Lucky Numbers - Pilot #1 - Jeryll/Vicki (1985)

Lucky Numbers (Trebek) - Jeryll vs. Vicki. Pilot #1 (1985)

[@MarkStevens-fh3wb]

I'd never thought I'd see Alex Trebek and hear this High Rollers music all in the same place ;)

[@DakariKingMykan]

R.I.P Alex Trebeck! There will NEVER... EVER be another like you!!

[@MatthewHendrixrockinman1]

you'll always be one of the greatest game show host ever Alex may you R I P you are missed

[@johnmirabella1329]

I think a more modern day version of this show would work. I actually wanted to be a game show host when I was a kid.

[@willmack5909]

I still want to be one, and I'm 52 now! LOL

[@BenJabituya]

Me too, and I just turned 41.

[@drummingdanny84]

Me, too. And I'm over 18 and under 40. 😅😂😅😂

[@sha11235]

@@drummingdanny84 Most game show hosts were also actors.

[@MyGuyJustinH]

@sha11235 That's true. Case in point, John Michael Higgins from the Pitch Perfect movies. He now hosts America Says on the Game Show Network.

[@StukInBuf]

WInk Martindale's "High Rollers" used this same theme music.

[@MatthewHendrixrockinman1]

agreed my friend

[@franklincourten8281]

This was essentially a predecessor to “High Rollers”!

[@davidgamble2673]

But High Rollers was a 70s game show...with Trebek as host, even. An odd little segui into Wink's 80s show.

[@sddwtbnofather]

Jeryll, which was the case with many 80's contestants, was on more than one game show.

[@jasonrichardson7242]

Alex was talking to those dice.🤣 RIP to a great gameshow host.

[@bryanlaw9262]

It's hard to choose which would've been better, even with the major differences.

[@AaronBruceLadner]

Alex Trebek was in his Second Year as the Host of Jeopardy!

[@crawford586]

Debbie Sue was on SUCH am emotional roller coaster during this pilot.

[@JonesDylan874]

Lucky Numbers would go on to be Martindale's High Rollers.

[@willjenkins4195]

Thanks I was wondering which came first

[@4HBirtcher]

Alex kept those dice from high rollers game show and used them for this show

[@wecantfightgravity]

They should've kept these '70s dices for the '87 version of High Rollers.

[@4HBirtcher]

@@wecantfightgravityOh no! Wink’s dice are better than Alex’s!

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

In the 90s, Debbie Maffett was the Host of TNN COUNTRY NEWS

[@marcpower4167]

She also co-hosted an infamous flop of a game show called shopper's casino, considered to be one of the worst game shows ever made.

[@jeffandbike4503]

High Rollers was Alex Trebek's game in the 70s and Jeopardy was Alex Trebek's game in the late 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010s until 2020.

[@mitchellries256]

The only game show where 7 is an unlucky number.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

The Announcer is John Harlan

[@discoweasel1977]

RIP Alex Trebek (1940-2020)

[@pem1974]

$3800 is a helluva lot for a blanket!

[@witherblaze]

Nice theme.

[@willjenkins4195]

They recycled it for the revamp of high rollers

[@benkizer9509]

I like both Alex and Wink, but more Alex. He always felt more genuine. Wink struck me as a guy playing a game show host most of the time. I think what ended up becoming the 1987-1988 version of High Rollers was better than this, and likely by the time that went to air, Alex was busy with both Jeopardy and Classic Concentration, but cool to see this still.

[@jonfleck8687]

Stay out of my danger zone Alex

[@KiddBloo86]

🤣🤣🤣

[@damienchance2622]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@bradgandy02]

With all due respect to High Rollers, I would have chosen this instead. This is much more exciting, in my opinion.

[@DesmondShannon87]

Brad G I woulda done the same

[@bradgandy02]

I know my comment is a year old, but I'm watching this again and reading everyone's comments, so I would combine Lucky Numbers and High Rollers to make the game better. Here's how. Firstly, get rid of Debbie. An announcer is perfectly capable of introducing contestants and reading prize copy, and she really added nothing useful to the show. Main game rules: The player in control has the option to play or pass. Rolling an unlit number earns a prize. Rolling a lit number loses the game, as in High Rollers. A seven allows the player to light any unlit number, thereby earning themselves another prize while also increasing the risk. A roll of doubles lights up that number if possible, but also, in any case, gives the player the option to steal an opponent's prize. The player does not _have_ to do this, however. If the option is declined, the player must roll again (i.e. no passing) without a question being asked. A player cannot lose the game when rolling doubles, even if the number is lit. The 2, 3, 11, and 12 all function as normal. Best two games out of three wins a match. Bonus game rules: Numbers shown on the board function as normal. Every time one is lit, the player wins $500. The seven, as in my revised main game, allows the player to light up any unlit number except the last one and earn $500. 2, 3, 11, and 12 add $100 to the total. These numbers may be counted as many times as they are rolled. To win the game, the player must reach $3,000 by either clearing all the numbers on the board or doing it the hard way of getting a bunch of 2's, 3's, 11's, and 12's. As before, rolling a lit number loses the game, but the player may choose to stop after each roll. A win sees the $3,000 augmented to $10,000. Thoughts, anyone?

[@NickCMedia]

Brad G Not bad, but up the stakes in the bonus round to at least $25,000, because $10K is not enough anymore.

[@bradgandy02]

I agree, but I was thinking from the perspective of if this sold back in 1985, but had been tweaked a little. $25,000 would be fine for that bonus round by today's standards, but I'd want it to be $30,000, ideally.

[@xenowing8805]

Rest in peace Alex Trebek.

[@joaquimpayne1774]

Miss you

[@PrestissimoMasterStation]

22:56 YATTA!!!!

[@paullarue2010]

Alex Trebek worked with NBC and CBS in 1985.

[@chuckers40]

and ABC with Super Jeopardy in 1990 or 1991

[@tvdude8509]

Was this pilot taped for CBS or ABC? I've read both; since it has a "Blitz Company" tag, though, I want to think ABC.

[@Rlotpir1972]

ABC aired "All-Star Blitz" during the 1985 season.

[@BiffGreggle]

I enjoy craps (the casino game on which this pilot is loosely based), but it's much too complicated a game to play on TV, even in a simplified form like it is here. "High Rollers" is easier to follow and understand.

[@wschmrdr]

Not to mention, could take an entire show to win a game.

[@seanmontgomery801]

Is Debra Sue Maffett Miss America of 1983 the one with Alex Trebek on "Lucky Numbers" and also on the MG-HS hour?

[@TheSegacampGamerandWerecamp]

Hart to Believe Alex was Hosting this before he did Jeopardy and Pat at the Start of the 80's was Hosting a Different Gameshow before Hosting Wheel of Fortune!

[@lojosol]

He hosted this Pilot while he was hosting Jeopardy!

[@marcpower4167]

Jeopardy didn't actually do that well early on, I guess he kept taking gigs in case. Some of the pilots he did around this time.....oy vey 🙄

[@jazzyjay81]

So this is basically Craps.. the highest probability roll is a 7. There are 36 combinations of rolls with 2 dice and 6 of them are 7 or a 16.66667% chance of any roll to hit a 7.

[@setheriah]

Vicki was good in rolling those 7s for the danger zone....

[@sabster74]

PETA would have an ace-high hissy fit if some of these prizes were offered today.

[@johna3863]

...and colored people knew their place,am I right Tracy, huh? huh? Trump 2020!!!

[@zachhoran]

Jeryl was a $25K+ winner on Merrill Heatter's All-Star Blitz around this time and later appeared on 1987 Blockbusters.

[@mrceleb2006]

6:06 - The Danger Zone! 7:16 - Another seven!

[@MatthewHendrixrockinman1]

it's the same theme of High Rollers : )

[@BenJabituya]

Matthew Hendrix You mean Wink’s version?

[@MatthewHendrixrockinman1]

@@BenJabituya that's right my friend

[@juan833blue]

This game is essentially don't roll a 7.

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

Just like in craps. Seven is good on come out rolls by betting on the pass line, betting on the don't pass when the point is already set and betting on any 7.

[@sha11235]

Isn't this like High Rollers a bit?

[@MatthewHendrixrockinman1]

exactly like High Rollers : )

[@BenJabituya]

Just about. The theme would later be used in the Wink Martindale version.

[@marcpower4167]

​@@MatthewHendrixrockinman1 it's more reminiscent of craps. High Rollers is based on "shut the box".

[@1401princeton]

is this like high rollers

[@BenJabituya]

Yes, from Wink's version.

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

​@@BenJabituyaAlex hosted high rollers back in the 70s. The reason he didn't hosted the 80s version was because he was hosting Jeopardy and classic concentration.

[@AK-oo5cj]

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek!!!!!

[@jeprice08]

I think I know why the pilot didn't sell. In my opinion, the game itself was fine and so was the host. The only problem was the bad roll being the number 7. Now, that's okay, but there should have been more as the game went on like in High Rollers. You see, with the number 7 being the only bad roll in the game, the odds of each contestant not getting it are in their favor. I think that's why most of them went for it instead of either passing it or taking the money, because they thought, "What have I got to lose? It's only one roll. I can avoid that." I think that was really the difference between High Rollers and Lucky Numbers. In Lucky Numbers, they thought that, but in High Rollers, they thought, "Oh, boy! What am I going to do? If I roll this number, it's curtains for me. It's not like it was earlier in the game when everything was going my way. Oh, God! What am I going to do?" I also think that Debbie, although she mentioned the prizes won, was mostly wasted here. Other than that, she's just standing there when she, with what she brought to the table, should've been in the audience. It's like you almost forgot she was there. It's not like that with Vanna White on Wheel Of Fortune. She doesn't just stand there at the puzzle board and that's it. She reveals more and more of the puzzle, bit by bit. That's a very important job. Without it, we wouldn't have a game. Well, I've said all I needed to say. I hope I haven't offended anyone.

[@sha11235]

The thing with the 7 being the bad roll is that when you roll dice, that is the number that is the most likely to come up, since it has the most combinations.

[@jeprice08]

sha11235 You learn something new everyday. Thank you, my friend.

[@JoeyLamontagne]

Wished 2 and 12 would equal picking a non-WIN number

[@sha11235]

@@jeprice08 Guess you never noticed that before. This is why in craps, the idea is not to roll a 7 after getting your point, because of this issue.

[@someguy23475]

Unless you bet against the point, or any craps, of course

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

$10,000!!!!!

[@setheriah]

Vicki has rolled 7s in all the pilots

[@cathyb2990]

I Didn’t Know That 7 Is An Unlucky Number

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

Just be careful rolling one on the craps table.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

4:24

[@johnmirabella1329]

I think a modern version of this game would work out. 2 contests would play 3 rounds. Bonus prizes would be replace by bonus cash amounts. In rounds 1 and 2, a correct answer was worth $500, 1,000 and an extra roll for a wild number, and the winning numbers were worth, $2,500. In round 3, questions would be worth $,1,000, $2,000 for wild numbers, and $5,000 for the winning number. In round 2, a special number was worth a trip instead of bonus cash. Whoever had the money at the end of 3 round would win the game and go on to play the bonus round. The Bonus Round would be he same except that lighting up a number was $5,000, $1,000 for a number that was already lite, $5,000 if a contest rolled a wild number while trying to roll the last digit. $100,000 was rewarded was rewarded if the contestant could successfully light up all the numbers

[@natkogajskilalic7139]

Best

[@sha11235]

Isn't Vicki in another pilot of this?

[@4HBirtcher]

Yes pilot number two!!

[@mikeb8674]

Didn't even change her outfit!

[@MrChatterboodamn]

So much animal fur haha

[@jtf10570]

MrChatterboodamn i

[@williambone7724]

Alex Trebek RIP.

[@h8_handles]

Am I the only wondering what the hell type of sports car he won?

Isn’t this the same as High Rollers.

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

The theme did carry over to Wink Martindale version of high rollers.

[@hdayejr]

Who is the announcer?

[@andrewschroy6368]

+hdayejr John Harlan.

[@PREGO1966]

John Harlan

[@blindsportslover]

So this is kind of like a mix of craps and the original high rollers from 1974 that didn't use columns of numbers.

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

Danger Zone.

[@sha11235]

Gee, whatever happened to that host?

[@Chainsawslots]

It was edited. He didn't roll the 8 but they cut to a roll with an 8. Watch carefully

[@GamingDelight]

It looks as though it was a legitimate roll of 8. No cuts. Just an immediate switch to another camera.

[@marcpower4167]

​@@GamingDelightthey might have re-shot that a few times until he rolled an 8. A little "rigging" isn't uncommon on a pilot.

[@GamingDelight]

@@marcpower4167 No, that roll and the immediate camera switch were legit.

[@noahlongmire8641]

Y

[@zachhoran]

Note that the show is copyrighted like All-Star Blitz was.

[@Rlotpir1972]

Merrill Heater is owned by Orion Pictures/MGM.

[@Scottwilkie18]

Dumb luck in the first game

[@semplenyc]

I really don’t like this game for some reason and I really like High Rollers. It’s redundant especially since this game is basically craps.

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

$10,000 In Cash!!!!!!

[@GamingDelight]

Will you please stop your spamming and back off?!

[@Chainsawslots]

This game would never work. It could go many many rolls without a 7 or the winning roll

[@paullarue2010]

Loser sound I don't like.

[@DakariKingMykan]

+Paul LaRue Actually there is a time when the loser sound one a couple a new car on "Let's Make a Deal"

[@louistenore1657]

high rollers rip off

[@DrakeFeatherwing]

+Louis Tenore Indirect rip... Trivia and dice are the same, the way to acquire prizes and the "Danger Zone 7" is totally different. Plus you can steal a prize if you reroll an already claimed (by the opponent) number.

[@louistenore1657]

ok rip off maybe to strong to say but its a similar permise

[@DrakeFeatherwing]

Yeah, that's why I said it was an indirect rip... The premise was similar, but that was about it. :) You were right in calling it a rip, but a total rip was a bit strong.

[@tonybidwell2582]

Yes & no! There were multiple chances for bad rolls in both games, but in this show, the only true "bad" roll was the 7!

[@MMB18abel]

+Louis Tenore : Created by the same brainchild behind HIGH ROLLERS, Merrill Heatter.

[@andrewschroy6368]

God, Debbie Sue Maffett is so annoying... plus, shouldn't it be John Harlan describing the prizes?

[@4HBirtcher]

No because John would not want to go anywhere with prizes and besides do you think a man would wear a girl's fur coat!!

[@AaronBruceLadner]

Andrew Schroy Debbie Sue Maffett is Beautiful!

[@andrewschroy6368]

Henry Birtcher I meant in voice-over, dude. Just him talking over video of Debbie showing off the prizes. (Much like how Becky and Linda would show off the prizes on High Rollers with Alex Trebek while announcer Kenny Williams described said prizes.)

[@stephaniestavropoulos1639]

have you been living in a cave someplace? Men do wear women's clothing. So the answer to your question would be yes a man would wear a woman's [faux] fur coat.

[@balboa77]

@@AaronBruceLadner She was Miss America 1983. She handed off her crown to Vanessa Williams.

[@williambone7724]

This is a clear ripoff of High Rollers. Alex Trebek should be ashamed of himself for hosting this crap!

[@marcpower4167]

Same production company so they're only ripping themselves off. If anything I'd call it a variant.

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

1:35