January 6, 1975-June 30, 1989.
Game show on which three contestants take turns spinning a large wheel, with a chance to guess the letters of a mystery word or phrase. Chuck Woolery hosted the show from 1975 to 1982, when Pat Sajak became host. Susan Stafford assisted until the Fall of 1982, and was succeeded by Vanna White. Charlie O'Donnell was the announcer from the premiere until 1982 when he was replaced by Jack Clark.
NOTE: Joined in progress as stated by NBC announcer after President Gerald Ford's News Conference ran seven minutes into the beginning of Wheel of Fortune time slot, 10:30am-11:30am.
NOTE: For one week November 3-7, 1975 Wheel of Fortune expanded to a one hour format. It was then decided that it would continue as an hour broadcast but only briefly for six weeks.
From Monday, December 1st, 1975 to Friday, January 16th, 1976, (five Monday - Friday weeks), the program aired a series of hour-long episodes in an attempt to duplicate & surpass its popularity to the CBS' successful of expanded The Price Is Right (1972). Two three-round games were played with two different sets of three contestants. The winners of each game played a head-to-head speed-up round, with the winner of that round playing the Bonus Round.