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Go back to 1976, or forward to 1978?

January 1977[]

  • January 24 is the first known Brides Week, with brides-to-be (grooms-to-be on the 26th) playing for prizes including a $5,000+ wardrobe, wedding cakes, rings, silver, crystal, fine china, and various home furnishings. It is also the first known instance of a themed week.
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    • Summer Bartholomew makes her first known appearance this week, modeling specially-designed bridal gowns which are among the prizes.
    • A set of 20 color slides (photos) taken during this week's taping is known to exist. Some are from the 26th (including the photo at right), while another appears to be a publicity shot of Chuck, Susan, and Summer; most of the pictures likely represent the week as-aired. In May 2012, the slides were put up for auction on eBay with a starting price of $12.79 (including shipping) and photos of 12 slides available for viewing, though the auction closed with no bids.
  • By January 24, the curtain's lights are removed.
  • As of January 28, the contestant score displays and arrows still look the same as they did on June 7, 1976.

February 1977[]

  • On an episode around this point (known to be between January and March), contestant Beverly LaBerdia mis-solves the puzzle TED KNIGHT as TED NUGENT. A copy of the episode, held by Beverly, was stolen (along with Beverly's U-Haul truck) on May 25, 1981 while she was staying at a Motel 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and its location is currently unknown.

March 1977[]

  • On March 16, Merv takes out a single-page print ad noting that Wheel attained the highest audience share of all daytime network programming for the weeks of February 14 and 21.

April 1977[]

  • Sometime this year, an episode airs in which a female contestant purchases a trip, which results in her getting married and having a daughter. The daughter, Sarah, appears as a contestant during the College Week of May 12, 2003 and relates the aforementioned.
  • On another episode sometime this year (and likely before mid-October), contestant Gaylee purchases a few prizes. Her son, Paul (whom Gaylee was pregnant with during her appearance), appears as a contestant on November 27, 2008 and relates the aforementioned.

May 1977[]

  • The week of May 2 is "Salute to Mom".

June 1977[]

  • As of June 15, Wheel is still the highest-rated daytime series on NBC.

July 1977[]

  • On July 4, a champion retires undefeated.
  • By July 4, the returning-champion limit is decreased to three days.
  • The July 5 show is known to exist, as a copy taped by contestant William Silver is held by him on VHS tape.
  • On July 5 (Marty/Bill/Tony):
    • Bill loses $3,000 to Bankrupt in Round 2. Later that round, Marty loses $2,400 to Bankrupt as well.
    • The Round 2 puzzle BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID is the longest known puzzle to be used on the original puzzle board in terms of letters, but not in terms of overall spaces, using 29 of the 39 spaces.
    • Round 4 is played for a gift certificate, despite not beginning as a Speed-Up.
    • Inexplicably, Round 4 does not begin as a Speed-Up, considering that the Final Spin chimes sound only one turn into the round.
    • Chuck's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt; however, the slide whistle does not sound.
  • By July 5:
    • The contestant displays are extended to show five digits and a dollar sign.
    • A slide whistle sound is added for landing on Bankrupt. According to one recollection, its first use results in Chuck saying "What was that?" and laughing.
    • The Round 3 layout has changed: The blue $200 next to Lose a Turn becomes a dark-blue $400, while the red $200 between the Bankrupts increases to $375. The $375 wedge (making its first known appearance since the 1974 pilots) is slightly off-model; the "7" is in an unmatched sans-serif font (most likely Franklin Gothic).
    • The category cards are changed to a thin, monospaced font display in various colors, usually matching Susan's outfit barring neutral colors or multicolored outfits. Unlike the prior style, which was only shown sporadically due to being on art cards, the new displays are present on all shots of the puzzle board.
    • Likely due to the change from art cards to the monospaced font, the category is now displayed during Speed-Up rounds, albeit sometimes in white rather than the color of Susan's outfit.
    • The puzzle board's border now stays lit for the entire game, instead of lighting up only on letter reveals.
    • A rule is added requiring players to solve the puzzle exactly as it is shown on the board. (Although it was very likely added much earlier, this is the first known instance of Chuck pointing out the rule; he does not do so in the surviving 1976 episodes.)
    • Nyesta begins providing Susan's wardrobe. (Augustus may have been providing Chuck's wardrobe also, but as there is no wardrobe credit for Chuck on this episode, this is uncertain.)
  • As of July 5:
    • The Rounds 1 and 2 layouts still look the same as they did on June 7, 1976.
    • Vowels still cannot be called during the Speed-Up Round, as indicated by Chuck saying "no vowels" during his Final Spin spiel.
    • The contestant arrows still look the same as they did on January 28, 1977.
    • The eligibility disclaimer still looks the same as it did on June 7, 1976.

August 1977[]

  • At some point this year (known to be sometime after July 5), contestant Evan Silbert competes for two shows, winning $5,500 in prizes. Evan is known to have copies of both episodes.
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  • On the first of Evan's two episodes, the Round 1 puzzle HANKY-PANKY is both the first known instance of punctuation and the first known instance of a puzzle being entirely filled in before being solved.
  • By the above episodes:
    • Charlie's opening spiel is slightly extended to mention three prizes as the camera shows closeups of them: "Just look at this studio, filled with [names of three prizes], which can be purchased today on Wheel of Fortune! Total retail value of all these prizes: more than [amount]! Now, let's meet your host, Chuck Woolery!" (Charlie's spiel may have changed by July 5, but this is uncertain.)
    • At least the Round 1 Wheel layout has changed somewhat: The blue $100 near Free Spin becomes $400, the blue $100 next to Lose a Turn becomes $400, the orange $100 near Bankrupt becomes $500, and the blue $100 next to Bankrupt becomes $350.
    • The "ON ACCOUNT" displays are now used for total winnings for champions, omitting the dollar sign for totals of $10,000 or more.

September 1977[]

  • Likely by this point, rounds that begin as a Speed-Up are played for a gift certificate if time runs very short. This practice becomes increasingly common with the introduction of the Bonus Round.
  • Early this month (taped in mid-August), contestant Tad Dunlap competes for three shows, retiring undefeated. Among his winnings is a trip to Europe.
    • On one of Tad's episodes, for the first time, five full rounds are played without the need for a Final Spin due to him solving the puzzles quickly; at this point, four full rounds was the norm. This is the first known instance of such an event, and appears to have been a rarity in the shopping era.
    • Tad is known to have requested copies of his episodes to be taped by a Las Vegas appliance store, but upon returning from the aforementioned trip discovered that the episodes had been taped over on the assumption that he would not be coming for them.
  • Sometime after Tad's shows (and no later than September 7), Susan is absent for at least four weeks due to an accident while rehearsing for the second Circus of the Stars, which airs December 5. Summer Bartholomew returns to fill in for her.
  • Susan Morrison, a married model living in San Diego, plays on September 13 and 14; among the prizes she wins is a trip to Hawaii.
  • Arte Johnson fills in for Susan on at least one episode this month, most likely the 30th. It is known that he appears to plug his show Knockout, which debuts October 3.

October 1977[]

November 1977[]

  • Wheel does not air on November 24 due to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

December 1977[]

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