Wheel of Fortune | Rolf Benirschke's premeire, pt. 1

[Buckeyecat2002]

First say "Row-loff Ben-ersh-ka" ! Then say who ?

[Jessyleppert]

A Horrible host of Wheel of Fortune.

[Angie2343]

Isn't Vanna gorgeous here?

[jwgreek8606]

@megamanmaniac Yea, and Brando was a big game show fan. What the hell was Merv thinking. I mean gosh, Rolf dikd not have to accept the job. He should have had the guts to say no

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@jwgreek8606

Bob Goen ultimately got the job when the daytime Wheel moved to CBS effective July 17, 1989.

[WheelWatcher12345]

1:02 BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOOO!!

[wdm1219]

Rolf did his best, and I for one liked his different style. It's a shame he wasn't given a longer tenure. I also think Bob Goen did a sensational job as host, especially given the cheapened version of the show that he inherited later in 1989. I always thought Bob Goen would have also made a really awesome Password host. Sadly, that never came to pass.

[jwgreek8606]

@wdm1219 Yeah, I thought he'd make an awesome password host too.  I sujggested to someone that Bob would be a good host for Password.

[tbone24100]

He wasn't the 1st option to host!!!! Jimmy Connors actually wanted the job!!! Dam NBC!!!

[jwgreek8606]

@tbone24100 Yea, Jimmy Connors wanted it. Rolf did not have to accept the job. Unlike Rolf, Jimmy Connors was a big Wheel of Fortune fan. He watched the show every day and knew it like the back of his hand. Whereas Rolf did not know the show from Adam. But NBC got in the way. I mean hell Jimmy could have done both commentating and hosting at the same time.

[tbone24100]

@jwgreek8606 exactly.....NBC didn't broadcast Tennis until late Spring or Summer!!!

[PGOLDEN88]

They had to watch the NFL on NBC to pronounce his name.

[tbone24100]

And he kicked 4 the San Diego Chargers!!

[ClassicTVMan81]

Rolf was only on the daytime edition of this show from January 10 to June 30, 1989.

[Tubewings]

If anyone has any of the following Rolf episodes...

A; The episode where two contestants tie at the end of the game and he admits to the world that he has no idea of what to do.

B; The Teen Week episode where in the final spin, he gets excited when he lands on $2000...only to be corrected by a contestant that he was looking at the wrong arrow and he had, in fact, landed on BANKRUPT.

...it'll make my life feel a bit more complete.

[floridapanthersroar]

When is 1989?

[segasonic623]

Obviously 20 years ago!

[sylviabh8ule]

Could someone post Rolf's last one, also the first NBC finale? I'm also seeking a DVDr copy of that one. This June 30 marks the 20 years since the show aired.

[DownsA530]

I have that episode. I'm going to try and post it later.

[Tubewings]

Stick to the Chargers, Rolf.

[YankeePat94]

Ever since wheel entered nighttime syndication, the daytime version's ratings fell.

[fx772k1]

Wow, he was the Jimmy Fallon of daytime.

[Disneydanny]

I love it Vanna had been there 6 years this Knucklehead (Rolf) only lasted 6 MONTHS

[shermsworld]

I remember watching it during my off time from school Rolf sucked seriously! Thank goodness he did not last.

[stevek83]

It would have been interesting to see Pat introduce Rolf.

[GCRams2]

Notice the daytime wheel is the same as the evening show with the same dollar amounts but only 3 rounds.

[WhatsAYak]

Actually, the daytime show had smaller payoffs, so there were a few differences in some of the amounts on the wheel, though the configuration was the same.

[Hondo20132]

I don't see what everyone had against Rolf. I know he was not confident here, but by the finale, he did much better, or so I've heard.

He sort of sounds like my uncle.

[ylle55]

Vanna should have host daytime Wheel than Rolf

[CrazyRedReploid]

Then who would replace Vanna on the letterboard?

[luckyc120]

taht would be cool to see

[feudfan55]

strange place to take a break

[Hondo20132]

Must've done that for Rolf to gain his comfort. They cleverly took off the mid-round 2 break for this.

Vanna: "Lots of weeks, years, months..."

Maybe just months.

[rmenga4]

go dana i hope you win

[Disneydanny]

I was surprised that Pat quit the daytime job on Monday why didn't he play it smart and tape his last daytime one on a Friday and have Rolf do the Monday show.

[Hondo20132]

Actually, the Sajak finale was supposed to be on a Friday, but some guy said there was a delay due to a Special Report.

In fact, Pat even said, "We'll announce the new host on MONDAY."

[gsnman]

Yikes, that took me back to the second grade, when I was looking forward to sick days and holidays!

[nextbarker]

Anyone have Pat's final daytime episode in fll to upload?

[gameshowfreak2007]

nextbarker, GSN aired it aroudn the time of Merv Griffin's passing as part of a tribute marathon, so I'd imagine someone has it, I do but no capture card or web cam.

[feudfan55]

it has now been uploaded

[mylesspike119]

Vanna was the first one makes her entrance before she introduced Rolf.

I love this episode oF the daytime version of WOF.

[nexttomarken]

I love your Wheel of Fortune episodes! THEY"RE AMAZING! Now what I'm wondering is can you please post the Karen Martin or Gene Snyder episodes from Press Your Luck on either Youtube or Veoh, PLEASE!?

[mtiller2006]

I'm trying to find some time for that. I'm in the middle of trading at the present time, and I'm uploading as I go, so it may take some time.

[nexttomarken]

Take as much time as you want. But if you can try to post the KM and GS episodes by September that would be nice.

[Hondo20132]

The Gene Synder ep.s are already posted.

[freeek04]

he didn't think he did that well? He bloody well knew he didn't do that well. I don't know WHAT Merv was thinking. GOD. It would've been MUCH better putting Bob Goen in to start with, yikes.

[godgundam10]

NBC should've gone with Bob Goen from the start. Maybe Wheel wouldn't have gone to CBS if Goen was chosen first. Goen was a much better host, but Wheel went south on CBS mainly because of the decrease of the budget. CBS was notorious for it's winnings limits which NBC never had.

[JMFabianoRPL]

I have an even better idea...but A) Scrabble was still on the air, and B) Merv would never allow it. Oh well, what might have been...

[JMFabianoRPL]

I have a better idea...except it probably wouldn't have worked as...

1) Scrabble was still on the air.

2) If the rumors were true, Merv would have nothing to do with the idea.

[jwgreek8606]

@godgundam10 Yeah and we would have seen Top Secret.

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@godgundam10

Actually the daytime version went downhill because of Pat Sajak's departure from the show to do his late-night talk show for CBS, which competed against the Tonight Show (then with Johnny Carson).

[aleth01]

Poor Rolf, he tried. But I'll admit Bob Goen was better.

[bpot22]

He looked kind of nervous coming into the show.

[GoodsonTodman]

"Merv sure knows how to pick 'em".

My ass!

[tvman19]

do you have any bob goen episodes of wheel of fortune?

[johnnyafairbanks]

Did you know that tennis star Jimmy Connors (a die-hard Wheel fan, according to Merv) auditioned for the daytime show and ALMOST got it...until NBC Sports wanted him there instead?

That reminds me of how Joe Namath was all set to do "Family Feud" until Mark Goodson had second thoughts and settled for Ray Combs.

[jwgreek8606]

@johnnyafairbanks Yeah, Merv should have had second thoughts about Rolf. And went with Tim Brando.

[FutureNewsAnchor]

@jwgreek8606 The same Tim Brando who works for CBS?

[jwgreek8606]

@FutureNewsAnchor you bet. At the time he was working with ESPN he was a rising star in sportscasting. I am sure NBC Sports wanted him there and Brando would have said no. I mean ESPN not only gave him his blessing they also saw it as a way to promote their network.

[foreskin44]

Rolf would make a better gym teacher

He wanst that good i agree he acts stiff

[tjm3774]

This had to be one of the worst mistakes in television history! I enjoyed Bob Goen a thousand times better than Rolf Benirschke; he just seemed like a fish out of water most times.

[BriSchwa82]

I agree with you 1000%. Infact I never knew about Rolf because I didn't watch the daytime version until Bob Goen came around on CBS and he did a hell of a job.

[gameshowguy2000]

I'd take Bob over Rolf. I only saw one Rolf episode; I mostly saw the Goen version.