopardy!'' for 37 seasons ...
traded jobs for the day. Sajak hosted that day's edition of ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
'' in place of Trebek. Trebek presided over a special two-contestant ''Wheel'' celebrity match between Sajak and White, who were playing for the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
and the
American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...
, respectively. Lesly Sajak, Pat's wife, was the guest co-host for the day. In January and February 2011, the show held a "Vanna for a Day" contest in which home viewers submitted video auditions to take White's place for one episode, with the winner determined by a poll on the show's website. The winner of this contest, Katie Cantrell of
Wooster, Ohio Wooster ( ) is a city in Wayne County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Ohio, the city lies approximately south-southwest of Cleveland, southwest of Akron and west of Canton. The population was 27,232 at the ...
(a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design), took White's place for the second and third rounds on the episode that aired March 24, 2011. In November 2019, three weeks of episodes were taped with White hosting in Sajak's place while he recovered from intestinal surgery. While White hosted, several guests appeared at the puzzle board, including costumed performers of Mickey and
Minnie Mouse Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an American cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. The longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a red or pink bow, blue (or pink or red) polka-dotted dress, w ...
, and Pat Sajak's daughter, Maggie Sajak. Maggie joined the show as a special correspondent, making appearances similar to the "Clue Crew" on companion program ''Jeopardy!'', in September 2021. On June 12, 2023, Sajak announced he would be leaving ''Wheel'' at the end of the 41st season. A few weeks later,
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American television presenter and producer. Seacrest is the host of '' Wheel of Fortune'', having hosted since replacing long-time host Pat Sajak in September 2024. Seacrest co-hosted and ser ...
was announced to be the new host, starting in September 2024. Seacrest further stated that he looked forward to working alongside White. On September 19, 2023, Sony announced that White had extended her contract for additional two years to continue as co-host through the 2025–26 season. White was absent from the week of episodes airing October 2 through 6 due to her testing positive for COVID-19; taking her place for these episodes was schoolteacher Bridgette Donald-Blue, who was named Teacher of the Year for 2023 by the California Teachers Association. Sajak's final syndicated episode aired on June 7, 2024. It was announced on July 11, 2024, that because of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' auditions likely to occur that would take up Ryan Seacrest's time, Sajak would host the fifth celebrity season on ABC. Sajak's final episode as host of the celebrity edition aired on June 10, 2025.


Announcers

Charlie O'Donnell was the program's first and longest tenured announcer. In 1980, NBC was discussing cancelling ''Wheel'' and O'Donnell agreed to take the position as announcer on ''The Toni Tennille Show''. The network decided against the cancellation but O'Donnell decided to honor his commitment and left the series. His replacement was Jack Clark, who added the syndicated series to his responsibilities when it premiered in 1983 and announced for both series until his death in July 1988. Los Angeles radio personality
M. G. Kelly Gary D. Sinclair (born 1952), known professionally as Michael Gary "M.G." Kelly and Machine Gun Kelly, is an American actor, disc jockey, and radio personality. In addition to hosting several radio programs over the years, Kelly has held severa ...
was Clark's replacement, starting on the daytime series in August 1988 and on the syndicated series a month later. Kelly held these positions until O'Donnell was able to return to the announcer position, doing so after his duties with
Barris Industries Barris Industries, Inc. was an American game show production company that was founded by Chuck Barris. History Barris founded his company on June 14, 1965 as Chuck Barris Productions. The company's first series was an unsold pilot called ''Peopl ...
came to an end at the end in 1989. O'Donnell remained with the series until shortly before his death in November 2010.
Don Pardo Dominick George "Don" Pardo Jr. (February 22, 1918 – August 18, 2014) was an American radio and television announcer whose career spanned more than seven decades. A member of the Television Hall of Fame, Pardo was noted for his 70-year tenur ...
, Don Morrow, and
Johnny Gilbert John Lewis Gilbert III (born July 13, 1928) is an American show business personality who has worked mainly on television game shows. Originally a nightclub singer and entertainer, he has hosted and announced a number of game shows from variou ...
have occasionally served as substitute announcers. After O'Donnell's death, the producers sought a permanent replacement, and a series of substitutes announced, including Gilbert, John Cramer, Joe Cipriano,
Rich Fields Richard Wayne Fields (born November 30, 1960) is an American media personality, author, motivational speaker, former game show announcer and meteorologist. He is best known as the announcer for the American version of ''The Price Is Right'' with ...
, Lora Cain, and Jim Thornton. In 2011, Thornton was chosen to be the show's fourth announcer. In season 39, Thornton appeared on-camera at the start of every episode.


Production staff

''Wheel of Fortune'' typically employs a total of 100 in-house production personnel, with 60 to 100 local staff joining them for those episodes that are taped on location. Griffin was the
executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...
of the network version throughout its entire run, and served as the syndicated version's executive producer until his retirement in 2000.
Harry Friedman Harry Friedman (born November 12, 1946) is an American television industry executive. He was the executive producer of the syndicated game shows ''Jeopardy!'' and '' Wheel of Fortune'' from 1999 to 2020. Initially he shared the title of executiv ...
took over the role after Griffin retired,End credits lists from appropriate ''Wheel of Fortune'' episodes. having earlier served as a producer starting in 1995. On August 1, 2019,
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production company, production and broadcast syndication, distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, California, it is a division o ...
announced that Friedman would retire as executive producer of both ''Wheel'' and ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
'' at the end of the 2019–20 season. On August 29, 2019,
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production company, production and broadcast syndication, distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, California, it is a division o ...
announced that Mike Richards would replace Friedman at the start of 2020–21 season. Following Richards' earlier resignation as permanent host of ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
'', he was fired on August 31, 2021, from his executive producer position at both ''Jeopardy!'' and ''Wheel''. A Sony memo indicated that Michael Davies from
Embassy Row Embassy Row is the informal name for a section of Northwest Washington, D.C., with a high concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions, and diplomatic residences. It spans Massachusetts Avenue N.W. between 18th and 35th street, bounded ...
would serve as interim executive producer of both ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!''; however, Davies was not credited on any episodes of ''Wheel'', and ''Deadline'' subsequently reported that supervising producer Steve Schwartz oversaw the balance of the show's 39th season. Sajak was named a consulting producer in September 2021. On March 23, 2022, Bellamie Blackstone was announced to be a permanent executive producer for ''Wheel'', with Schwartz getting promoted to co-executive producer. John Rhinehart was the program's first producer, but departed in August 1976 to become NBC's West Coast Daytime Program Development Director. Afterwards, his co-producer, Nancy Jones, was promoted to sole producer, and served as such until 1995, when Friedman succeeded her. In 1997, Karen Griffith and Steve Schwartz joined Friedman as producers. They were later promoted to supervising producers, with Amanda Stern occupying Griffith's and Schwartz's former position. The show's original
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
was Jeff Goldstein, who was succeeded by
Dick Carson Richard Charles Carson (June 4, 1929 – December 19, 2021) was an American television director. He was a five-time Emmy Award winner, having directed shows including ''The Tonight Show'', '' Wheel of Fortune'', and '' The Merv Griffin Show''. H ...
(a brother of
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
) in 1978. Mark Corwin, who had served as associate director under Carson, took over for him upon his retirement at the end of the 1998–99 season, and served as such until he himself died in July 2013 (although episodes already taped before his death continued airing until late 2013). ''Jeopardy!'' director
Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthy (born January 26, 1965) is an American politician who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 55th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from January until he was Remova ...
, Corwin's associate director Bob Cisneros, and ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!''
technical director A technical director (TD) is usually a senior technical person within e.g. a software company, engineering firm, film studio, theatre company or television studio. They are responsible for overseeing and coordinating all of the technical aspect ...
Robert Ennis filled in at various points, until Cisneros became full-time director in November 2013. Ennis returned as guest director for the weeks airing October 13 through 17 and November 17 through 21, 2014, as Cisneros was recovering from neck surgery at the time of taping. On September 14, 2015, Ennis was promoted to full-time director. Ennis retired at the end of the 2022–23 season and was replaced by Alex Van Wagner.


Production

''Wheel of Fortune'' is owned by
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production company, production and broadcast syndication, distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, California, it is a division o ...
(previously known as
Columbia TriStar Television Columbia TriStar Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CTT) was an American television production and distribution company, which was active from 1994 until its reincorporation as Sony Pictures Television in 2002. It was the third iteration of what ...
, the successor company to original producer
Merv Griffin Enterprises Merv Griffin Enterprises was an American television production company founded by Merv Griffin, in operation from March 7, 1963, to June 4, 1994. History The company was first established as Milbarn Productions on March 7, 1963, and later as M ...
). The production company and copyright holder of all episodes to date is ''Califon Productions, Inc.'', which like SPT has
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...
for its active registered agent, and whose name comes from a New Jersey town where Griffin once owned a farm. The rights to distribute the show worldwide were owned by
CBS Media Ventures CBS Media Ventures, Inc. (formerly CBS Paramount Domestic Television and CBS Television Distribution) is the television broadcast syndication arm of CBS Studios, a division of the CBS Entertainment Group, in turn a division of Paramount Global, ...
(previously CBS Television Distribution) from its absorption of original distributor
King World Productions King World Productions, Inc. (also known as King World Entertainment, King World Enterprises, or simply King World) was a production company and syndicator of television programming in the United States founded by Charles King (1912–72) that ...
in 2007, until sister company CBS Broadcasting temporarily took over distribution rights on October 28, 2024, but later reverted back to CBS Media Ventures on April 7, 2025. Sony terminated CBS' distribution rights in 2025 due to a lawsuit claiming that CBS was engaging in preferential treatment of its wholly owned programming that prevented it from meeting its obligations to maximize the value of the Griffin game show on the syndicated market; starting in February 10, 2025, SPT now distributes the program itself. CBS Broadcasting, followed by CBS Media Ventures, will continue to distribute the show following the termination. ''Wheel of Fortune'' originally taped at NBC Studios in Burbank. The first fourteen years of the daytime series, as well as the first six of the syndicated series, emanated from Studio 4. At the conclusion of the 1988–89 television season, which saw NBC drop the daytime series from its lineup, ''Wheel'' left Burbank and production moved to
CBS Television City Television City, alternatively CBS Television City, is a television studio complex located in the Fairfax District, Los Angeles, Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California, United States. The facilities are located at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at ...
in Los Angeles. Both the nightly series and a relaunched daytime series taped in Studio 33 upon the move. The daytime series remained in production until 1991, by which point it had returned to NBC, while continuing to tape at Television City, the syndicated series remained there until 1995. After that, the show moved to its current home at
Sony Pictures Studios Sony Pictures Studios is an American television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California, at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard (south), Washington Boulevard (north), Overland Avenue (west) and ...
in
Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...
, where it occupies Stage 11. Some episodes are also recorded on location, a tradition which began with two weeks of episodes taped at
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...
in late 1988. Recording sessions usually last for five or six episodes in one day.


Set

Various changes have been made to the basic set since the syndicated version's premiere in 1983. In 1997, a large
video display A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form (the latter used for example in tactile electronic displays for blind people). When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal ...
was added center stage, which was then upgraded in 2003 as the show began the transition into high-definition broadcasting. In the mid-1990s, the show began a long-standing tradition of nearly every week coming with its own unique theme (such as a holiday or other concept), with associated decorations on the set. The most recent set design introduced during season 42 in 2024 was conceived by
production designers In film and television, a production designer is the individual responsible for the overall aesthetic of the story. The production design gives the viewers a sense of the time period, the plot location, and character actions and feelings. Work ...
J.P. Connelly and Renee Hoss-Johnson, coinciding with the debut of Ryan Seacrest as host. It was designed to feature nods to past eras of the show and Merv Griffin's original concept of a "grand" atmosphere, using an
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
-influenced style including gold-tinted circles and spokes evoking the wheel itself (including a new puzzle board backdrop inspired by an earlier "wagon wheel" design), and a new video wall that can now slide open for the host's entrance. ''Shopper's Bazaar'' used a vertically mounted wheel which was often difficult to see on-screen. Ed Flesh, who also designed the sets for '' The $25,000 Pyramid'' and ''Jeopardy!'', redesigned the wheel mechanism, in which the wheel lays flat while a camera zooms in from above. The first incarnation of the wheel was mostly made of paint and cardboard, and has since seen multiple design changes. Until the mid-1990s, the wheel spun automatically during the opening and closing of the show. The current incarnation, in use since 2003, is framed on a steel tube surrounded by
Plexiglas Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a synthetic polymer derived from methyl methacrylate. It is a transparent thermoplastic, used as an engineering plastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and bra ...
panels and contains more than 200 lighting instruments. It is held by a stainless steel shaft with roller bearings. Altogether, the wheel weighs approximately . The wheel, including its light extensions, is in diameter. The show's original puzzle board had three rows of 13 manually operated
trilon A trilon is a three-faceted prism-shaped object. A trilon can be made to rotate on an axle to show different text or images which may be applied to any of its three facets. Trilons have been used on game shows and billboards. The game board o ...
s, for a total of 39 spaces. On December 21, 1981, a larger board with 48 trilons in four rows (11, 13, 13, and 11 trilons) was adopted. This board was surrounded by a double-arched border of lights which flashed at the beginning and end of the round. Each trilon had three sides: a green side to represent spaces not used by the puzzle, a blank side to indicate a letter that had not been revealed, and a side with a letter on it. While the viewer saw a seamless transition to the next puzzle, with these older boards in segments where more than one puzzle was present, a stop-down of taping took place during which the board was wheeled offstage and the new puzzle loaded in by hand out of sight of the contestants. On February 24, 1997, the show introduced a computerized puzzle board composed of 52 touch-activated monitors in four rows (12 on the top and bottom rows, 14 in the middle two). During regular gameplay, when a contestant chose a letter that is in the puzzle, the monitors at those positions became illuminated and the hostess touched the right edge of each one to reveal the letter. The puzzle board was refurbished for season 40 in 2022, replacing the individual monitors for each letter with a singular video board, and using
lidar Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...
sensors for touch input. Although not typically seen by viewers, the set also includes a used letter board that shows contestants which letters are remaining in play, a scoreboard that is visible from the contestants' perspective, and a countdown clock. The used letter board is also used during the bonus round, and in at least one case, helped the contestant to see unused letters to solve a difficult puzzle.


COVID-19 accommodations

In March 2020, Sony suspended production of the show due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In August 2020, taping resumed with new safety measures. These new episodes began airing September 14, 2020. When production began again after shutting down, new episodes taped without studio audiences with only essential staff and crew allowed onstage. At tapings during that time,
personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elect ...
was provided to everyone off-camera and behind the scenes. All staff and crew underwent testing on a regular basis, while contestants were tested before they stepped onto the set. Additionally, social distancing measures were enforced both on the set and off stage, and Sajak's and the players' podiums were widened to allow for greater physical distance between contestants during gameplay. Contestants spun the wheel with a white flat
bicycle handlebar A bicycle handlebar is the steering control for bicycles. It is the equivalent of a tiller for vehicles and vessels, as it is most often directly mechanically linked to a pivoting front wheel via a Stem (bike), stem which in turn attaches it to ...
grip to fit over the wheel's pegs so they did not have to touch the wheel directly, and no longer handed lost prizes back to the host, instead placing them in a receptacle behind their podium. In July 2022, the show's producers announced that live studios in-person audiences would return for season 40. At the start of season 40, most other COVID era protocols had also been lifted, with the contestants standing closer together, no longer using the grips to spin the wheel, and Sajak, later Seacreast, walking up and down the podium to shake hands/hug contestants at the end of the game.


Music

Alan Thicke Alan Willis Thicke (né Jeffrey; 1 March 1947 13 December 2016) was a Canadian-American actor, songwriter, and game/talk show host. He was the father of singer Robin Thicke. Thicke was best known for playing Dr. Jason Seaver on the 1980s sitco ...
composed the show's original theme, which was titled "Big Wheels". In 1983, it was replaced by Griffin's own composition, "Changing Keys", to allow him to derive royalties from that composition's use on both the network and syndicated versions. Steve Kaplan became music director starting in 1997, and continued to serve as such until he was killed when the Cessna 421C Golden Eagle he was piloting crashed into a home in
Claremont, California Claremont () is a suburban city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of Los Angeles. It lies in the Pomona Valley at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had ...
, in December 2003. His initial theme was a remix of "Changing Keys", but by 2000, he replaced it with a composition of his own, which was titled "Happy Wheels". Since 2006, music direction has been handled by Frankie Blue and John Hoke. Themes they have written for the show include a remix of "Happy Wheels" and an original rock-based composition. A rearranged version of "Changing Keys" composed by Hoke and performed by
Bleeding Fingers Music Bleeding Fingers Music is a collective of composers that create film and television scores. A joint venture between composer Hans Zimmer, his business partner Steve Kofsky, and Extreme Music, the production arm of Sony Music Publishing, it is a ...
has been used as the main theme music starting in 2021. In addition to "Changing Keys", Griffin also composed various incidental music cues for the syndicated version which were used for announcements of prizes in the show's early years. Among them were "Frisco Disco" (earlier the closing theme for a revival of ''Jeopardy!'' which aired in 1978 and 1979), "A Time for Tony" (whose basic melody evolved into "Think!", the longtime theme song for ''Jeopardy!''), "Buzzword" (later used as the theme for '' Merv Griffin's Crosswords''), "Nightwalk", "Struttin' on Sunset", and an untitled vacation cue.


Audition process

Anyone at least 18 years old has the potential to become a contestant through ''Wheel of Fortune''s audition process. Exceptions include employees and immediate family members of
Paramount Global Paramount Global (Trade name, d/b/a Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and Headquarters, headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, ...
, Sony Pictures Entertainment, or any of their respective affiliates or subsidiaries; any firm involved in supplying prizes for the show; and television stations that broadcast ''Wheel'' and/or ''Jeopardy!'', their sister radio stations or newspapers (if any), and those advertising agencies that are affiliated with them. Also ineligible to apply as contestants are individuals who have appeared on a different game show within the previous year, three other game shows within the past ten years, or on any version of ''Wheel of Fortune'' itself, including the 1997–98 children's version, ''
Wheel 2000 ''Wheel 2000'' (also known as ''Wheel of Fortune 2000'') is a children's version of the American game show '' Wheel of Fortune,'' produced by Scott Sternberg Productions and Columbia TriStar Television (and the last version of ''Wheel'' of any so ...
''. Throughout the year, the show uses a custom-designed Winnebago recreational vehicle called the "Wheelmobile" to travel across the United States, holding open auditions at various public venues. Participants are provided with entry forms which are then drawn randomly. Individuals whose names are drawn appear on stage, five at a time, and are interviewed by traveling host Marty Lublin. The group of five then plays a mock version of the speed-up round, and five more names are selected after a puzzle is solved. Everyone who is called onstage receives a themed prize, usually determined by the spin of a miniature wheel. Auditions typically last two days, with three one-hour segments per day. After each Wheelmobile event, the "most promising candidates" are invited back to the city in which the first audition was held, to participate in a second audition. Alternatively, a participant may submit an audition form with a self-shot video through the show's website to enter an audition. Contestants not appearing on stage at Wheelmobile events have their applications retained and get drawn at random to fill second-level audition vacancies. At the second audition, potential contestants play more mock games featuring a miniature wheel and puzzle board, followed by a 16-puzzle test with some letters revealed. The contestants have five minutes to solve as many puzzles as they can by writing in the correct letters. The people who pass continue the audition, playing more mock games which are followed by interviews. Since the show's hiatus due to COVID-19 ended, all auditions have been conducted online.


Broadcast history

''Wheel of Fortune'' premiered on January 6, 1975, at 10:30 am (9:30 Central) on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
. Lin Bolen, then the head of daytime programming, purchased the show from Griffin to compensate him for canceling the original ''Jeopardy!'' series, which had one year remaining on its contract. ''Jeopardy!'' aired its final episode on the Friday before ''Wheels premiere. The original ''Wheel'' aired on NBC, in varying time slots between 10:30 am and noon, until June 30, 1989. Throughout that version's run, episodes were generally 30 minutes in length, except for six weeks of shows aired between December 1975 and January 1976 which were 60 minutes in length. NBC announced the cancellation of the show in August 1980, but it stayed on the air following a decision to cut the duration of ''
The David Letterman Show ''The David Letterman Show'' is an American morning talk show that was hosted by David Letterman on NBC. It originally aired from June 23 to October 24, 1980. Originally, the series lasted 90 minutes, then 60 minutes from August 4 onward. Bac ...
'' from 90 to 60 minutes. The network ''Wheel'' moved to CBS on July 17, 1989, and remained there until January 11, 1991. After that, it briefly returned to NBC, replacing ''
Let's Make a Deal ''Let's Make a Deal'' (also known as ''LMAD'') is a television game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The program was created and produced by Stefan Hatos and Mo ...
'', but was canceled permanently on September 20 of that year. The daily syndicated nighttime version of ''Wheel'' premiered on September 19, 1983. From its debut, the syndicated version offered a larger prize budget than its network counterpart. The show came from humble beginnings: King World chairmen
Roger Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic languages">Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") ...
, Michael, and Robert King could initially find only 50 stations that were willing to carry the show, and since they could not find affiliates for the syndicated ''Wheel'' in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, Philadelphia was the largest market in which the show could succeed in its early days. Only nine stations carried the show from its beginning, but by midseason it was airing on all 50 of the stations that were initially willing to carry it, and by the beginning of 1984 the show was available to 99 percent of television households. Soon, ''Wheel'' succeeded ''
Family Feud ''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. Two families compete on each episode to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The show has had three separate runs, the ...
'' as the highest-rated syndicated show, and at the beginning of the 1984–85 season, Griffin followed up on the show's success by launching a syndicated revival of ''Jeopardy!'', hosted by
Alex Trebek George Alexander Trebek (; July 22, 1940 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian and American game show host and television personality. He was best known for hosting the syndicated general knowledge quiz game show ''Jeopardy!'' for 37 seasons ...
. The syndicated success of ''Wheel'' and ''Jeopardy!'' siphoned ratings from the period's three longest-running and most popular game shows, '' Tic-Tac-Dough'', '' The Joker's Wild'', and ''Family Feud'', to the point that all three series came to an end by the fall of 1986. At this point, ''Wheel'' had the highest ratings of any syndicated television series in history, and at the peak of the show's popularity, over 40 million people were watching five nights per week. The series, along with companion series ''Jeopardy!'', remained the most-watched syndicated program in the United States until dethroned by ''
Judge Judy ''Judge Judy'' is an American arbitration-based reality court show presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin. The show featured Sheindlin as she adjudicated real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated court ...
'' in 2011. The program has become America's longest-running syndicated game show and its second-longest in either network or syndication, second to the version of ''
The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...
'' which began airing in 1972. In 1992, the show began airing on most of the owned-and-operated stations for ABC, currently known as the
ABC Owned Television Stations ABC Owned Television Stations is a sub-division of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company that oversees the owned-and-operated stations of the American Broadcastin ...
. By the end of 2012, the syndicated ''Wheel'' had been recognized by over 90 million Americans, and had awarded a total of over $200 million in cash and prizes to contestants. In most TV markets, ''Wheel'' airs on the same station as ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
'' with many affiliates airing the two shows back-to-back. Like ''Jeopardy!'', ''Wheel'' airs internationally on the
American Forces Network The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the United States Armed Forces provides to soldiers stationed or assigned overseas, and is headquartered at Fort Meade in Maryland. AFN comprises two sub ...
and Canada's
Yes TV Yes TV (stylized as yes TV) is an independently owned Canadian nonprofit and Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission-licensed religious broadcasting television system in Canada. It consists of three conventional over-the- ...
, NTV, and
CHEK-DT CHEK-DT (channel 6) is an independent television station in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, serving Vancouver Island and Greater Vancouver. The station is owned by the CHEK Media Group, a consortium made up of station employees and local in ...
. The popularity of ''Wheel of Fortune'' has led it to become a worldwide franchise, with over forty known adaptations in international markets outside the United States. Versions of the show have existed in such countries as
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, Czech Republic,
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
, the Philippines,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. The American version of ''Wheel'' has honored its international variants with an occasional theme of special weeks known as "Wheel Around the World", the inaugural episode of which aired when the 23rd syndicated season premiered on September 12, 2005. Between September 1997 and January 1998, CBS and
Game Show Network Game Show Network (GSN) is an American basic cable channel owned by the television network division of Sony Pictures Television. The channel's programming is primarily dedicated to game shows, including reruns of acquired game shows, along wit ...
concurrently aired a special children's version of the show titled ''
Wheel 2000 ''Wheel 2000'' (also known as ''Wheel of Fortune 2000'') is a children's version of the American game show '' Wheel of Fortune,'' produced by Scott Sternberg Productions and Columbia TriStar Television (and the last version of ''Wheel'' of any so ...
''. It was hosted by David Sidoni, with Tanika Ray providing voice and
motion capture Motion capture (sometimes referred as mocap or mo-cap, for short) is the process of recording high-resolution motion (physics), movement of objects or people into a computer system. It is used in Military science, military, entertainment, sports ...
for a CGI hostess named "Cyber Lucy". Created by Scott Sternberg, the spin-off featured special gameplay in which numerous rules were changed. For example, the show's child contestants competed for points and prizes instead of cash, with the eventual winner playing for a grand prize in the bonus round.


''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune''

In November 2020, ABC ordered a prime time spin-off show, ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'', with Sajak and White as hosts and initially with Richards as executive producer, which premiered on January 7, 2021. Each hour-long episode consists of two complete games; in addition to tossups (with "Triple Toss-Ups" now worth $5,000, for a total of $15,000) and the bonus round, the first game has three regular rounds, while the second has at least three regular rounds, with the last round being a speed-up round. Scores are reset between games, and celebrities' charities are guaranteed a minimum of $30,000. Game play proceeds as in regular games with three notable changes. First, a bonus cash prize is awarded in every regular round: $5,000 in Round 1, $10,000 in Round 2, and $20,000 in Round 3 (and subsequent rounds in the second game). Second, there are four Million Dollar Wedges that occupy a full space (on the regular version, it occupies the central third of a space with the other two thirds as Bankrupt spaces, as akin to the $10,000 space in the past); if a player lands on one when they already hold one, it counts as a $1,000 space. Third, the bonus round features four $100,000 spaces, and a minimum of $25,000; a Million Dollar Wedge replaces one of the four $100,000 spaces (which reduces the number to three) with a $1,000,000 space. Original airings of the show feature giveaways to home viewers in certain rounds, most notably $10,000 in the second round of each game in the first four seasons and a vacation package (or $10,000 on certain episodes, starting in the fifth season) in the third round of the first game starting in the third season. In May 2021, ABC renewed ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' for a second season, which premiered on September 26, 2021. In May 2022, ABC renewed ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' for a third season, which premiered on September 25, 2022. In May 2023, ABC renewed ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' for a fourth season, which premiered on September 27, 2023 by which point Blackstone had taken over as executive producer. In July 2023, White had signed a new deal to return as hostess of the show. In May 2024, ABC renewed the series for a fifth season, which was originally supposed to premiere on October 14, 2024, but after ABC announced more Monday Night Football games, the show was shelved for next year. A Christmas episode premiered on December 2, 2024, with Sajak returning for one final season following his retirement from hosting the regular version back in June of the same year. The remaining episodes of the season began airing on April 30, 2025 with Sajak's final episode as host airing on Jun 10. In May 2025, ABC renewed ''Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' for a sixth season, with Seacrest taking over as host.


Reception

''Wheel of Fortune'' has long been one of the highest-rated programs on American syndicated television. It was the highest-rated show in all of syndication before it was dethroned by ''Two and a Half Men'' in 2010. The syndicated ''Wheel'' shared the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show with ''Jeopardy!'' in 2011, and Sajak won three Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Game Show Host—in 1993, 1997, and 1998. In a 2001 issue, ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'' ranked ''Wheel'' number 25 among the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time, and in 2013, the magazine ranked it number 2 in its list of the 60 greatest game shows ever, second only to ''Jeopardy!'' In August 2006, the show was ranked number 6 on Game Show Network, GSN's list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows. ''Wheel'' was the subject of many nominations in GSN's ''Game Show Awards'' special, which aired on June 6, 2009. The show was nominated for Best Game Show, but lost to ''Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? (American game show), Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?''. Sajak and White were nominated for Best Game Show Host, but lost to ''Deal or No Deal (American game show), Deal or No Deal''s Howie Mandel; and O'Donnell was considered for Best Announcer but lost to
Rich Fields Richard Wayne Fields (born November 30, 1960) is an American media personality, author, motivational speaker, former game show announcer and meteorologist. He is best known as the announcer for the American version of ''The Price Is Right'' with ...
from ''The Price Is Right'' (Fields later was a ''Wheel'' substitute announcer after O'Donnell's death). One of the catchphrases uttered by contestants, ''"I'd like to buy a vowel"'', was considered for Favorite Game Show Catch Phrase, but lost to ''"Come on down!"'', the announcer's catchphrase welcoming new contestants to ''Price''. The sound effect heard at the start of a new regular gameplay round won the award for Favorite Game Show Sound Effect. The sound heard when the wheel lands on Bankrupt, known as the "slide whistle", was also nominated. Despite having been retired from the show for nearly a decade by that point, "Changing Keys" was nominated for Best Game Show Theme Song. However, it lost to its fellow Griffin composition, "Think!" from ''Jeopardy!'' A hall of fame honoring ''Wheel of Fortune'' is part of the Sony Pictures Studios tour, and was introduced on the episode aired May 10, 2010. Located in the same stage as the show's taping facility, this hall of fame features memorabilia related to ''Wheel''s syndicated history, including retired props, classic merchandise, photographs, videos, and a special case dedicated to White's wardrobe. Two years later, in 2012, the show was honored with a Ride of Fame on a double-decker tour bus in New York City.


Merchandise

Numerous board games based on ''Wheel of Fortune'' have been released by different toy companies. The games are all similar, incorporating a wheel, puzzle display board, play money and various accessories like Free Spin tokens. Milton Bradley released the first board game in 1975. In addition to all the supplies mentioned above, the game included 20 prize cards to simulate the "shopping" prizes of the show, with prizes ranging in value from $100 to $3,000. Two editions were released, with the only differences being the box art and the included books of puzzles. Other home versions were released by Pressman Toy Corporation, Tyco Toys, Tyco/Mattel, Parker Brothers, Endless Games, and Irwin Toys. Additionally, several Wheel of Fortune video games, video games based on the show have been released for personal computers, the Internet, and various gaming consoles spanning multiple History of video games, hardware generations. Most games released in the 20th century were published by GameTek, which produced a dozen ''Wheel'' games on various platforms, starting with a Nintendo Entertainment System game released in 1987 and continuing until the company closed in 1998 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Subsequent games were published by Hasbro Interactive and its acquirer Infogrames Entertainment, Infogrames/Atari, Inc. (1993–present), Atari; Sony Online Entertainment, THQ and Ubisoft. A game for mobile devices titled ''Wheel of Fortune Daily'', developed by Frosty Pop, was released for iOS, macOS and tvOS via Apple Arcade in 2024. In 1996, gaming company International Game Technology (1975–2015), International Game Technology (IGT) first licensed ''Wheel'' for a line of Slot machine, slot machines based on the show; it later became one of the company's longest-running and most popular lines of slot machines. In May 2022, a touring staged production show, ''Wheel of Fortune Live!'', was announced, with an initial run of over 60 dates from September to December 2022. The show is produced by Right Angle Entertainment in partnership with Sony and United Talent Agency. Similar to ''The Price Is Right Live!'', the touring version features alternate hosts, which have included past daytime host Bob Goen, but not Sajak, Seacrest, or White.


Notes


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Citations


Works cited

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External links

* * * * * {{Authority control 1970s American game shows 1975 American television series debuts 1980s American game shows 1983 American television series debuts 1990s American game shows 1991 American television series endings 2000s American game shows 2010s American game shows 2020s American game shows CBS game shows Culver City, California Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show winners American English-language television shows First-run syndicated game shows NBC game shows Roulette and wheel games Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Television series by CBS Studios Television series by Merv Griffin Enterprises Television series by Sony Pictures Television Television series created by Merv Griffin Wheel of Fortune (franchise) Television series by King World Productions Television shows adapted into video games Television shows presented by Chuck Woolery Television shows presented by Pat Sajak