The Joker's Wild Game Show 1984 Record Setting Natural Triple Won by John Houlihan (5 Ep Appearance)

In 1984, John Houlihan ("painter, actor and meditator") was on The Joker's Wild Game Show. The grand prize had not been claimed in over 46 days, each day's prizes rolling over to the next until someone spun a triple. John's wife, Nancy, and daughter, Laura, were in attendance. His daughter was wearing a "No Devil" shirt her mother made for the occasion. On the fourth day, returning champion, John spun a triple on the topic of Religion and won prizes totaling over $46k, the largest prize they had given on the show up to that point. These are the five episodes John Houlihan was on.
For months they would receive deliveries, piling the stuff where they could in their apartment. They eventually sold almost all of the prizes, but Laura still has that "No Devil" shirt... in our closet.
Get your "Brooke Shield #1 Fan" and “No Devil” shirts and mugs! I ask John Houlihan about it and he laughed out loud at the “Brooke Shield” shirt then asked about No Devil, so we’ve created both! The original shirt was well persevered, so a careful reproduction was made directly from the original hand painted art. Show your support and stand with John as a Brooke Shield fan and keep the Devil away!
videorescue.ce...
0:00 - Game 1
11:24 - Game 2
21:07 - Game 3
41:39 - Game 4
51:00 - John wins the Natural Triple
1:08:17 - Game 5
1:10:42 - John flubs "Brooke Shield"

[@user-xq1qj1mm6w]

That’s my Papa!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@jmiller297]

That's wonderful!! 51:16-51:39 I was *totally* crying... 🥹🥹🥹 Plus, the winning category was "Religion??" Wow. God is good. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Congrats to your dad!! 🎉🎊🎉🎊

[@KevinHenry513]

Really? How cool!!!

[@user-xq1qj1mm6w]

@KevinHenry513 yep! That’s my dad (and mom and sister)…I’m the little one who was too young to attend the taping. 😅 But this episode is of course a huge part of our family’s lore. Thanks for watching!

[@lrobinson3412]

I'm curious, do you still have the t-shirt?

[@mrmustangman]

mine too.!!!!!!!

[@anthonymessina9672]

This episode actually aired. This episode actually aired on May 2, 1984 And ironically, that was the day that Jack passed away and if you look at the 3 categories religion. I believe in my heart Jack had completed his journey here. And what a way to show app by getting a natural triple of religion. In my opinion, God's way of saying, You did very well, jack, come on home. RIP Jack. We Miss You. And congrats to the natural triple winner

[@jrrutten]

My friends who are Gameshow fans and former contestants we so happy to see this. Thank you for sharing this piece of Gameshow history and send our best regards to the whole family!

[@seanvogt221]

This episode where the contestant won the $26k jackpot aired just a week or so before Jack Berry’s tragic death of a heart attack in NYC.

[@roccot2]

The episode where John won the jackpot was aired May 2, 1984 the day Jack passed away. The game show world lost a great on this day but a very happy event in John’s life winning the nearly $26k jackpot.

[@WaltGekko]

And Bill Cullen, for whom it would also be the last show he hosted, took over from Barry for the final two seasons.

[@AllanDiRealMcCoy]

And no on-air mention about Jack's passing before or after each episode aired.

[@WaltGekko]

@@AllanDiRealMcCoy Mainly I think because those shows had already gone out and had already aired in some cities by the time Jack died. Back when Jack Cassidy died in a hotel fire in 1977, his week as a guest on the game show "Cross Wits" was coincidentally airing in many cities, including in New York on what then was WNEW-TV (Channel 5, WNYW-TV since 1986) where the local stations noted the death of Jack Cassidy and it was pre-recorded before each edition aired that week. It likely was up to local stations to do that.

[@ericsamuelson5656]

In New York, this aired on WCBS Ch 2 at 9:30. After watching the Triple Jackpot Winner, he went jogging in Central Park and then suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Lenox Hill Hospital (across from Central Park) and was pronounced dead at 1:20pm. He gone up to Heaven with a big smile on his face. Coincidentally, Religion was the category at the end of contestants game.

[@MrRemark21]

This show was taped before Jack Barry's death.

[@trevorpanno516]

The judges were right in saying that John did say Shield without the S.

[@bainsey89]

Kudos for posting this. I was a high school junior when this aired, and I grew up a regular TJW and Tic Tac Dough watcher. (They aired 7-8pm here in Maine.) Glad to hear everyone is happy and healthy.

[@roccot2]

It aired in Syracuse on WKAF channel 68. I saw it in Utica on WUTR 20.

[@christophercotton9048]

1:12:28 And they just had her celebration of life service today in Atlanta. Godspeed Rosalynn Carter (1927-2023).

[@johnfenner5550]

Thank you for sharing this. Was always a fan of this show.

[@erikpridemore3174]

At 51:01 is a Natural Triple Jackpot Win of over $26,500 in cash and prizes on "The Joker's Wild" pulling a Natural Triple on 3 "Religions" other than "Jokers" after his 3 failures in the "Face the Devil Bonus Game" we were familiar with. And the 5 game win cue music came when this happened, as we were in Arizona watch "The Joker's Wild" watching a record breaking Natural Triple Jackpot, and rerun rights now belong to Sony Pictures Television. RIP Jack Barry and Dan Enright and Charlie O'Donnell.

[@rjohnson806]

Not to mention a bunch of bells and sirens in celebration. What an underrated win this was.

[@erikpridemore3174]

@@rjohnson806 We've heard these before in 1984, as were a lot of bells and sirens in celebration like we saw NBC's "Sale of the Century" saw a cash jackpot that went over $100,000 until it was claimed. And a little later CBS Daytime Game Show "Press Your Luck" saw Michael Larson, an unemployed ice cream truck driver from Lebanon, Ohio figure out the 5 original patterns, and went on the game show and was not stoppable and walked away with over $110,000 in cash and prizes, and the Whammy was not pleased. And right after his appearance and with champion Ed Long and challenger Janie Litras as his 2 other players when they were off the show, the program and game board was reworked and recalibrated for preventive measures with more random programs added to the mix. Michael Larson passed away in 1999 at 49.

[@erikpridemore3174]

@@rjohnson806 You're right on, and as we mention bells and sirens in celebration as in 1984, NBC's "Sale of the Century" has had a progressive cash jackpot which went over $100,000 until it was claimed by David Rogers, and CBS Daytime Game Show "Press Your Luck" saw Michael Larson walk away with over $110,000 in cash and prizes, just 2 months later in his underrated win, and the Whammy was not pleased after he defeated Ed Long and Janie Litras, and his show aired as a 2 parter when CBS first aired it. And Peter Tomarken knew what had happened, when he had an interview after the game ended.

[@roysanders7245]

Bill Cullen would take over as host the following fall up until the final show which aired on Friday, May 23rd, 1986. It was Mr. C’s last game show he would host in his 38 years of hosting game shows on television and radio.

[@JMFabiano]

I associate the Natural Triple Jackpot with Bill Cullen a bit more, so it's surreal to hear Jack talk about it.

[@JMFabiano]

Wow Jack went heavy on the bad puns at this point.

[@johnfenner5550]

I'm guessing he and Wink decided to have a little friendly pun competition.

[@fredmckinney8933]

What can I say, I love puns!

[@arthuridis]

I'm glad another 1984 group of episodes showed up. In the Detroit area. This was a nighttime staple at 7:00 on WDIV Channel 4 (NBC). With the Detroit Tigers baseball team having a phenomenal run continuing on...some of these episodes were pre-empted in lieu of baseball broadcasts. Please find more of them.

[@themirrorsofmymind]

My little brother and I would cringe every time someone got the devil on this show or the dragon on Tic Tac Dough... It was almost scary. 😣😣😣😣😣😣

[@cowboycrushfan]

I did the same with Tic Tac Dough!!! I sat as far as I could away from the television during the bonus round!

[@jhillst]

@@cowboycrushfan I used to turn the sound down so I wouldn't have to hear the roar.

[@user-eu9ij8dc6y]

The natural triple jackpot $26,550 win episode was broadcast on April 26,1984 on WDIV channel 4 Detroit. I watched that episode and it was enjoyable to watch.

[@drummingdanny84]

One week before I was born and one week before Jack died.

[@InTheGame21]

That’s my grandpas ❤❤

[@-Ready-Player-One-]

He clearly said 'Shield' and he knows he said it. He only corrected himself when Jack actually announced the answer. Once Jack said, 'Brooke Shields, you're right', he knew he messed up, and he knew exactly why the judge was interrupting. When asked what he said, he corrected himself in the form of a question, 'Shields?' He sticks out his tongue in a nervous gesture, knowing he is lying of what he said. The judge made the absolute right call here.

[@ShawnPMcAllister-ti4ge]

On THE ALL-NEW JOKER'S WILD since July 15, 1985 every weekday morning at 10:00AM EST on ABC Daytime, if this was the daytime version era with host Victoria Principal, the Natural Triple Jackpot would have been worth $30,175 in cash and merchandise!

[@NEPatriot]

Let's see...1984, Joker was on CBS2 I think in NYC. For years it was on channel 9, the old WOR-TV teaming with Tic Tac Dough. I do not know if I remember seeing this particular NTJ win, as I do remember seeing one for $9000+ with Uncle Bill, but...MAN ALL THOSE SOUND EFFECTS FOR AN OVER $26,000 NATURAL TRIPLE JACKPOT!!!!! And to think Treasure Hunt or Name That Tune under Ralph Edwards would have that cacophony of bells and sirens for a massive win. I was also expecting to maybe even hear "Hustle the Bank", Break the Bank 1976's theme as TJW used that for their $1,000,000 charity tournament in 1980.

[@gsnfan]

In Philadelphia at the time Joker was on WPVI, Channel 6ABC, opposite two powerhouses: Wheel of Fortune Daytime on NBC (Channel 3), that moved to the afternoons at year's end, and part one of The Price is Right on CBS (channel 10).

[@32rodrick]

That's Almost More than the Secret Square Stash on "HOLLYWOOD SQUARES" (1998-2004)

[@robymyers5026]

Speaking for Jack Barry, I also want to add that if John can indeed with this and the next game, it would be 5 games that he's won, and in addition to all these goodies, he would also win a car, which would probably bring his total anywhere from $35,000 close to $40,000 in cash and prizes. Did I get everything right?

[@roysanders7245]

Watching game shows during my childhood in the eighties with my brothers was a part of growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana.

[@user-ww5qj7oj4r]

HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE LATE JACK BARRY DIED ON MAY 2,1984 WHEN THIS AIRED!!--MY MOTHER LOIS ANN ROUTHIER DIED FROM CERVICAL CANCER SUNDAY MORNING 11 30 AM ON MAY 6 1984 AT 49 GOING ON 50!! RIP!! JACK BARRY(1917-1984) & MY MOTHER LOIS ANN ROUTHIER 10-28-1934-5-6-1984.--HARD TO BELIEVE 40 YEARS!! 😢

[@doubleot]

from that first episode it seems like you needed to be 85+ to get into the audience and watch the show.

[@gsnfan]

Sadly, not long after this aired, Jack Barry died.

[@drummingdanny84]

Along with the top two game shows for the last seven years, this and sister show "Tic Tac Dough". Merv Griffin took that spot away from the belated Barry since 1984.

[@videorescuecenter]

Hello, you wild jokers! Just wanted to announce that we have set up a shop for this and our other channel, Serious Fondue Rodeo, where you can buy merch to help support our efforts of finding and rescuing media. What merch? To kick things off we have a "Brooke Shield #1 Fan" design on shirts and mugs! I told John Houlihan about it and he laughed out loud! I want to post a video soon about the experience of buying a test order and how it all went (two thumbs up) and what it looks like in person... and by person I'm hoping to get John involved. Show your support and stand with John as a Brooke Shield fan! videorescue.center

[@viddykiddy18]

1:12:21 - How ironic that this part of the video would talk about Rosalyn Carter, knowing that she recently passed away.

[@rbecker380]

It's not ironic at all.

[@JMFabiano]

@@rbecker380 dammit Alanis Morissette, you ruined our understanding of that word forever!!!! I hope you had rain on your wedding day because of this.

[@christophercotton9048]

51:03 Religion, a pair and OH MY GOD!!

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

That was my exact feeling! John

[@jmiller297]

Hey, that's Ria Rodriguez from O.G. *"$100,000 Pyramid!!"* #2ndtournament

[@zachhoran]

John's last spin was essentially the same last spin that ended Frank Dillon's chance to win the 1979 TofC

[@povertyspec9651]

I watched this show sometimes when I was a kid. I always thought it seemed rigged. Then I found out the host was involved with the game show scandal in the '50's.

[@TheRenard10]

When 2 of the same categories come up, Jack should say "A 🍐".

[@AllanDiRealMcCoy]

Need to see the Jack Barry final episode plz

[@JMFabiano]

Don't think it exists online.

[@meijer78]

Jim Peck was to take over as host of the show which Jack had groomed for the past three seasons who had regularly filled in for him the next season but after Jack died, his partner Dan Enright instead went with Bill Cullen.

[@WaltGekko]

And Jim Peck wound up hosting "Divorce Court" instead.

[@jokerswildfan1972]

When in 1984 was this? Notice how there looks to be two boxes on Jack’s podium. Was this near the end of the season?

[@videorescuecenter]

They said his winning episode, the fourth, aired the day Jack passed away.

[@jokerswildfan1972]

@@videorescuecenter interesting. Was John invited back after the response of Brooke Shields? Too bad John didn’t win the car though.

[@videorescuecenter]

No. They stopped the show for a long time checking the tape and reviewing. I guess Jack was really championing for John and really liked him. You can see he kind of takes jabs at the result after in a subtly sarcastic way. Nancy went on to the show in ‘91. I saw that was posted online somewhere, but I’m trying to get them to send me their tape too. Need to have the complete family on a playlist!

[@twotonedearly]

@@videorescuecenter would that be the same Nancy whom won the Joker Jackpot in the Pat Finn version of TJW?

[@videorescuecenter]

Nancy on The Joker’s Wild: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnyzhKqver2mf5Isi=ilRpS04skMTn21Th

[@StFidjnr]

41:39 for the episode that if you love game shows then Hollywood ca was Disneyland for the jokers wild

[@zachhoran]

DOnna SUmmers was accepted for Donna Summer on Tic before.

[@BrianMedeiros-pr6nb]

Happy 100th birthday Disney!

[@JasonA.Routhier-vw1wd]

WELL I.LL SAY THIS!! EVEN THOUGH I WAS 12 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS AIRED!!--I.M STILL PROUD OF JOHN BREAKING THAT NATURAL TRIPLE & WINNING $28,800 CASH & PRIZES!!--HOWEVER 😔 SADLY HE HAD BAD LUCK WITH THE DEVIL 4 TIMES & HE LOST OUT ON WINNING A NEW CAR 🚙 IN HIS 5TH GAME!!--IF I WERE THE HOST & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE JOKER,S WILD--I PROBABLY WOULD GET INTO TROUBLE WITH THE STAFF & ALL.BUT!! I WOULD TOLD JOHN "BECAUSE YOU BECAME ONE OF THE BIGGEST WINNERS IN A WHILE BUT LOST OUT ON WINNING THE CAR 🚙?!--I.M GONNA GIVE YOU THE CAR 🚙 ANYWAY TO ADD!! & YOU WILL BE ASKED TO COME BACK FOR A SPECIAL JOKER,S WILD BONUS ROUND REDEMPTION & IF YOU AVOID THE DEVIL IN THE REDEMPTION--YOU.LL WIN AN ADDITIONAL $10,000 & ANOTHER NEW CAR 🚙!"

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

Hi Jason, this is John and I was touched by your comments about the show. I was told that the producers were thinking of bringing me back but after a few days they decided against it. I know Jack was visibly upset and felt that I should come back. Also, the prizes are paid for by the sponsors, but the producers pay for the car. Anyway, it was a long time ago and I've gotten over it and I sold a lot of the prizes and bought a car with some of the money. Thanks again for your comments.

[@JasonA.Routhier-vw1wd]

@@nancyhoulihan2930 HI JOHN WHASSUP!! I WATCHED YOUR CLIP EARLY THIS MORNING FROM MY PHONE!! HARD TO BELIEVE ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO!!-I.LL BE 52 APRIL 12TH--WOW!! I.M AS OLD AS THE PRICE IS RIGHT 😂 LOL! ALSO 😔 SADLY 1984 MY MOTHER LOIS ANN ROUTHIER 10-28-1934-5-6-1984 DIED FROM CERVICAL CANCER!! BUT ANYHOW BACK TO A HAPPY 😊 NOTE!!-- CONGRATS TO YOU WINNING THAT NATURAL TRIPLE & ALL $28,800.WOW!!--AS A LIFETIME FAN OF GAME SHOWS(GREW UP WITH ALL DIFFERENT VERSIONS)I WAS PRAYING & HOPING FOR YOU TO WIN THAT CAR-BUT I.M GLAD YOU STILL ENDED UP GETTING YOUR CAR 🚙 ANYWAY!! BEFORE I FINISH MY TEXT- I HAVE TO SAY THOUGH EVEN I CAN,T RECALL WATCHING THE JOKER,S WILD AND SOMEBODY BEING DEFEATED BY THE DEVIL 👿 IN THAT BONUS ROUND 4 TIMES!!--as the late Bob Barker would say on The Price Is Right--"THIS IS AN HISORICAL MOMENT!!" THANK YOU MR.JOHN FOR NOT RESPONDING TO ME BUT I.M GLAD LIFE IS STILL TREATING YOU GOOD & YOU,RE STILL HANGING IN THERE!! MY 👏 APPLAUSE & AGAIN CONGRATS!! ALL.THE BEST FROM BALTIMORE MD AKA "BUCKTOWN" & "CHARM CITY"

[@ScottBadley]

@@nancyhoulihan2930I wonder if your opponent getting the follow up question wrong is what made the producers not bring you back thinking in their heads that it was a wash. Regardless they should have but you still did alright. Congrats

[@lidajizmejian8569]

i love to watch the game.

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

I loved playing it! John

[@johnfenner5550]

The judge sounds familiar. Was 1970s contestant Frank Dillon serving as the judge at this point?

[@videorescuecenter]

I got thrown off because I think it sounds like Houlihan. Bold move John, correcting the host. :D

[@jmiller297]

51:16-51:38 🥹🥹🥹

[@cdjsteve]

Wheels are fixed. Barry gotvaway with it till the day he died.

[@chrismc410]

51:05

[@tirmyta]

Each game had five categories. How were the categories and Jokers distributed on the three windows of the "slot machine" game display? Did each window have one each of the five categories, and one Joker? I'm not a statistician, but I'm trying to figure out how there could have been so many games in a row without a natural triple.

[@jhillst]

I believe each window had thirteen slides -- two of each category and three Jokers. So, the odds of spinning a Natural Triple were about 1 in 275.

[@thomasdinsmore5866]

Question are you sure that the contestant said shield or shields if so he deserves second chance

[@chessthecat]

He clearly said Shield. I noticed it right away and didn't expect the judge to call out but was relieved when he did.

[@ddmck1972]

1:11:00, Sorry, but he did say Shield, but I think the judge could have been a bit more tactful about it. I wonder if he ever came back like Jack said was possible?

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

Hi it's me,John and I did say Shield. The producer called me a few days later with news that I would not be invited back since any contestant who made a similar mistake ( Sally Fields instead of Field) would also be eligible to return.Also, the producers pay for the car which I would have received if I won my 5th game.

[@ddmck1972]

​@nancyhoulihan2930 Sorry to hear that, but again, I think the judge could have been a little more polite about it. Good job on that natural triple though.

[@jhillst]

@@nancyhoulihan2930 Too bad you missed that question. Otherwise, your correct answer to the question about Stephen King would have put you at $500 for your fifth win and a car. You were both one of the luckiest and the unluckiest contestants TJW ever had :-)

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

@@jhillst So True! John

[@lojosol]

the magic is at 51:00

[@deandevirgilio3068]

I knew the answer on that religion category Jack read the question

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

Me too. John

[@zachhoran]

This is an event talked about on the online game show community, but hasn't been seen since its original broadcast almost 40 years ago, airing IIRC just before Jack Barry's death.

[@videorescuecenter]

Really?! How cool! Yeah the day the episode aired that he won was the day Jack Barry passed. My wife is the “No Devil” girl. This was recorded by her Uncle in Philly, and were like, “hey… we have a VHS…”

[@zachhoran]

Jack died on 5/2/1984. WPVI 6ABC in Philly aired Joker weekdays at 11AM EST@@videorescuecenter

[@zachhoran]

I think that No Devil shirt was homemade. I don't recall ever seeing such a shirt. Around this time, Press Your Luck was giving non-winners of their home player spin sweepstakes "No Whammys" T-shirts.@@videorescuecenter

[@videorescuecenter]

Yes, her mom made it for the taping.

[@JMFabiano]

@@videorescuecenter And that too is cool! Is John and Nancy still with us?

[@nintendonerdsvideos4727]

the real devil came later in the irs guy.

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

I outsmarted that devil by claiming fair market value on the prizes and also income averaging.John

[@gsnfan]

51:00

[@cdjsteve]

Wheels were fixed.

[@cdjsteve]

Oh God yes !!!!!

[@paullarue2010]

Natural triple?!

[@paulsonj72]

No jokers came up. Three of a kind like on the slot machines in Vegas

[@johnmcgee6297]

Oh Jack

[@gameshowguy2000]

51:00 NTJ.

[@paullarue2010]

Hate that Devil

[@christophercotton9048]

11:09 OH I HATE THAT DEVIL 😈 SO MUCH!

[@rodney1279TheFlip]

That judge was being mean on this episode.

[@christophercotton9048]

45:23 OH COME ON NOW SPLITFOOT!! HAVEN’T WE SEEN ENOUGH OF YOU ALREADY??

[@deandevirgilio3068]

That devil is so rotten

[@nancyhoulihan2930]

I agree! John

[@christophercotton9048]

Rotten to the core!

[@mrmustangman]

🃏🃏🃏

[@ChuckD79]

Incredible...thanks so much for sharing, as well as having the foresight to save these eps for nearly 40 years!

[@videorescuecenter]

Nancy was also on the show as a contestant, and it's old family banter that she flubbed Rumpelstiltskin/Rapunzel. I'll have to see about also converting their copy of that episode.

[@JMFabiano]

Oh what year? @@videorescuecenter

[@chrismc410]

1:16:25