Press Your Luck (May 31, 1984): Danielle/Alan/Cindy

Here is a May 1984 episode of Press Your Luck (which never reran on USA or GSN!).
This episode is a little different from the usual rerun, as you'll see at the end. In the meantime, let's see if returning champion Cindy can add to the $14,780 she won yesterday.
No copyright infringement is intended.

[@johnnysama]

Wow. What an unbelievable episode. Even though it lacks the ending, you couldn't ask for something more epic. :)

[@johnnysama]

Also: Pretty odd camera angle @19:33. Also-also: Is it just me, or does Alan look like Gary Owens?

[@ericksydnor3958]

johnnysama s

[@ZeroHourProductions407]

Good lord! What an episode. You could just feel the emotion of the crowd. And good lord that poor gal. So happy she won but she looked like milliseconds from losing it 😂

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

I don't know where she got it from where she was able to pull it together to survive that 8-spin pass (more thoughts on THAT, elsewhere), but wow.

[@thisfirrre]

Also I don’t watch live TV so when this was posted I was like OMG NO FRIGGIN WAY!!!! Thanks so much for posting!

[@M200XL]

MY GOD THANK YOU!!! This episode was a long awaited thrill!

[@robertlalexander4083]

Peter was in "hurry up mode" for a while. Wow...great episode

[@kendufresne]

This was the best game show growing up.

[@pollaski]

Eleven spins without a whammy. Pretty amazing.

[@SamWesting]

Through obsessive watching of PYL at home, Larson found out the board wasn't so randomized, studied all the sequences, & figured out the exact timing that always yielded money, free spins, & no whammies. He exploited this knowledge when he got on the show & won $100K.

[@theedspage]

Thank you for posting this! :)

[@SP84Fanatic]

That second round was intense!

[@1981lashlarue]

+SP84Fanatic No kidding!

[@kwilli0930]

Alan is awesome!!!

[@JamieKins26]

I love his energy!

[@JaShields]

Best game show ever

[@pem1974]

Bless Alan's heart!

[@michaeledwards742]

Peter has some dance moves along with the Michael Jackson whammy.

[@Retrotv]

It's about time! Shame on you GSN! Thank you Buzzr, Downs "Is this as far as they got before jumping back to 9/19/83?"

[@ForeignerFan74]

Love Press Your Luck!

[@MarkcusHines]

RIP Peter Tomarken & Rod Roddy

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

Thank you for making this available so fast!

[@VahanNisanian]

Now, if only we could find the $35,000 Whammy loss from 1986, and the skipped shows from 1985-1986 as well.

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

At least that has rerun, though, unlike the other stuff.

[@VahanNisanian]

I'm pretty sure at least the skipped shows from April-May 1986 were rerun on USA, though, including Brian/Michelle/Don and Aaron/Laura/Nancy.

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

I'm pretty sure, too, considering that's where they got taped.

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

@@VahanNisanian I don't have Buzzr in my area - do they only go up to a certain point in 1984 currently? Or have they expanded since? I know they'll air certain episodes past that for occasions such as Cookie's two wins in 1985, but what about regularly? I figure if the 10/4/85 episode also has a tape issue...if Buzzr fixed this one, maybe they can fix that one too? (Hopefully?) On a personal note, 10/4/85 is also my birthday, so...yeah, it'd be nice if that one surfaced.

[@wschmrdr]

They probably edited down a lot of the spins, as well as Alan's dialogue for the CBS version.

[@Eminem200183]

David, thank you for posting this episode. It’s amazing how everyone kept saying it was destroyed but, at the same time, FremantleMedia does own all the PYL videos so they have some kind of technology to fix it.

[@ENTERTAINMENT35]

How did this episode get destroyed by chance?? I'm watching it now on BUZZR

[@wschmrdr]

Or maybe it's because the last segment isn't there, or possible given some of the happenings in the episode, it could be the studio master that they didn't want to take the time to edit down, and the edited version is indeed destroyed.

[@SaleGuy]

This was a week before Michael Larson dominated PYL.

[@blozier2006]

@kingofkings69ner Larson's episodes aired June 8 and 11, 1984.

[@MetroShadow1]

Epic episode is epic. Thanks for the quick upload.

[@joshuasmith6439]

Poor Cindy looked like she was about to have a panic attack on the last episode, this time she probably did when the game ended.

[@James00James00]

She wasn't exactly poor...

[@joshuasmith6439]

@@James00James00 not poor in the literal sense, but the reason she's notable among PYL fans is her tremendous anxiety attacks she has on both shows.

[@selinaogorman8380]

Man what a great match Akan and Cindy did great but yes Cindy came back on top so that was nerve wrecking congratulations Cindy for her honeymoon money win.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@brentrogers4774]

Danielle thought she had it lost very early in Alan's turn in round 2. She realized that she was done during the match between Alan and Cindy, but then Alan got a whammy and then Alan passed. Danielle probably didn't want Cindy to lose that way. Cindy was lucky, and Danielle was so unlucky.

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

Something else worth mentioning as well - you know how frequently, the Big Board in Round 2 will go out of sync where the squares don't quite shuffle all at once? This might have otherwise been a game where I'd have expected it to do that at some point - but it doesn't! It stays consistent from start to finish.

[@bluebear1985]

Here's what aired in primetime: ABC- Movie (Oh, Heavenly Dog!), 20/20 CBS- Magnum P.I., 1984 NBA Finals Game 2 (Lakers at Celtics) NBC- Gimme a Break!, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court (Hi Honey, I'm Home), Hill Street Blues In late night: Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (guest host Joan Rivers, Sally Kellerman) Late Night with David Letterman (Bill Murray, Tina Turner)

[@mablepapillion509]

That’s the 80’s baby’s🤑

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

Cindy would Retire with Over $40,000 in Cash and Prizes.

[@iwanaGoFast2010]

Because she sucked off Peter.

[@Koksfrillan]

here i am, saturday evening 2020 watching a gameshow from 1984

[@VahanNisanian]

So these were all the players prior to Michael Larson who walked away with over $40,000 in cash and prizes. Helen Reiner (episodes #049-#052; November 28-December 1, 1983): $40,160 Susan Veets (episodes #096-#097; February 1-2, 1984): $43,979 Cindy Waite (episodes #181-#182; May 30-31, 1984): $40,461

[@Tubewings]

Also, at the time this episode aired, Cindy had the second-highest single episode win in the show's history. Becky (episode #173; May 18, 1984): $33,410 *_Cindy_* (this episode): $25,681 Susan (episode #97); $25,603

[@stephanierushing6566]

Cindy's total of $25,681. If this was her first day she would be retired because of CBS' $25,000 winnings cap at the time of this episode.

[@markheying2830]

@@stephanierushing6566 And Cindy’s Clapping Hands win her Cash & Prizes together!

[@hdayejr]

I thought you used the unedited channel for shows with commercials?

[@robertlalexander4083]

7:51 ROFL. Isn't there an episode where a contestant hits a Whammy and instead of showing the Whammy animation they show Peter instead who asks "Am I the Whammy?"

[@AdamJ617]

I’ve got a strange feeling Cyndi Q. Seidelman is going to induct this episode of PYL, not for how it was played, but how it was executed in rerun mode.

[@kimmilliner7300]

Play press your luck❤❤❤❤

[@CH-gr7tn]

I hope we get to see the conclusion of the game one day. The prizes won I mean.

[@ruantengyi]

yes I was wondering what it was cut off

[@DeAngeloStevens]

The very same day 6 Death Row Inmates Escape from Mecklenburg County Jail for 19 Days in Richmond, Virginia and was Recaptured 19 days later.

[@RinsaVuIIer]

7:51 Peter Tomarken dancing is the best thing I have ever seen in my life.

[@willsco76]

Sadly Peter and his wife were killed years ago when there plane crashed off the coast of California.

[@kerrij.6565]

I was screaming right along with you Cindy 🤣

[@markheying2830]

Was that because she was your Cousin?

[@chrisfinch8637]

7:46- Whammy Jackson feat. Peter Tomarken!

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

Does anyone know whether this episode has aired again on Buzzr?

[@bmwolgas]

LOL @ 7:48 Peter dancing to the whammy. Also, I just watched this episode on BUZZR and noticed that the picture quality of the source material is not great. Looks like BUZZR has a second-hand copy that they aired. Great episode, btw, I'd put this in the top 10 finishes of all time - was surprised I had never seen this one before, now I know why. Funny thing as I was watching it, I thought for sure Cindy would whammy out shortly after being passed 10 spins because of the time. As the game kept going and it hit the top of the hour, I wasn't sure what was going on. Then next thing I know the next show is on, no end credits or anything.

[@captainsworld1986]

I guess that explains why this never reran anywhere since its original broadcast. Kudos to Dave and Buzzr!

[@wschmrdr]

Wouldn't be surprised if it's the unedited master. Doesn't it seem in the same quality as the "unseen" parts of the Larson documentary?

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

The only thing that doesn't add up though is what happened to the final segment in the unedited master? It couldn't have been damaged in both the unedited and the edited (aired show)?

[@somerandomgameranimator4481]

19:33 camera guy is drunk

[@damienchance2622]

Lol 😂

[@MilkLikeSubstance]

I first noticed something off because the first commercial break seemed a little long. I didn't really think anything of it until my DVR stopped recording after the win, and I noticed the time. ...Oh.

[@Sevr-ln7kk]

this guy is such a clown. if he was trying to be nice and send cindy on a honeymoon at the end, then he should have played. By passing, he literally CANT win, but if he plays, at least hes mathematically giving himself a chance, and on top of that, he wont almost screw over cindy to give the danielle the win.

[@whammy3323]

This also drops Jonie from the Top 10 1-day wins club... She bumps Susan Veets' $25608 to #10

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

Jonie passed some years ago, so I doubt she minds.

[@robertborder1156]

Does anyone have any idea why this wasn't re-aired until Buzzr came along?

[@TheEggplantThatAteChicago]

I suspect the master tape was damaged, and they were able to use an alternate.

[@angrybirdsfan2003]

The gameplay in this episode ran WAY too long, so that’s why GSN and USA skipped that episode.

[@margheritasabia3735]

Cindy has a 2- day total of $40,461.

[@SarahPToadstool]

Eight passed spins and the Whammy comes up empty during these spins

[@alexanderpappas2875]

Woo-Hoo!! Way to go, CINDY!! YOU DESERVED TO WIN THIS TIME! What's more, you would retire from PYL as an undefeated champion! My request to KZbin: If there is indeed airing available of this episode's final part, please at least have it as a separate presentation, paired with the second round with the Big Board preceding it. Thanks! PS. This period of PYL was my favorite. In fact, I imagined MYSELF back then as a contestant on Press Your Luck opposing two schoolmates of mine, and getting just as lucky as Cindy with a formed total of 35,729! I guess Cindy beat me here, too!!

[@thisfirrre]

So given that this is already 22 minutes and the second round is so long with no obvious editing, my theory is that this episode actually aired this way, with no end segment. Disappointing, I know, but it would explain why GSN skipped it: no credits to crunch and air ads over. Seems to me they hadn’t yet thought of editing parts out (contestant intros, intros to board rounds, long spins) to make the whole thing shorter. Randy/Lori/Cathy is a prime example of what I mean. So yeah, I don’t think there’s any purported tape damage, I think this is the whole thing.

[@NickCMedia]

thisfirrre If so, this wouldn't be the only episode without end credits. May 18th, 1984, a contestant won over $33K in cash and prizes. That contestant won so many prizes that it took up nearly the whole segment to read every prize plug, and therefore, immediately after the winner's grand total was announced, Peter signed off as fast as he could, and there was only enough time afterwards for Rod to do his usual closing line.

[@thisfirrre]

Good point, David/Becky/Paul DID come before this. I dunno, with the length already being what it is, I just can't see how there's a missing segment that aired. I saw another comment that there's possibly alternate cuts of the same episodes floating around so perhaps that's the case.

[@eric21200]

The CBS version of David-Becky-Paul included the home player spin and all mentions to it. The GSN version had all references to it removed; however, you can tell where it is as Peter said "$4000 for a postcard". The CBS version also left out most of the drama that GSN included in its version. Really hoping that the CBS version surfaces some day so we can compare the two.

[@kimmilliner7300]

No whammies

[@VahanNisanian]

Thanks David. It's possible different cuts of each episode of the Spring 1984 Home Viewer game were made, including May 18 and May 21. If an alternate cut from the original broadcast with the final segment (assuming one exists) turns up, then cool. But for now, I'll be happy with what we've got.

[@McBearNB]

What happened the last segment?

[@VahanNisanian]

Very doubtful this aired on CBS this way with just three commercial breaks.

[@denislefranc6369]

l like to to watch this game show on KZbin video

[@jhonyramos3570]

I just want to get big bucks

[@margheritasabia3735]

$40,441

[@stephenwilliams8963]

I'm sure they had to pay royalties to Micheal Jackson for using his song and image

[@kimbryant6918]

can you upluaed a family feud episode from 1978 please

[@ForeignerFan74]

I Always Called It The Whammy Show!

[@sydneymorris2625]

Who will win Press your luck?

[@VahanNisanian]

Also, now that this episode has resurfaced, we will be able to determine exactly how much money was given away by the October 9, 1985 show (#533). Peter said it was $6,000,000. But was it really?

[@thisfirrre]

With Cindy's total now known, if my meticulous record-keeping is accurate, PYL actually surpassed the $6M mark a few episodes prior on September 25, 1985 (#523 - Diane/Mike/Sandi). Mike's win puts the total given away at $6,005,596. This is not including the pilot, obviously; it IS including the unaired Back to School Week episode, as it doesn't make a difference - only $3,695 was won on that episode).

[@VahanNisanian]

Actually, that was #521.

[@thisfirrre]

Miswrote the date. Should be September 25, 1985. Fixed. Thanks!

[@VahanNisanian]

Did you also add the money given out to all the home viewers in cash and prizes during the Spring 1984 and Winter 1985 contests?

[@thisfirrre]

Well, no. I don't keep track of that. I *guess* that technically counts...

[@ericsiegel2401]

20:42 is a big money loss.

[@myrahillen862]

Man, I wonder how it was for Peter Tomarken and his wife as they died. I can't imagine how hopeless and sad I'd feel if my plane crashed and no one could get to me in time. :'(

[@frankpontone2139]

Rumor has it that the PYL Theme Music suddenly began to play very loudly on the plane as it was nosediving toward the ground.

[@ericsiegel2401]

20:42 Cindy was right! $15,648 LOSS!!! Unbelievable!

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

Same as AnneMarie, two years later - get sent a giant pass your way, only to survive it, then punt any earned spins right back. Only in her case, she did that multiple times!

[@ericsiegel2401]

@@michaelj.kerkau1625 Yes, she won a lot of money in three games.

[@ericsiegel2401]

@Mckinley Eisler They're crazy, and they love to mess with you.

[@ericsiegel2401]

@Mckinley Eisler Wow

[@damienchance2622]

Imagine if Cindy Hits a Whammy on the last spin... Danelle could have won the game.

[@veggieoilerfan2940]

I don’t think Alan was a very good strategist during the final round. I think the 8 spins he passed to Cindy were way too many spins to pass. His lead at that point was just over $5,000. When Alan had $0 and one spin left he clearly just gave up and took the loss. First he wanted to give Cindy the win by passing his spin to Danielle, unaware that he wasn’t allowed to pass to Danielle. Then he decided to pass his final spin to Cindy, which meant that either Cindy or Danielle would end up winning the game.

[@NinjaDragon22]

veggieoilerfan If you pass a lot of spins, a Whammy is usually pretty likely

[@veggieoilerfan2940]

NinjaDragon22 A trailing contestant can also catch up easily with a lot of spins if he/she has good luck avoiding the whammy. I still think 8 passed spins were too many. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong but I honestly don’t think it was common for a contestant to pass a super large number of spins. During the show’s history I would guess that a contestant would normally pass less than five spins as a strategy for protecting a lead. Also as I mentioned earlier, Alan’s lead was just slightly more than $5,000. A trailing contestant could cut that lead to less than $100 by hitting $5,000 + One Spin. I don’t know what the car prize space would have been worth in this episode. Carol on episode 70 won the game on her final spin by hitting the car space worth $4,949. Now I think anybody would agree that it was a dumb move when Alan decided to pass the final spin of the game and just take the loss rather than go for broke and try to hit as many spaces with additional spins as he could to try and catch up. He would have needed to hit an additional spin space a minimum of five times to have a shot at winning. If he would have hit five consecutive $5,000 + One Spin spaces he would have trailed Cindy by less than $200. Then I think any space in the final round would have been enough to win.

[@Sevr-ln7kk]

yeah he almost screwed cindy right after trying to help her. how gross would it have been if she whammied on that last spin because this guy didnt know what he was doing? As a gambler, that part made my stomach turn.

[@michaelj.kerkau1625]

NinjaDragon is correct - I get the strategy aspect of how many spins you should get down to and how much of a lead should you build up before you pass, but a large pass like that is a full-size gauntlet; nothing short of a massive amount of luck (perhaps SOME skill as well) will defeat it. Later in the year, there's Eric passing 10 to Adriana - she survives 8, as Cindy did here, but it's the 9th that gets her.

[@RealStuntPanda]

I hate Alan so much...