"Joker's Wild", of course, would return in 1977 as a first-run syndicated program, and would enjoy a nine-year run. The syndicated version probably would have lasted a few years longer had it not been for Jack Barry's unexpected death in 1984 (although game-show legend Bill Cullen hosted the rest of the first syndicated version's run and did a good job doing so).
That said, around the mid-80s, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! started to dominate tot he point that even Family Feud was cancelled for three years between the Dawson and Combs eras. By the Time TJW returned one last time in 1990, it received less favorable timeslots than its previous version . Let's not forget the rise of Entertainment Tonight and tabloid news like Inside Edition and later network newscasts. I also wonder if the "five wins for a car" rule was in effect at this time instead of the Joker's Jackpot that was around for at least the first two years of the run.
The story was that Jack was going to retire as host of Joker and a la truth or consequences (Ralph Edwards passing the host’s position to Bob Barker) he was going to pass the hosting duties to Jim Peck but after Jack died, Dan Enright overruled and gave the spot to Bill Cullen.
Spinoff certainly tanked. CBS made yet ANOTHER mistake here. The year before, they cancelled the 10,000$ PYramid, and it moved to ABC to great success.
I hope since finding all those tapes in the vault in 2000 at WCBS I hope they will replay them again someday. Fun fact: AT the end of the film, where the cameraman is standing with the camera on the left is close to where Bob Barker would stand for TPIR in Studio 33.
"My fantasy is the 🃏🃏 🃏 joker's-wild live from the abandoned acme-market on route-61 west in shamokin land-of messopotamia northumberland-county ioml" 🇺🇸📺🎤🤔.
Very close and fond childhood memories associated with this show, especially during the CBS days. Labor Day 1972, two days before I began my first day of Kindergarten, this, Gambit and The Price is Right debuted on CBS. I remember watching all three of them and being a very mesmerized child of 5 and feeling very bummed that I had to go to AM Kindergarten instead of PM Kindergarten and missing out on watching these shows daily. I did get to watch and enjoy them when I was home sick or had a holiday or vacation from school however. Thanks for this upload. CBS definitely gave this show a premature axe, but I guess the ratings for it did not warrant it continuing. I know it was on opposite Name That Tune which was very popular, but also later on opposite Celebrity Sweepstakes which I don't believe was nearly as popular. Oh well, that's show biz.
During the close, you'll notice on the lower right a camera and the credit crawl. Sandi Fullerton (d. 2014) was the associate director; could she have been the same one who went on to direct the Arsenio Hall show some 15 years after this "Joker's Wild" finale? To say nothing of stops in between at "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" later in the '70s and "Live Aid" in 1985? Arsenio (after introducing a videotape)>>"Kick it, Sandi."
I never could understand why CBS got rid of this show. It lasted a very long time in syndication, even after Jack died. Even though I liked Bill Cullen, I don't think he was the best choice as a replacement. Who was the knucklehead that voted to dislike this clip? Geez....
Here are the probabilities. Five categories and a joker make for 216 possible spins. Three different categories: 60/216 Two of one category and one of another category: 60/216 Two different categories and a joker: 60/216 Two of one category and a joker: 15/216 Two jokers and a category: 15/216 Three of one category: 5/216 Three jokers: 1/216 $50 60/216 $100 120/216 $200 35/216 $500 1/216
Jack didn't know how to pronounce "potpourri". Also, I remember watching this episode with my tape recorder. I tried in vain to read off the credits as they rolled.