Games - Jackpot

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	Games - Jackpot

Jackpot was a game show seen on NBC in the 70s and the USA Network in the 80s. The NBC version aired from January 7, 1974 until September 26, 1975, and was hosted by Geoff Edwards. A second version, produced in Canada, aired beginning in 1985 on the USA Network and was hosted by Mike Darrow. That version ended in 1989, and a third version debuted the following September in syndication, again hosted by Edwards and produced in Glendale, CA. That version lasted one year, having been cancelled when its distributor went bankrupt, and Bob Stewart Productions were unable to find another to keep the series going. Edwards, who was also hosting Chain Reaction in Canada at the time, became the third emcee to simultaniously host a game show on both sides of the U.S./Canada border upon hosting the latter version of Jackpot!.

Jackpot! was a Bob Stewart production and was originally produced at the NBC Studios in New York City with Don Pardo as the announcer. It succeeded another game show on NBC's daytime schedule, "The Who, What or Where Game", hosted by Art James.

Gameplay

Sixteen contestants competed for one whole week, with one being the King of the Hill (Queen of the Hill for female contestants). The other fifteen contestants were seated in bleachers numbered 1 through 15 with riddles inside wallets. The King of the Hill selected a number, and the contestant with that number asked a riddle to this player. If answered correctly, the King of the Hill continued picking numbers; if answered incorrectly, the two contestants switched places, with the contestant who asked the riddle becoming the new King Of The Hill.

Money was added to the Jackpot based on the value of the riddle. If the King of the Hill selected the contestant with the Jackpot Riddle and answered it correctly, these two contestants split the Jackpot. If the last three digits of the Jackpot amount matched a pre-selected target number, the King Of The Hill could go for a Super Jackpot by correctly solving a Super Jackpot Riddle.

The Three Versions

Although played the same way, each version was different in its own right.

1970s Version

In this version the King of the Hill is called the "Expert".
The Target number could go no higher than $995. A number from 5 to 50 was chosen at random and was multiplied with the target number to make the Super Jackpot (Ex: $500 X 30 = $15,000); if the target number hit $995 and the multiplier read "50", the Super Jackpot was automatically set at $50,000.
The Super Jackpot could be played for one of three ways:

:1. Hitting the target number.
:2. Choosing the player that has the Super Jackpot Riddle.
:3. Choosing the player that has the Super Jackpot Wildcard.

Second Format

For the last 13 weeks, the format was altered with these changes:

The Target number was dropped, and the Super Jackpot was established at random; it could be worth anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000.
Riddles were dropped in favor of straight general-knowledge questions.
When the Jackpot question was found, the Expert could either try to answer it, or go for the Super Jackpot by answering all remaining questions in the game, including the Jackpot question. If the player missed the Super Jackpot question, the Jackpot was wiped out, so it was hard to build a Jackpot. If, however, the Jackpot question was the last one found, the Super Jackpot was discarded.

1980s USA Version

Along with the riddles, the Target number returned, but there was no multiplier; the Super Jackpot was created at random. The target number was notified by the last three digits of the Jackpot.
The Jackpot started at $100.
Riddles were valued anywhere from $50 to $300.
If the Jackpot riddle was found and attempted, the King of the Hill and the person with the Jackpot riddle had to trade places whether the riddle was answered correctly or incorrectly.
If the Jackpot riddle was not found until the last player, an extra $1,000 was added to the Jackpot.
In the second season, there was a "$10,000 Riddler Contest" in which the player who answered the most riddles correctly over a period of ten weeks won a bonus of $10,000.
In the final season of the Darrow version, there was a special riddle called "The $50,000 Riddle". These riddles were much harder than the ones usually asked, and all players who correctly answered them split $50,000. Three players shared the $50,000 prize.
Starting in season two, any player who ran the table (answered all fifteen riddles without a miss) won a new car.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Jackpot (game show) ]

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