"The Joker's Wild" (1972) TV series 1972-1991

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Directors:

Dan Diana
Richard S. Kline

Writers:

Ted Ishler (writer) (1990-1991)
Leonard Koss (questions) (1977-1986)

Seasons:

unknown

Release Date:

4 September 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Game-Show

Plot:

A long-running quiz show hosted by TV veteran Jack Barry, and later by Bill Cullen. In this show, contestants...

Plot Keywords:

Non Fiction

Cast

Jack Carter	...	Himself (1 episode, 1974)
Rod McKuen	...	Himself (1 episode, 1974)
Jayne Meadows	...	Herself (1 episode, 1974)
Jo Anne Worley	...	Herself (1 episode, 1974)
Rosemary Clooney	...	Herself (1 episode)
Don Drysdale	...	Himself (1 episode)
Rich Little	...	Himself (1 episode)
Allen Ludden	...	Himself - Host (1 episode)
Pat Paulsen	...	Himself (1 episode)
Irene Ryan	...	Herself (1 episode)
Lee Vines	...	Announcer (1 episode)

Runtime:

30 min (2350 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-G

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Two black and white pilots were made, in 1968 and in 1969 with Allen Ludden as host. "The Joker's Wild" debuted at 10:00 (EST), Monday morning, September 4, 1972 on CBS Television - the same Labor Day which saw the dawning of "Gambit" (1972) and "The New Price Is Right" (1972).

Quotes:

[opening announcement]
Announcer: From Television City in Hollywood, here's the game where Knowledge Is King and Lady Luck Is Queen! It's "The Joker's Wild"! And now, here is the host of our show, JACK BARRY!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Sopranos: Made in America (#6.21)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Funky Express

Shall we try this show again?

Recently, "The Joker's Wild" got some air time on VH1's "I Love the '70s, Volume II." I'm paraphrasing a bit, but one of the celebrities interviewees said it best: "Why is it that we can create a thousand celebrity reality shows, but we can't remake 'The Joker's Wild'?" Sony owns the rights to the show. If done right, and sticking to the classic format that was a winner (unlike the initial try of the 1990 version), TJW could be another long-running winner. The format is solid, the game itself is interesting (though the questions could be tougher), and there's enough drama in each spin to keep you for the full half hour. I think there's more than enough interest to consider a resurrection.