A Revolution in Game Shows
Fun Facts & Sarcasm About Wheel of Fortune
- A "T" was the first letter Vanna ever turned on the show. Thanks to technological advances on the set, Vanna is no longer required to turn the letters, so now she just pretends to touch them.
- The wheel weighs 4000 pounds.
- In 1992, the Guinness Book of World Records declared Vanna White the world's most frequent clapper. She claps an average of 720 times per show and is grossly underpaid.
- Wheel of Fortune was the first game show to be broadcast with closed-captioning.
- Chuck Woolery was the original host of the show. He left in 1981 after a contract dispute with Merv Griffin. Chuck reportedly wanted a higher salary and the right to start charging for Y's.
- More than $162 million in cash and prizes has been awarded in the history of the show.
- For the first several seasons the theme song was "Big Wheels," written by Alan Thicke. Thicke also wrote and performed the theme song for Diff'rent Strokes and still found time to portray the coolest dad ever, Growing Pains' Jason Seaver.
- The original title of the show was Shoppers' Bazaar, and players originally used their winnings to shop for prizes in the prize showcase. The shopping segment was dropped for good in 1989 when they ran out of $23 Service Merchandise gift certificates.
- Susan Stafford was the first letter-turner/hostess for the show and was nominated for an Emmy for her groundbreaking work.
Wheel of Fortune Video Games
Wheel Of Fortune Deluxe for PC - $17.99
The Stars of the Show
Wheel of Fortune's Hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White
Pat Sajak
Pat was a weatherman at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles when Merv Griffin asked him to take over as host on Wheel in 1981. In addition to his Wheel hosting duties, he currently designs and promotes original games and puzzles in various formats and has won three Emmy awards and a People's Choice award and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Vanna White
Vanna joined the show in 1982 after making her television debut as a contestant on The Price Is Right in 1980. Her 1987 biography, Vanna Speaks, was a bestseller, and she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. "Vannamania" has been credited with being a large part of Wheel of Fortune's success, and promos for the show have often focused on her.
What Would You Do?
Wheel of Fortune Creator Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 - August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. During the 1960s, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show, and created the game shows Jeopardy! , Wheel of Fortune and Merv Griffins Crosswords''. A billionaire at his death, he is considered an entertainment business magnate.
Vanna White Crochet Books
Vanna's Choice Heartfelt Gifts to Knit and Crochet (Leisure Arts #4433) (Vanna's Choice)
Vanna's Favorite Crochet Gifts
Vanna's Choice Color It Beautiful Afghans (Leisure Arts #4432) (Vanna's Choice)
Related Sites
- Wheel of Fortune Official Site
- Sign up for the Wheel Watchers Club, play games, and find out about becoming a contestant on the show.
- u-gottaseethis.com
- Check out this site from Sony Pictures Television for great clips of funny happenings on the show.
- The Classic "Wheel of Fortune" Page
- This is a fan site with lots of info on Chuck Woolery, Susan Stafford, and the early seasons of Wheel of Fortune.
- The Official Pat Sajak Website
- Pat's official site, with a biography, history of Wheel, and updates on Pat's endeavors outside the show.
- Pat Sajak Games
- Trivia, puzzle, and word games created and hosted by Pat Sajak. Play online or purchase games for download.
More Wheel of Fortune Games
Fun Wheel of Fortune T-Shirts
Lots of sizes and styles available
Completely Inappropriate Behavior
Original Games from Pat Sajak
Wheel of Fortune Memorabilia
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Reader Comments
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Reply
- dagsmith dagsmith Nov 8, 2009 @ 8:57 am
- This is a really fun lens - love the trivia. 5***** and something you can't buy on the show - an angel's blessing.
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Reply
- awelldressedbullet awelldressedbullet Aug 17, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
- Great lens, really well presented and laid out, well done... I'd like to buy a vowel please LOL - Kathy
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Reply
- MrNoodles MrNoodles Aug 17, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
- I really enjoyed your lens. I have always been a big Pat Sajak fan.
by Freaknoodles
When I was a kid I attended a taping of Wheel of Fortune at Radio City Music Hall.
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