From The TV IV

The Joker's Wild was a game show that aired on CBS and later in syndication. It marked the return of Jack Barry to the game show arena since his exile from the Twenty-One scandal. It was also the first big-ticket giveaway show on CBS since 1958, when the network imposed a ban on giveaway shows in light of the scandals. It premiered on September 4, 1972, the same day the The New Price Is Right and Gambit premiered on the network.

[edit] Rules

Two contestants sit at lecturns with a handle from a Vegas slot machine. In turn, they pull the handle to manipulate three slot machine windows. As each window stops, they display one of five categories or "Jokers." The "Jokers" act as wild cards as contestants can make pairs out of categories or even three of a kind. They select a category and is asked a question. If correct, the payoff is $50 for individual categories, $100 for pairs (natural or with Jokers) and $200 for three-of-a-kind (natural or with Jokers). If a contestant misses a question, the opponent can score it by giving a correct answer.

A player reaching $500 wins the game, provided the opponent cannot make a combination to at least tie. A player spinning three Jokers can win the game by selecting a category and correctly answering the question.

The winner plays the bonus game. The very first bonus game had the player the prize showing on the windows that compose a three-of-a-kind. It later changed to the player taking up to three spins and winning a prize by spinning three Jokers and not revealing a Devil. In the final season, the bonus game had money amounts on the wheel. The player had to spin $1000 without hitting the Devil to win a jackpot of prizes.

After CBS canceled the show, it ran in replays for a year on Los Angeles station KHJ/channel 9 (now KCAL-TV). It went into first run syndication afterwards with the only noted change from the CBS show being some of the categories, which included "Fast Forward" (running off a series of answers). Late in the syndicated run, three members of the studio audience were invited to spin for money. Each member took one spin and won whatever money amount was in the windows. The high scorer spun the machine for prizes as per the regular bonus game.

Jim Peck filled in for Jack Barry several times. Barry died in 1984 of a heart attack, so during the show's final two seasons, veteran Bill Cullen became the show's host (his final show before retiring).

[edit] Cast

Person	Role	Duration
Main Cast
Jack Barry	Host	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Jim Peck												11
Bill Cullen													12	13	14
Johnny Jacobs	Announcer	1	2	3
Jay Stewart	Announcer				4	5	6	7
Charlie O'Donnell	Announcer								8	9	10	11	12	13	14