High Rollers - Daphne vs. Gene (5/19/1978)

High Rollers (Trebek) - Daphne McNeal vs. Gene Snook (May 19, 1978) This episodes is dedicated in the memory, in honor, and in tribute to the late great Alex Trebek, and High Rollers all-time champion; Gene Snook.
RIP Alex and Gene, and Godspeed.

[@heymelyo]

Incredible to find this! Gene Snook was my dad and this is my first time actually seeing this episode. After Alex's passing my girlfriend and I decided to do a quick KZbin search to see if this happened to be online. My dad was a gambler through and through until the last breath he drew. So enjoyed watching this. Alex Trebek has been one of my favorite game show hosts ever since dad was on this show. Truly appreciated Alex's career; he was generous onstage and offstage. RIP.

[@1TexasTV]

Your dad was an amazing High Rollers champion. How much in cash and prizes he won in his reign on HR?

[@heymelyo]

@@1TexasTV He loved to gamble. Really wild to watch this. Wound up being about $58,000 as far as I know.

[@1TexasTV]

@@heymelyo Sorry to ask, but when did your dad passed away?

[@jasonbertalotto2355]

Where you in the audience at the time?

[@heymelyo]

@@jasonbertalotto2355 No, I was playing high school sports in Oregon at the time and this was filmed in Burbank. I vaguely remember watching part of an episode when it aired; it was so cool to see my dad up there. He called me after it was all over and he was over the moon!

[@gsnfan]

13:40 A historic moment in daytime television!

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Alex Trebek was associated with NBC for years in the 70's, 80's and the Early 90's The Wizard of Odds, Battlestars, The NEW Battlestars, To Tell the Truth, High Rollers, The NEW High Rollers and of course, Classic Concentration God Bless You Alex Trebek, R.I.P. Sir and Thanks for all the years that you've entertained us

[@kellyethington7981]

I bet Alex is smiling down on you when he reads this. 😊

[@podcasterat1542]

Gene you're so lucky!!!! Good job my man!!! Alex Trebek even before Jeopardy you were an awesome game show host. We love you sir and we missed you.

[@t.cholmes6957]

Now this is a show that deserves a reboot on weekday s

[@michaelfischer841]

Alex Trebek -- arguably the greatest game show host of all time

[@bluebear1985]

Alex has passed away as of today, November 8, 2020. RIP. 😪😪😪

[@zibbyzubb]

too bad daytime TV is not still like this.

[@mitchellries256]

I'd say we found the next game show that ABC Summer Fun & Games should bring back.

[@theodorehsu5023]

They would need to talk to whomever has the Merrill Heatter Library. And probably bump up the prize values by at least 20 times. Each game would be 2 grand plus whatever cash revealed behind the rolled numbers (goes into side pot) with a completely shut out player getting "travel expense money" of 2 grand. Unused insurance markers at the end of a game worth 2 grand a pop (even if you didn't win it). Big Numbers is 2500 bucks a number, 50,000 for clearing the board (and 100,000 if no doubles rolled to do it).

[@gameshowguy2000]

@@theodorehsu5023 Does Sony own the H-Q library? I remember when GSN aired the Marshall Squares, each episode ended with the Columbia-TriStar Television logo (this means Sony owns Squares).

[@mitchellries256]

@@gameshowguy2000 I think MGM Television owns that content. But here's a better question, did GSN air any of the other Merrill Heatter content besides Hollywood Squares?

[@disneyfan8178]

@@mitchellries256 Not unless you count "Catch 21".

[@mitchellries256]

@@disneyfan8178 I don't count that personally because he created this show for GSN. I was talking about all his other shows from Video Village (his first show) all the way up to The Last Word (his last show before Catch 21). So you're telling me GSN never showed any reruns of High Rollers, Gambit, To Say The Least, Battlestars, Bargain Hunters, All Star Blitz, The Magnificent Marble Machine, etc?

[@georgemaster9952]

I would like to see the 1975-76 nighttime shows!

[@Hinch2011]

A few of the things they got RIGHT with the late 80s reboot was the larger, more normal-sized dice ... the Big Numbers display (plus the gold dice for the Bonus Game).

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

I Got some Golden Dice, at BOOKS-A-MILLION

[@davethompson3140]

No remake of a game is as good as the original.

[@Rlotpir1972]

Taped at NBC Studios in Burbank. Same studios where Card Sharks (NBC), Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour, Hot Potato, and Scrabble were taped.

[@sazonsongs]

I used to love high rollers and price is right when I was home sick from school. Alex’s swag was on a hundred!

[@kellyethington7981]

Home because you were sick from school or home because you were sick of going to school?

[@sazonsongs]

@@kellyethington7981 sometimes it was both. 😏 🤫

[@charlesallan-ks6gq]

Stay tuned for Wheel of Fortune next on NBC

[@pip12111]

They need to bring this game back

[@georgemaster9952]

I agree!

[@Musicradio77Network]

They can’t, because they already have “Dice Game” On “The Price Is Right” where they can win a car.

[@wschmrdr]

Highly doubt that's the reason, given this came back in 1978, and Dice Game started prior to that.

[@LittleRockElevators]

@@wschmrdr and again in the 80s with Wink Martindale hosting. It can be brought back.

[@jamesmoss3424]

They should for a new generation.

[@kennethhuang371]

IT’S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I’VE SEEN THE NEW HIGH ROLLERS FROM 1978, BUT THAT WAS A WELL PLAYED DICE ROUND, RESULTING IN $10,000 AND A NICE CAR PLUS PRIZES TOTALING OVER $30,000. GREAT SHOW, ALEX. Kenneth Huang 8/27/23.

[@willmack5909]

Praying hard and long for you Alex...

[@allewis1376]

Amen

[@davethompson3140]

Sad to see him gone.

[@glennaa11]

I loved this show so much. Good old Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills. It was such a different time. And my first car was a 1978 Buick Skylark

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

When HIGH ROLLERS Returned in 1987, The Host was Wink Martindale, and the Announcer was Dean Goss Dean Introduced Wink, as "The Man with All the Action"

[@brooklyn6times]

Classic episode of Alex Trebek's "High Rollers" with a very lucky contestant from 1978!

[@riceboy1701e]

I like stuff like this. No drama, where they d...r...a...g out the conclusion of the show. Alex let Gene go to the bonus game and do it and win, then go right to the next contestant. I wish today's TV shows would cut the drama crap.

[@spacemanmonster23]

Hear Hear!!

[@wschmrdr]

Sadly, most of the drama stems from the timing of the show, where they want to self-contain the episode so they can bicycle it for ratings.

[@jnadle1]

@@wschmrdr Not if they choose to use a streaming service instead.

[@wschmrdr]

And how many game shows are there out there that do that exclusively?

[@jnadle1]

@@wschmrdr Well, it's just a thought if streaming services want to do game shows exclusive to their services. We must plan for the future.

[@ericsamuelson5656]

Only 2 countries outside the USA did High Rollers. It aired briefly in Australia in 1975 hosted by Garry Meadows & Suzanne Fox did the same job as Ruta Lee on NBC. In Japan, it ran from 1980-84 as SuperdiceQ (checkout the second on KZbin).

[@louistenore2185]

If they had a clone of this guy the world is in big trouble

[@samueljimson9837]

That bell sounds like school is out back in my days of school

[@Musicradio77Network]

RIP: Alex Trebek (1940-2020) 😢

[@chuckers40]

There are not many contestants that beat the "Big Numbers" more than once, and to do it back to back.

[@RJN0607]

Awww, Gene! Gene!!! You're getting to be a pain! I don't wanna play anymore with you!

[@bubbasouth]

Took a long time to get used to Alex without a mustache. Now it’s kinda strange seeing him with one.

[@MewtwoStruckBack]

First, this show needs to come back. Second, they need to change the rules so that every insurance marker you have left over at the end of any game doubles your prizes for that game (including the bonus round.) Third...holy shit rolling a 2 on command in the bonus!

[@wschmrdr]

Second will never happen. They have these things called budgets. They could bring it back if they find a way to self-contain the show without heavy edits or dramatization (if time's running out, dump the questions and alternate rolls until someone wins). Could make it an all cash show, with an additional $500 at the start of each game in each column (or a variable amount randomized based on the contestant's buzzer), most games wins (single die roll for a tiebreak), plays Big Numbers for 5k (or 10k, again depending on budget).

[@bloodguzzler]

Tracking. Kids today will never know the pain

[@willmack5909]

$42,108 in 1978 when adjusted for inflation means $165,700 in 2019.

[@brycerushing9263]

And now, a game of high stakes where every decision is a gamble and every move can be your last, High Rollers.

[@AaronBruceLadner]

And Here's the Man with the Action, Alex Trebek.

[@brianschaffer9220]

I was 13 days old when this aired

[@willmack5909]

The only two things I disliked about this version...1. No actual BIG numbers like the 1974-76 edition and the 1987-88 edition had and 2. Ruta Lee wasn't brought back as a hostess. I liked that the players rolled the dice instead of Ruta, but it's a shame they couldn't have used her in another capacity.

[@marcpower4167]

What i didnt like is eventually the prizes became things like antiques and artworks, african masks or the infamous $10,000 fish bowl, not necessarily things regular people would want.

[@gpgbball]

I remember this episode & Gene was sure lucky indeed!!!

[@jamesmoss3424]

Gene is one lucky dude.😀👍

[@GeorgeMaster-xg7lg]

I call Alex Mr.NBC due to the shows he did on the peacock network.Since Buzzr has Card Sharks,and if they could get The Joker's Wild and High Rollers,there could be a segment called "Casino" classics.

[@tsukune007]

and Gene is a the greatest craps player on High Rollers ever

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Yes INDEED and one of the most exciting contestants on the show and fun to watch God Bless This Man

[@theodorehsu5023]

@@tnawcwvictoria God bless them both. May Gene and Alex be having fun reliving this wonderful day.

[@Wizardof]

Them 70s Botany 500 suits. Quite a few stories about Botany.

[@streetcarjay]

Sudbury's own Alex Trebek. The native of the nickel.

[@megamanj2004X]

Holy crap! You have one of the earliest episodes of the 1978 version of Trebek HR!

[@AaronBruceLadner]

High Rollers had a Brief Revival in 1987, with Wink Martindale as the Host.

[@georgemaster9952]

I remember it well.

[@BenJabituya]

That one I saw on USA Network, back in the days!

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

+Rohan Padiyar I Have a HIGH ROLLERS Album on my Facebook

[@chrislang9442]

Aaron Ladner At least with that show, I had a crush on Crystal Owens.

[@damienchance4420]

wow Alex trebek stars on high rollers?

[@jeromehoward1249]

Alex at his best on this show! 😆

[@imal25]

JUST SAW THE CLIP DURING APRIL OF 2006.

[@markschildberg1667]

NBC must have given Heatter-Quigley a very big prize budget for High Rollers. It wasn’t this big when the show was syndicated in 1986.

[@richardhernandez4490]

9:06: DAMN, Alex! SAVAGE!

[@streetcarjay]

Of course, Alex is what you call the native of the nickel. Sudbury, Ontario.

[@chrysrhykyscalhoun9812]

Pretty much historical for Gene Snook because that was a pretty dang haul to take home. Inflation today, it's almost worth $174,000, even in daytime. I betcha Merill-Heather Productions must've been broke after that. Hearing about a woman winning over $90K during the first iteration, yikes, $371K. Maybe that was the reason why Wink's version had each round reset to different prizes.

[@WaltGekko]

15:25. The outfits worn by the ladies were classics and is the kind of style that should come back.

[@damienchance2622]

That theme sounds like a 1950's diner

[@DucNguyen0131]

When the revival started, it replaced the Tom Kennedy game To Say the Least, and it managed to last as long as To Say the Least. FUN FACT: Heatter-Quigley and Kenny Williams was involved in both shows.

[@jimlange944]

Duc Nguyen Last as long? Dude To Say The Least lasted 6 months. This version of High Rollers lasted 2 years. Not even close.

[@888jerm888]

thanks for the uploading of this. do you have any more shows?

[@eleanorlorde8944]

R.I.P. ALEX TREBEK (1940-2020)

[@ArmHeavySoCal]

Gene was on a roll. Is there more classic High Rollers soon?

[@MultiAnimationdude]

-Vacations to the South Pacific and Rhine River -A Refrigerator -A Computer -An Organ -A Game Table -Bicycles -Housekeeping -A Sailboat -Lamps -$1,000 Tiffany's Gift Certificate -A Pinball Machine -A Hot Tub -A Sofa -Women's Fashions -A Fur Coat -A French Kitchen -$5,000 in cash -A New Car -A Big-Screen TV -A Stereo Basically every kind of prize that could be won on a game show, all won by one man in one episode. Let that sink in for a moment.

[@gameshowfanatic9311]

MultiAnimationdude all prizes combined total $19,008 in game 1

[@chuckers40]

In today's era that would have been over $200,000 cash and prizes

[@rodney1279TheFlip]

Alex Trebek knows how to rock an afro.

[@ericsamuelson5656]

First, Orson Bean. Next, Tom Kennedy. Now, Alex Trebek. 2020 has became a strange year.

[@imal25]

April 3,2006 I Saw This Clip 10 Years Ago!

[@digiblader1]

BTW, that Rolls Royce win was likely from 1976 during NBC's All Star Dream Machine championship--which was also held on Wheel of Fortune as well.

[@300zxbear2]

It Aired in January 1976.

[@twinzrus6493]

trying to find an episode I was on in August 1979 any ideas how to obtain it?

[@WaltGekko]

If it's available. NBC famously erased many of their videotapes so there may not be many around.

[@ericandy88]

Until about the early '80s, that was sadly true. I think Goodson/Todman had asked that their shows not be wiped, but that does not explain the almost wholesale absence of Mindreaders (the show sucked, yes; but it would be valuable, all the same).

[@Diskoboy1974]

RIP Alex

[@sabster74]

Is there any existing footage of the first '70's run of High Rollers?

[@disneyfan81]

+sabster74 Only at the Paley Center for Media (new name for the Museum of Television and Radio) in New York City and Beverly Hills.

[@WaltGekko]

There is one complete episode from July 4, 1975 that is on KZbin, notable for two things: 1. Ruta Lee getting hit in the head at the beginning by what closes the entrance she comes out of. 2. One of the contestants being Ray Wersching, a long-time NFL Placekicker who most famously was the kicker on the San Francisco 49ers when the 49ers won Super Bowls XVI (1981, won in January 1982 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit against the Cincinnati Bengals) and XIX (1984, won in January 1985 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, CA against the Dolphins). He was a member of the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers at the time of his appearance.

[@disneyfan8178]

@@WaltGekko And that episode is also on file at The Paley Center. I watched it there before it was uploaded on to KZbin.

[@stephenhacker6475]

Agreed 👍

[@zachhoran]

Ooh what a lucky man he was should have been the theme song for this episode.

[@Scottwilkie18]

R I p

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

Alex Just Grew a Beard for the Premiere of the 35th Season of JEOPARDY!

[@libertubey2199]

Yep, and while he was willing to keep it because the viewers loved it, his wife said otherwise. But, at least he had that, a goatee and the mustache before he was clean shaven again.

[@ericandy88]

Nowadays, unless you are Tom Selleck, mustaches alone are no longer in style.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

14:41, Champion Gene Snook Has Won Cash and Prizes Totaling... $42,108

[@jnadle1]

4:13 and 13:45 Cheer up, sleepy Gene!

[@Musicradio77Network]

This never happened until “The Price Is Right” where any contestant had won in “Dice Game” if they can get the numbers right if they don’t make a mistake when it got higher or lower.

[@JoeLink56]

Daphne gave it away!

[@Musicradio77Network]

Gotta love the infamous tape damage @ 0:47. This episode was from the same year I was born, 1978 as “The NEW High Rollers”. “The Price Is Right” did the “Dice Game” which is considered as a watered down version of “High Rollers” which was loosely based off of this game. Roll the dice, and you can tell if the number is right, or you can tell that the number is either higher or lower. That’s why the “Dice Game” was introduced on the “Price Is Right” back in 1976 which was two years before this episode of “High Rollers” was aired.

[@damienchance4420]

poor poor Daphne

[@Margann1987]

"Junior G-man magic carpet" ... omg Alex! So cheesy! :p

[@marcpower4167]

Watch the finale, that's my response to that. Alex is (i hear) a total cornball in real life (i mean that in a nice way) its a side of him we dont see much on jeopardy.

[@bmhedgehog2]

Snake eyes for the win!

[@AaronBruceLadner]

Only on HIGH ROLLERS!

[@LittleRockElevators]

@@AaronBruceLadner or if you bet on the don't pass in craps.

[@MrMatteNWk]

8:34 "The only bad roll is a 3" (which can only be made from a 1 and a 2). "I'll pass." :roll:

[@chucksizzle7]

8:52 "How many times have you seen a flying moose?" (Coincidentally, there is a bar in the Des Moines, IA, area called The Flying Moose, but it's only been around for about three years.)

[@garyrosato2405]

I'll take the pinball machine Alex

[@chrislang9442]

I was going to say he would have to liquidate prizes for taxes, but now that he has won the bonus round, never mind...

[@marcpower4167]

It helped, but i dont think $5,000 would have covered the taxes

[@tvtimetravel]

Did Kenny announce the year throughout the original NBC version (1974-76)? Any idea when this version discontinued that and just put HR's on the board?

[@PREGO1966]

Kenny did do the original, no clue why that version ended

[@Tubewings]

PREGO1966 I think the "1978" was discontinued and the HR's appearing on the board happened by the start of the following year (1979).

[@PREGO1966]

Tubewings It's Eric to my friends, and it was Randy who asked the question. He wanted to know why the old High Rollers ended, I said I did not know but I think it was bad ratings, but they decided to bring it back

[@tvtimetravel]

Actually, I meant how long did Kenny announce the year of the show in the opening. Sorry if I misinterpreted my question!

[@Tubewings]

***** As I mentioned in a previous comment, I think it only lasted until the end of the year.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

0:17

[@ddmck1972]

15:28 when Patty's microphone comes off.

[@JeopardyandWheelFan]

Gene's answer of Bullwinkle at 8:56 is perfect for the song "When I See a Moose Fly", lol!

[@damienchance2622]

Lol

[@WSBT960]

Way to shank an extra point Gene @8:53

[@davethompson3140]

Alex Trabek toned down his Afro compared to the 1st year this game came out. Also, I’d love to see this gig shooting dice in Vegas! Hitting a 2!

[@StukInBuf]

Wee over 9 minutes in... "So much for the string of luck, maybe." BTW: Earlier, boss pimp Trebek wondered aloud about "how many Russian squirrels" it took to make the fur coat. A dig at Boris and Natasha, perhaps?

[@WaltGekko]

Of course. Boris and Natasha were first seen around 1963 or so and Rocky and Bullwinkle was still airing in syndication at the time as I remember.

[@construction884]

Those are the same dice used in the 1974-1976 version when Ruta Lee was the dice roller

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

On the 1987 Version with Wink Martindale, A Different Pair of Dice was Used. Plus, There was a Pair of Golden Dice for the "Big Numbers".

[@888jerm888]

Alex said something that was considered INCORRECT. 12 can NEVER be a bad roll because there's only ONE way to roll it - boxcars (double 6s). Well, NO HARM, NO FOUL, Gene won the game anyway.

[@SebastianCentral]

19:45ish: "PAINT!! no, wait! SHOES!! er... I mean.. RECORDS!!! no wait... PAINT SHOES!!" HUH?!?

[@paullarue2010]

No flying moose.

[@Musicradio77Network]

Bullwinkle can’t fly, Rocky flies.

[@paullarue2010]

Yep.

[@paullarue2010]

Bullwinkle walks, but Rocky flies.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

4:14, Big Wins Like This can Only Happen on HIGH ROLLERS!

[@StukInBuf]

13:45 to about 14:30... Cue in "TPiR extended theme."(down the sound on said theme in the final 5 seconds or so)

[@paullarue2010]

Green blood? Odd blood color.

[@angeladay1534]

A squirrel 🐿️ coat? Yuk! Beaver and raccoon are bad enough. I Don't recall a Russian squirrel or a plain squirrel coat ever being a prize on any show. No thanks. 🤢🤮

[@dagdogg]

What went flying at 15:28?

[@andyid7440]

It was the lapel clip for her microphone. The Spokesmodel caught the mic cable while walking away and it whipped off after her. The lapel clip went flying in the other direction.

[@bluebear1985]

With the way he was going, they could just as well given Gene the keys to the NBC warehouse. He pretty much cleaned them out.

[@crgray1979]

Daphne has no guts

[@AaronBruceLadner]

I Need to Host High Rollers!

[@chuckers40]

I don't which was more exciting: Gene clearing the board winning over $18,000 or rolling a two to win an additional $10,000 more.

[@NickCMedia]

Charles allen jr Obviously the latter.

[@ericandy88]

Other than the embarrassing "flying moose" slip-up, probably his entire run.

[@mitchellries256]

Let's just say I've seen people win the Big Numbers a few times but I've never seen someone clear a board worth over $18,000.

[@StukInBuf]

ca. 12:15 to 12:35... Cue in "TPiR *Spelling Bee* car cue(minus the first 5 seconds of the same)."

[@paullarue2010]

Gene Snuck was too greedy. Alex Trebek told him, he had too much to drinking. Gene Snuck had too much tequila.

[@danbarker4857]

I don't know, I wasn't around when Trebek hosted HR.