Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. Three contestants (occasionally three pairs of contestants) compete against each other to solve a word puzzle, similar to those seen in the game hangman. The name of the show comes from the large wheel that determines the dollar amounts and prizes won (or lost) by the contestants.

The show first aired in 1975 on daytime network television. The current version has been syndicated in prime time access since September 19, 1983, and has been the most watched syndicated program since May 1984. Its 27th season premiered on September 14, 2009. It is the longest-running syndicated game show in American television history and the second-longest in either network or syndication (behind the current CBS version of The Price Is Right, which began airing in 1972). It is also the third longest running first-run syndicated program in the United States, behind Entertainment Tonight (which began in 1981) and the now-canceled Soul Train (which aired new episodes from 1971-2006). The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television and distributed by CBS Television Distribution in first run; reruns have rights reverted to Sony.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White have hosted this version of the show since its debut and Charlie O'Donnell has served as announcer since early 1989. Jack Clark served as the show's announcer until his death in July 1988. M. G. Kelly, Johnny Gilbert, Don Morrow and Don Pardo filled in between 1988 and 1989 before O'Donnell, who had previously announced the daytime version, arrived.

Game play

Sets

Various changes have been made to the basic set since the show's premiere in 1983, including changes to the color of the floor and various additions of lights/strobes to the puzzle board and contestant backdrops.

In 1996, a large video display was added center stage, which was then upgraded in 2003 as the show began the transition into high-definition broadcasting. The set decorations change with each weekly set of themed programs. Dick Stiles was the show's first art director, and the production is currently designed by Renee Hoss-Johnson.

The show was originally taped at NBC Studios in Burbank, the same place where its daytime counterpart was taped. In 1989 the show moved to CBS Television City, remaining there until 1995 when production moved to its current home at Sony Pictures Studios.

Puzzle boards

Until 1997, the show used a manually-operated puzzle board composed of 48 trilons in four rows (11, 13, 13 and 11, respectively). The board was surrounded by a double-arched border of lights which flashed at the beginning and end of the round. When a letter was placed in the puzzle, its space would light up and Vanna White would turn the trilon to reveal it. On February 24, 1997, the show adopted a computerized board composed of 52 monitors (adding one space to each row). To illuminate a letter during regular gameplay, White simply touches the edge of the monitor, although the board may be controlled remotely to reveal letters or solutions. The new puzzle board made Toss-Up puzzles possible and also facilitated an evolution of the hostess' role, which was originally justified by the need to turn letters.

The digital board also no longer requires taping to stop in segments that feature more than one puzzle. With the prior board, after a puzzle was solved, Sajak would face the camera and announce "Here is our next puzzle." While the viewers at home saw a seamless transition to the next puzzle, what actually happened was a show stop down. During this time, the board would be wheeled off stage and the new puzzle loaded in by hand out of sight of the contestants, who would typically stand in some place on the sound stage where they could not see the board. On some episodes, reflections of the puzzle board being whisked off could be seen. With the new board, no stop downs were necessary, meaning tapings could finish more quickly at a lower cost to the production company. In 2007, the current puzzle board was revamped with new flat screens. Vanna goes behind the new flat-screen puzzle board after each round briefly where there is a screen that shows the solution to the next puzzle.

The old puzzle board was offered to the Smithsonian Institution, but it was rejected due to its large size.

Contestant Area

The contestants stand behind a large, padded railing that provides leverage when spinning the wheel. The area behind the contestants originally contained colored shapes that provided a backdrop as well as an additional scoreboard for displaying the amount a contestant had placed "on account" (see Shopping). In 1997, the backdrops were removed in favor of a display that fit the theme for that week's set of tapings. In 1998, a video wall replaced the themed backdrops displayed behind the contestant. This video wall was upgraded in 2003.

Until 2002, the show used eggcrate displays to display scores. The eggcrate displays were replaced by LCD monitors in 2002 and again were replaced by flat-screen plasma displays in 2007. Also beginning in 2002, special animations play on these monitors if a contestant lands on "Bankrupt" or "Lose a Turn".

The Wheel

The Wheel mechanism weighs two tons (4,000 lbs.) and is surrounded by light extensions. Until 1997, the Wheel was spun automatically during the show's opening and closing and featured alternating gold lights and panels. These were replaced by a metallic blue circle surrounded by gold panels, with several similar paneled spikes going around the Wheel and the Wheel no longer spun automatically during these segments. The current LED and glass light extension debuted in 2003, but was changed from blue to gold in 2009.

Prior to 1996, three different dollar value configurations were used during each show. There have never been amounts under $100 on the syndicated Wheel and the only cash space not to end in "50" or "00" was a $175 wedge that was subsequently removed in 1985. The current configuration is based on the one formerly used in Round Three (Round Two prior to 1987). In 2008, the configurations were revamped slightly, with the addition of a few new colors and dollar values.

From 1983-1984, the lowest value on the wheel was $100. This was increased to $150 in 1985 and to $250 in 1996. The lowest value has been $300 since 1999.

Theme Music

From 1983-2000, the show's theme music was "Changing Keys" by Griffin. Over the years, the theme was re-recorded several times in various arrangements from jazz to big band. The arrangements were by Griffin's longtime musical director, Mort Lindsey, with some of Lindsey's sidemen including Plas Johnson, Nick Ceroli and Jack Sheldon participating in the recordings.

Since 2000, the main theme of the show has been "Happy Wheels" by the late Steve Kaplan, which was remixed in 2002 and 2004 by Kaplan and in 2006 by Frankie Blue. Since 2007, a theme by John Hoke has been used.

Winnings records

Contestant Michelle Loewenstein became the first, and to date only, winner of the $1 million bonus prize on October 14, 2008, with total winnings of $1,026,080.

Episode status

All episodes of the syndicated version of Wheel Of Fortune exist, and many have been shown on GSN, most recently as part of a memorial tribute to series creator Merv Griffin.

Production schedule

/
The production schedule is typically one week on and three weeks off. During the active week, five episodes are taped per day in front of a live audience. Typically, three episodes are taped in the early afternoon from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The crew breaks for dinner from 4:00pm to 5:00pm and the remaining two episodes are taped from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. This efficiently saves both time and money and provides five weeks' worth of television programming.

Merchandise

Board games

Numerous board game versions of the game show have been released by different toy companies. The games are all similar, however, incorporating a wheel, a 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; the prizes ranged in value from $100 to $3,000). Two editions were released.

• Pressman Toy Corp. released several different editions between 1985 and 1991. They also released two Deluxe versions in the mid-1980s that featured a real spinning wheel which allowed dollar amounts on the wheel to be changed for each round (with the help of extra wedges).

• Tyco/Mattel created three editions between 1992 and 1998.

• Parker Brothers released their own version in 1999.

• Pressman, which currently retains rights to the home game, has released four editions since 2002 including a 20th Anniversary edition, a Simpsons Edition and a Disney Edition. The "Disney Edition" has a "hidden Mickey"-shaped wheel in the same style as the company's Deluxe Editions, albeit with only a few specific spots to place certain Disney-related prizes.

• Endless Games released a card game version of the show in the summer of 2008.

• IToys released a tabletop version in 2009.

Video, arcade, slot and online games

Mobile game

In 2005, Info Space Games teamed up with Sony Pictures Mobile to create the mobile game Wheel of Fortune for Prizes. Players competed against others across the U.S. in multi-player tournaments for a chance to win daily and weekly prizes.