Wheel of Fortune | Rolf Benirschke's premiere, pt. 5

[riceboy1701e]

Ah...back when Vanna actually did physical labor for her paycheck...by actually turning the letters.

[tonshaad1230]

Where did you get that theme from the intro?

[MrGameshowfan]

Love how Rolf does Pat's "Audience, quiet please" which could be annoying but we have to live with it since it's his job as a game show host.

[fivebearrugs]

Wow...I didn't know that the "pick 3 more consonants and one more vowel" debuted in the mid-late 80s...I just assumed that was in the late '90s. Or was that only for this version?

[kbirdusa]

Poor Rolf. Talk about a trap - being thrown to the wolves to host one of the most popular game shows with no previous TV experience. He got much better by the end of the run, but CBS didn't want him when they picked up the show.

[bluebear1985]

Rolf was okay in my opinion, but they could have gone with someone who actually had tv experience already. I'm surprised Merv didn't learn that when he put "Monopoly" on the air the following summer. If he would have hired Bob Goen in the first place, the daytime version may have stayed on NBC, kept the shopping format, and not make it look so cheap.

[X23109]

She should've just started up the car and run them all over especially the wheel. Run it over then back it up and run it over again for good measure :)

[mtiller2006]

Wait a minute. Why should she have done a dumb thing like that?

[X23109]

That was just a very feeble attempt at humor. No need to get serious on me :)

Besides how long ago was that particular show anyway. Had I been in the actual audience, I probably could've thought wheel hard and made a hypnotic suggestion to the lady behind the wheel. Again there is that word "wheel".

The after the blood and aftermath, the show becomes "Wheel of Misfortune". Look at this horrific studio :)

Even though I lived close to Hollywood at the time, alas it was just too far :(

[willjarmon]

There was a daytime episode either late in Sajak's run and midway threw Rolf's run when some actually drove off during the credits i remember that and i was 5 at the time

[gshowguy]

@mtiller2006 Don't listen to the trolls, Michael. :-) They only say that just to be funny.

[MrLogoman007]

@mtiller2006 This person is implying that Rolf was pretty bad, I think.

[gshowguy]

@MrLogoman007 I understand, but it still sounded like something a troll would say.

[gameshowfreak2007]

I have the finale and his 2nd show, but no way to upload it, once I get a capture card or something I'll gladly upload them

[Hondo20132]

Get a video capture system, and make sure it comes with an installation disc, as mine didn't! :(

[MimsFamilyGang]

Hey dosen't someone have rolfs second episode and another one of his?

[willjarmon]

If anyone can upload it for the sake of the jokes Rolf become really good around late February early March 1989 can anybody upload a show from later in Rolf's run

[nextbarker]

$14,000 for that, you sure this is Daytime?

[TVLubber]

Yes, it is. Benirschke never did the nighttime show, since Pat Sajak was the one who gave it the high ratings. Had Pat not left, the ratings for the daytime show would never have diminished, and it wouldn't have been cancelled.

[TVLubber]

Besides, if it were the nighttime show, the car would've been valued at over $30,000-$50,000.

[nextbarker]

Did Rolf's version mark the debut of BUZZWORD for the car?

[TVLubber]

That cue probably debuted earlier.

[nexttomarken]

Merv Griffin will never be forgotten.

[gameshowfreak2007]

Rolf was okay, he just couldn't ad-lib because he lacked the experience., and for those who haven't seen it, Rolf was a much better host by the time his run ended.

some people think vanna had to carry the whole final segment in this show but personally I think she kinda sandbagged him, and she did it again in the other 2 eps. I have from this era (His 2nd and his final ep.).

[cgsguy]

Well, she won the bonus round, but didn't had anybody to come up and hug her.

Also, I have 2 questions:

#1 Does anyone miss having the light dimmed in the bonus round?

#2 Does anyone miss seeing the graphic of the champion's total winnings flashing on screen, instead just the still graphic like today?

[patrickballoonman]

That and I also miss the closing spiel:

"The prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show and have been rounded of to the nearest dollar.

Gift certificates do not include sales tax."

[johnissoevil]

I don't mind that they did away with what you said. I just miss the days when they didn't put so many damn gimmicks on the wheel.

[stevek83]

First time seeing a full episode of Rolf. After years of hearing people making fun of him, I don't think he was that bad of a host. This being his first show, of course he was nervous. However, he seemed friendly with the contestants, which is good.

[vnisanian2001]

Beginning in the fall of 1987, NBC game shows no longer had end-of-show fee plugs; they were only kept intact on the first-run syndicated episodes of "Win, Lose or Draw" and, of course, "WOF."

BTW, where are the end credits for this part? Does the episode here just cut-off after they say "bye-bye"?

[mtiller2006]

No, I thought about keeping them in. I may post the end credits in the future.

[megamanj2004X]

Actually, it was in December of 1987 that other NBC GS's would begin following suit in ditching all fee plugs on their shows.

[namk19]

nice work rolf

[supersaver87]

I don't think Rolf was that bad hosting the show. The first episode of his first hosting job...I'd be nervous too!

[crinos43]

I'd be nervous too. Hosting Wheel, Price, PYL...I may know the rules, the games, etc., but that does not mean I'd not have a bit of stage fright.

[scottof83]

Did I just hear the Merv Griffith's Crossword theme music in the Car cue.

[gsnman]

Yes, you did!

[crinos43]

Wow. I thought only TPiR reused music.

[FBB87]

No, the Jim Perry version of "Card Sharks" did too.

[patrickballoonman]

Exactly, Jim Perry's "Card Sharks" reused the theme from Alex Trebek's "Double Dare," which was nothing close to Super Sloppy.

[crinos43]

Well I never noticed that it was the Crosswords music until it was pointed out.