Author Topic: Shopping-era WoF question. (Read 9671 times)

DoorNumberFour · « **on:** February 25, 2008, 10:43:12 AM »

How did the contestants know the exact names of the prizes they wanted (e.g., 'Silver-Plated Tea and Coffee Set' as opposed to 'the coffee pot' or 'that silver thing')?

Were they provided a list to study before the show, or was there a list of some sort off-camera during the shopping portions?

JasonA1 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2008, 10:47:33 AM »

There was a list of prizes and values off camera. Notice they're looking off to where the used letter board is, rather than at the turntable. And, lest we forget, "the prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show..."

-Jason

clanky06 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2008, 01:01:49 PM »

Ah—those were the days! Remember Chuck saying, "We've added another Bankrupt to the Wheel." And his admonitions to not "underspin." And in those days the contestants had to turn their backs during commercial breaks (to not give them an unfair advantage over home viewers, I presume). With all prizes and no cash, the winners had a wonderful time with the IRS! How long did Pat say, "We're playing for cash" at the beginning of the syndie show?

Gus · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2008, 01:32:44 PM »

[quote name=\'clanky06\' post=\'178897\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 12:01 PM\']How long did Pat say, "We're playing for cash" at the beginning of the syndie show?[/quote]
Quite a while, IIRC. "$1000 the top dollar value for this round, we're playing for cash, and here's our first puzzle:"

Brings up another activity. How should these be correctly chronologically arranged?:

Pat quits the "playing for cash" spiel
Toss-ups
R1 top dollar becomes $2500

Something tells me that all happened fairly closely together.

RichZ · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2008, 09:50:11 PM »

[quote name=\'Gus\' post=\'178900\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 01:32 PM\']
Brings up another activity. How should these be correctly chronologically arranged?:

Pat quits the "playing for cash" spiel
Toss-ups
R1 top dollar becomes $2500

Something tells me that all happened fairly closely together.
[/quote]

I believe R1 top dollar value became $2500 at the same time as the toss-ups came to the show, for the 2000-2001 season.

-Rick Z

gsfreak82 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2008, 09:53:08 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'178872\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 11:47 AM\']
There was a list of prizes and values off camera. Notice they're looking off to where the used letter board is, rather than at the turntable. And, lest we forget, "the prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show..."

-Jason
[/quote]

Ah yes the late great Jack Clark.

"The prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show and have been rounded off to the nearest dollar, gift certifficates do not include sales tax".

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2008, 12:07:56 AM »

[quote name=\'clanky06\' post=\'178897\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 10:01 AM\']
And in those days the contestants had to turn their backs during commercial breaks (to not give them an unfair advantage over home viewers, I presume).
[/quote]
I'm more inclined to think it's to avoid giving the player currently in control an unfair advantage.

tvrandywest · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2008, 02:02:18 AM »

[quote name=\'gsfreak82\' post=\'178965\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 06:53 PM\']
[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'178872\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 11:47 AM\']
There was a list of prizes and values off camera. Notice they're looking off to where the used letter board is, rather than at the turntable. And, lest we forget, "the prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show..."[/quote]
Ah yes the late great Jack Clark.

"The prices of the prizes were furnished to the contestants prior to the show and have been rounded off to the nearest dollar, gift certifficates do not include sales tax".
[/quote]
I had the pleasure of sitting with Jack during one tape day. He was in a little utility room just off the studio floor with a 3x5 card for each of the prizes spread out in front of him. As the players bought prizes he grabbed the correct cards, and read the copy from that deck of cards. Nice, nice guy.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

PartingGift · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2008, 12:12:17 PM »

Look out for this black space, Bankrupt, because if you hit it, you lose your cash, but not your merchandise, because once you buy a prize (all together now) it's yours to keep.

/I want a ceramic Dalmatian

Joe Mello · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2008, 02:47:14 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' post=\'178982\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 12:07 AM\']
[quote name=\'clanky06\' post=\'178897\' date=\'Feb 25 2008, 10:01 AM\']
And in those days the contestants had to turn their backs during commercial breaks (to not give them an unfair advantage over home viewers, I presume).[/quote]
I'm more inclined to think it's to avoid giving the player currently in control an unfair advantage.[/quote]
Or either of the other players, if the one in control was dense.

They still have the contestants turn their backs between puzzles.

clemon79 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2008, 02:50:30 PM »

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'179025\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 11:47 AM\']
They still have the contestants turn their backs between puzzles.
[/quote]
With a puzzle board that doesn't have to be manually loaded, and, indeed, doesn't have to even display the puzzle until the contestants need to see it?

Would someone do me a favor and confirm this, or is this just more Classic Mello?

TLEberle · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2008, 02:52:54 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'179026\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 11:50 AM\'][quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'179025\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 11:47 AM\']They still have the contestants turn their backs between puzzles.
[/quote]With a puzzle board that doesn't have to be manually loaded, and, indeed, doesn't have to even display the puzzle until the contestants need to see it?

Would someone do me a favor and confirm this, or is this just more Classic Mello?[/quote]The only time they'd have to have the contestants looking away is when the Mystery Wedges are placed on the wheel.

If it's indeed true, it's a silly thing to police. "No, you can't look at the grid of blank spaces! Sure, there's no puzzle up there, but we've always done it that way and we're not changing now!"

SRIV94 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2008, 02:56:39 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'179026\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 01:50 PM\']
Would someone do me a favor and confirm this, or is this just more Classic Mello?
[/quote]
I might be able to let you know in March.

tvwxman · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:33:04 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'179026\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 02:50 PM\']
[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'179025\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 11:47 AM\']
They still have the contestants turn their backs between puzzles.
[/quote]
With a puzzle board that doesn't have to be manually loaded, and, indeed, doesn't have to even display the puzzle until the contestants need to see it?

Would someone do me a favor and confirm this, or is this just more Classic Mello?
[/quote]
When I did my behind-the-scenes stories a few years back, there was no turning around for any reason. This was before the Mystery Wedges, however.

Classic Mello.

tvrandywest · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2008, 04:11:24 PM »

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'179033\' date=\'Feb 26 2008, 12:33 PM\']

When I did my behind-the-scenes stories a few years back, there was no turning around for any reason. This was before the Mystery Wedges, however.[/quote]
Mystery wedgies? No wonder Pat and Vanna sometimes walk funny ;-)

And w-a-a-a-y back at NBC I remember them stopping tape after each puzzle to reload the board with black letters on scratchy plexiglass rectangles. I miss the analog world!

Randy
tvrandywest.com