They enjoyed the idea but felt it needed something to hook potential viewers and add to the entertainment value.īased on his own perception of the draw of roulette wheels in casinos, Griffin added the idea of the large wheel and pitched the show to NBC. They also liked the show but felt it needed a bit more glam to boost female viewership. Griffin and his sister frequently played Hangman while on road trips inspired by these games, Griffin pitched a Hangman-based game show to personnel at his production company.
Wheel of Fortune was originally created by media personality Merv Griffin in the mid-1970s.
