The Joker's Wild (1986): Cullen's last show

[oldertvshowswerebetr]

Best game show theme of all time - the TJW closing theme. Another clip on here has the full closing flawless and I've downloaded it and played it endlessly.

[BARNEYFATSWALT]

Bill Cullen might still be alive today!If If was not for one thing!--CIGARETTES! Michael Davies said that if Bill Cullen was still alive in 1999! Bill Cullen would have been his First choice to host Who wants to be a Millionaire!

[usa02]

Not only "The Jokers Wild" was canceled, also "Tic Tac Dough" and Tom Kennedy's version of "The Price is Right" were canceled too.

BTW, Syndicated powerhouse "Wheel of Fortune" was sweeping the Syndicated game show ratings at the time.

[tnawcwvictoria]

Well I think that if GSN won't show B&E Game Shows, @ least let some other network do so, I mean CBN and USA did it, I would rather see WGN America do so or another GSN Spin-off just like Cartoon Network did w/Boomerang letting them keep Classics alive.

[JeterSwisherFan88]

@tnawcwvictoria GSN should definitely create a 'Classics' sub-channel like Cartoon Network and Boomerang, because the older game shows, which that network used to telecast (excluding 'Match Game,' 'Jeopardy,' and 'Wheel of Fortune'), are slowly fading away from television as we used to know it.

[9409312]

BTW Richard's final total on the last episode of The Joker's Wild in 1986 is $4,925.00 in cash and prizes.

[9409312]

Not necessarily Bill Cullen very last TV appearance is in 1987 when he was a guest on the game show the $25,000 Pyramid with Dick Clark

[143AC]

Although,he didn't show any emotions hosting "The Joker's Wild!"..his last tv game show..prior to his death? I can only imagine poor Mr.Cullen going backstage and crying and saying"My God! I'll never be able to do this again!" and..(Crying)I'd be crying with him backstage too!

[MikeHL78]

The BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLSEYE!!! Bonus Island music cue. Nice!

[gameshowguy2000]

I was expecting a total fadeout like on the CBS finale (bluelobster has that posted up). Too bad it never occurred here.

[johnissoevil]

Some sources say that the staff didn't know that this would be the final season of Joker until after this episode taped. Grain of salt statement, take it as nothing more.

[BenJabituya]

R.I.P. Bill Cullen

[dft432]

When it comes down to who reigns supreme on the syndicated 1977-86 "Joker"

Jack Barry > Bill Cullen

This show was made for Jack, Bill seems lost with the fast element of this program.

[WhatsAYak]

Notice WOR staff announcer Phil Tonken's goof during the credits...Barbara Eden in "Bewitched"?

[flokatirug]

I could watch Bill Cullen host almost anything. No one since has come close as host.

This was the same rolltop desk as on Press Your Luck and Tic Tac Dough. Thanks for another rare telecast.

[WREYNetwork]

I notice that there is a jump in the theme after the fee plugs... Perhaps in post-production they edited out the new prize that was going to be added to Natural Triple Jackpot for the new season knowing that the show was not going to continue in the same format...

[chrisivision07]

Great catch, but I actually made that edit to fit as much game action and to still keep it under the 11 minute YouTube limit. There were originally a few taped fee plugs (brief 10 sec. commercial spots) in the middle there before it cut back to the credits and music, so that's why the music jumped.

[jhzenor61481]

This would be the final show of game shows Bill Cullen would do.

[kennethpaige]

This was on WWOR-TV Channel 9 New York!

[bruce64h]

also fitting that the final spin on the regular game would be three jokers.

[henrytvwhiz]

Uh-oh. Looks like you haven't been taking care of this tape over the past 22 years.

[Hondo20132]

Actually, it's this bad because it's unbelievable how much this has been around the trading circuit.

[kwls97]

do u have any episodes when Bill Cullen does the audince game when he talks on the phone

[bluebear1985]

Bill Cullen's last hosting job. Closed it off greatly. In 1987 he would appear on "The $25,000 Pyramid", which would end up being his last television appearance before his death in 1990.

[nextbarker]

Too bad Bill didn't mention Jack's name.

[deric8]

He didn't know the show was going to be cancelled.

[robdon33]

He certainly should have.

[baldy2006]

Neither did anyone else. Syndicated game shows are normally taped during the summer and fall. Then the producers have to wait until around February or March to see if enough stations request more episodes for the following season.

[insaneben]

Two more things, before I forget...

1) Jim Peck was originally chosen to take over for Jack Barry after the '83-84 season. Unfortunately, Jack passed away before he could make it official, and Dan Enright ultimately chose Bill Cullen instead. (Worse mistakes would follow in '90 with poor revivals of TTD w/Patrick Wayne and TJW w/Pat Finn).

2) Rumor has it that had TJW been renewed for '86-'87, there would've been a completely new set renovation (what it would've looked like, we may never know).

[robdon33]

Too bad it didn't go beyond 1986. Another way to end this show in style was the same way the CBS version ended - the set goes dark, and the windows turn off one at a time; and perhaps have a clip of Jack Barry saying goodbye on the CBS version - of course at that time, no one knew that was "Fin", or "The End" at the time of the taping.

[johnissoevil]

The rumor of TJW getting a new set in fall '86 was originally an uncited rumor written on Wikipedia. Although if that were the case, I myself would've loved to see it.

[pooka5472]

Barry & Enright Productions did not package the '90s version of "The Joker's Wild." Kline & Friends packaged it.

[johnissoevil]

Yep. The only Barry relation to TJW 90 was Jack's two sons.

[megamanj2004X]

however, at least the '90s version partially paid homage to the original CBS version by naming it "Jack Barry Productions."

Also on that version's board, they even had a plaque containing Jack Barry's name on it.

[insaneben]

Thanks for the rare find, Chris.

Bill Cullen did a good job taking over for Jack Barry (good, but not great- at times, he seemed he couldn't keep up with such a fast-paced game, even though it looked like he was getting the hang of it by the time the unannounced series finale rolled around). Still, he had an amazing run, hosting (correct me if I'm wrong) over 40 game shows in a 35-year career.

Now, if only someone would post an episode hosted by Jim Peck...

[anakin1255]

Bill was a great game show host. But he totally sucked at The Joker's Wild. He could never take Jack's place. Jim Peck would have been a better choice.

[johnissoevil]

Bill may be no Jack Barry when it comes to hosting Joker's Wild, but who would you rather have? John Davidson? ;-)

[BenJabituya]

I'd rather have Alex Trebek as TJW host. Well, he is used to hearing a contestant pick a category for that amount of money.

[MrLogoman007]

Chuck Woolery might be a good choice.

[Identfan82]

Jack Barry was supposed to have retired around the time if he hadn't died from the heart attack in 1984. Jim Peck was intended as his successor all along, but after he died, Barry-Enright chose Bill Cullen as the new host. I love Bill Cullen, he is a TV legend, but he just seems like Peck would have been the better choice for the show's format.  However, I love Cullen... he was an amazing host but the format just didn't work for him unfortunately.

[TheKid965]

Yeah, Uncle Bill had definitely lost some of the zing off his fastball by this point in his career. But if you want to know the truth, I'll take a waning Bill Cullen over just about any other host at the top of their game. He was THAT good.

[MarkNF82]

Barbra Eden was in Bewitched? hmmm. Guess Elizabeth Montgomery cast a spell on him.

[chrisivision07]

LOL, yeah that VO was totally screwed up, I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was done live and on top of that the whole thing was mumbled.

[johnissoevil]

That sounded like Phil Tonken from WOR-TV. I watched that station alot in my childhood, they were known for screwing up "Up next" promos alot.

[johnissoevil]

If Jack were there, his exact words would probably be "Joker, Joker, WHOA! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! TWICE IN A ROW!"

[vintagetv]

It's too bad this was the series finale of TJW. At least USA Cable newtork showed both TTD and TJW until about 1990 if I am correct. Did this happen while JB was host? Winning with 3 jokers twice in a row?

[johnissoevil]

They did air TTD from 1987 until 1990. Joker left the USA lineup in 87. You do pose a good question about the 3 jokers. I doubt it's ever happened, otherwise, we would've probably heard of it.

[megamanj2007]

and my local station in New Mexico once reran the Barry/Peck/Cullen run in preparation of the then-new revival of TJW '90 w/ Pat Finn.

[johnissoevil]

Lucky you. After that run of TJW was pulled from USA in 1987, I didn't see it again for about 10 years, when I finally got GSN.

[WhatsAYak]

It actually did happen during the 1st syndie season, and prolly again @ some point.

[TVLubber]

Best Barry-Enright show ever! I wish it would come back.

[bluebear1985]

Well, for a while Sony Pictures had a revival slated for fall 2007, but decided to pull the plug in the early stages.

[bluebear1985]

I'm not so sure that would work. MGHSH didn't even last a year. That's the only time I know of that two games were combined into one show.

[Hondo20132]

There was the Dating/Newlywed Hour from 1996-98.

[WhatsAYak]

Yeah, but those were 2 separate shows, not a single package like MG/HS.

[tnawcwvictoria]

Fremantlemedia should NOT get credit for MG/HS Hour and SONY shouldn't get credit for TTD, TJW and Bullseye.

[fatman50000]

Why not? Did one of their predecessors not produce the former and didn't Sony the rights to the latter three?

[MrLogoman007]

Why do you say that? CBS owns the HS half, Fremantle owns the MG half.

And based on the fact that those 3 shows (in addition to BTB) were all distributed by Colbert Television Sales (which had a side deal with King World), those 3 shows should be part of CBS as well.

[johnissoevil]

That is true, except for one thing.  Although Colbert distributed the shows, Barry and Enright claimed ownership to the back episodes, therefore, they're in Sony's possession.

[MrLogoman007]

Same with Wheel and Jeopardy, I'm guessing.

There should be some kind of compromise when these shows come back to GSN in reruns. First, SPT then CBSTD.

[johnissoevil]

You mean IF they come back to GSN. It doesn't look too likely, the B&E shows weren't GSN's highest rated shows over the years. TTD bombed when they brought it back last year.

[BenJabituya]

ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[juan833blue]

A nice bonus round victory to end that series of The Joker's Wild that we best remember.