Early Wheel backdrop

[BrandonFG]

Browsing thru the Game Show Wiki's photo gallery, I found a nice little rarity, that makes a decades-old mystery (for me at least) a little clearer.



See that curved backdrop behind Chuck? That's not the puzzleboard, and in the first EOTVGS, there's a publicity shot of Chuck and Susan with that very backdrop behind them. I tried to find it on Google Images, to no avail, but for years I wondered how that set design was possible, so it's good to know that it was indeed a separate backdrop, and not the puzzleboard or the contestant backdrop.



Here's another view. My question is, was that used only in the pilot, or was it ever used once the show went to series in 1975?

[whewfan]

I am not sure if Chuck shot a pilot with the set that they eventually used. As I understand it, after Edd Byrnes' pilots were filmed, Merv Griffin eventually hired Chuck, but I don't think they did another pilot with Chuck because they knew he was the right guy.

I'm guessing they either didn't like the mimicked backdrop behind Chuck, or figured out that raising a curtain was easier than pulling away a backdrop.

[snowpeck]

Those shots are from the 1/6/75 premiere. The first one came from a promo found in a Tonight Show episode from January 1975 that's floating around.  The second is from the E! True Hollywood Story episode. There's some other footage in that promo showing the backdrop is actually doors that slide open to reveal the prize showcase.



EDIT: Here's an ebay auction of that photo you mentioned, which shows a bit more detail of those doors and the manner in which they likely slid open. Sorry if I seem a little eager here, but Wheel's early days are one of the things I find most fascinating.  I'd love to know when they got rid of the doors and replaced them with the curtain (and the three prize showcases all on stage at once.)

[GrandGame1440]

Do you recall which episode of The Tonight Show that promo is from? I have quite a few from that era and don't remember seeing that. Fascinating, thanks.

[WarioBarker]

Browsing thru the Game Show Wiki's photo gallery, I found a nice little rarity, that makes a decades-old mystery (for me at least) a little clearer.

They were originally uploaded to the Wheel of Fortune History Wiki (the former by Greg from said promo, the latter by me through a partial THS copy I was digitally given by a kind WOFL/BAV user). No biggie that they were copied for a larger-scope Wiki, though -- spread the info around, I say.

(Although shoving all the intros at the top is a bit odd, but hey...)

My question is, was that used only in the pilot, or was it ever used once the show went to series in 1975?

The latter.

Sorry if I seem a little eager here, but Wheel's early days are one of the things I find most fascinating. I'd love to know when they got rid of the doors and replaced them with the curtain (and the three prize showcases all on stage at once.)

According to uncamark in July 2004 (during a topic about the shopping/"on account"/gift certificate rules), it was sometime during the first six months; it definitely debuted by November 3, thanks to The Roseanne Show pulling out an opening clip in March 2000.

That said, I don't think the curtain replaced the doors immediately -- I was looking at the Milton Bradley games' instruction booklets last night to see whether they used the "solve the puzzle exactly as it says on the board" rule (which, looking at some videos, may have begun around late February/early March 1979), and I noticed that while the set on the box looks like the '74 pilots, the manual's photo suggests a different timeframe for three reasons:
1) the prize platforms are behind the puzzle board,
2) the pricetags use a different style than that of the premiere and the "fancy" ones used from 1976ish-89, and
3) both pictures also show the real version of the in-game Wheel layout.
As such, I think there was an "interim" period where they got rid of the doors and went back to the '74 method until the curtain was introduced.

{video link}

And this guy's kept it under wraps for a long time; I should know (I hinted at it last month). And the lady with the fur coat is one my mother remembered watching long, long ago.

Do you recall which episode of The Tonight Show that promo is from? I have quite a few from that era and don't remember seeing that.

It was from the week of December 30, 1974, and based on Greg's comments it's most likely January 3. Apparently, the Tonight Show episode itself isn't that notable. *shrug*

[BrandonFG]

Excellent. Thanks Greg!

I love the doors...they look so much more elegant than the curtain that replaced them. It looks like they opened similarly to the TPiR or 70s Big Deal of the Day doors. I could imagine that the shopping area was a little too large to be placed behind the doors.

[tvmitch]

Jiminy, there's two crummy "Buy A Vowel" spaces on both the Wheel in the press shot and the promo.

[dazztardly]

Excellent. Thanks Greg!

I love the doors...they look so much more elegant than the curtain that replaced them. It looks like they opened similarly to the TPiR or 70s Big Deal of the Day doors. I could imagine that the shopping area was a little too large to be placed behind the doors.

When the show first went to air, when it was time to go shopping....the doors would open up to show the prizes for that round. When the shopping was over, the doors would close up, and the "hookers"(stagehands with large hooks) would yank the platform with that round's prizes out of the way. Then they would setup for the next round.

Merv wanted more prizes seen on stage, so eventually the doors were thrown out in favor of the curtain.

At one point, they even offered a Cessna jet airplane as a prize. It was so huge, they had to take the wings off the plane just to fit it through the soundstage, then reattach them!

[BrandonFG]

A lot more information I didn't know, so thanks Dan and Dan. As for this...

As such, I think there was an "interim" period where they got rid of the doors and went back to the '74 method until the curtain was introduced.

...I believe you're correct. I remember watching episode 3,000, which featured a clip from a pilot and sliding puzzleboard. I noted how odd that was on ATGS, and someone responded that the show indeed used that method in the early years.

[snowpeck]

Here's another promo for NBC's entire daytime lineup with some additional Wheel shots:

[WarioBarker]

As such, I think there was an "interim" period where they got rid of the doors and went back to the '74 method until the curtain was introduced.

...I believe you're correct. I remember watching episode 3,000, which featured a clip from a pilot and sliding puzzleboard. I noted how odd that was on ATGS, and someone responded that the show indeed used that method in the early years.

Was this the topic in question? If so, I don't really see anything that matches what you said.

(Too bad this topic probably won't be moved to the new forum...)

[BrandonFG]

As such, I think there was an "interim" period where they got rid of the doors and went back to the '74 method until the curtain was introduced.

...I believe you're correct. I remember watching episode 3,000, which featured a clip from a pilot and sliding puzzleboard. I noted how odd that was on ATGS, and someone responded that the show indeed used that method in the early years.

Was this the topic in question? If so, I don't really see anything that matches what you said.

(Too bad this topic probably won't be moved to the new forum...)

Yep...that's the one! I was "BroFrost1" in a former life. :-P

[TLEberle]

(Too bad this topic probably won't be moved to the new forum...)

Why do you say that?

[Matt Ottinger]

(Too bad this topic probably won't be moved to the new forum...)

Why do you say that?

Chris has mentioned that some recent posts may not transfer over in the process of the move.

[TLEberle]

But isn't that due to invision gremlins as opposed to moderator fiat? And "may not" is different from "probably won't," isn't it.