Jackpot!
Created by	Bob Stewart
Directed by	Mike Gargiulo, William G. Elliott, Bruce Burmester
Presented by	Geoff Edwards (1974–1975, 1989–1990) Mike Darow (1985–1988)
Narrated by	Don Pardo (1974–1975) Wayne Howell (1975) Ken Ryan (1985–1988) John Harris (1985–1988) John Harlan (1989) Johnny Gilbert (1989–1990)
Music by	Bob Cobert (1985–1990)
Country of origin	United States (1974–1975, 1989–1990) Canada (1985–1988)
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	450 (1974–1975 version) 525 (1985-1988 version) 130 (1989–1990 version)
Production
Production locations	NBC Studios New York, New York (1974–1975) Global Television Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1985-1988 Glendale, California 1989-1990
Distributor	Palladium Entertainment (1989-1990) Sony Pictures Television
Release
Original network	NBC (1974–1975) USA Network (1985–1988) Global (1985–1988) Syndicated (1989–1990)
Original release	January 7, 1974–September 26, 1975 September 30, 1985–December 30, 1988 September 18, 1989 – March 16, 1990

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Jackpot (also referred to as Jackpot!) is an American and Canadian television game show produced by Bob Stewart which saw contestants attempting to solve riddles in order to win cash and prizes.

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Jackpot made its debut on the NBC television network on January 7, 1974 as part of their daytime schedule and ran until September 26, 1975. The show videotaped in New York City, where Stewart was based at the time, and was hosted by Geoff Edwards. In 1985, Stewart teamed up with USA Network and Global Television Network for a revival that aired in both the United States and Canada. This edition of Jackpot aired on USA and Global from September 30, 1985 until December 30, 1988 and was produced in Toronto, Ontario, with Mike Darow as host. After the Canadian-produced Jackpot ended, Stewart developed another series for American syndication, this time based in the Los Angeles area of Glendale, California (Stewart moved there in the early 1980s). That series (the only one to refer to the title with the exclamation point in it) debuted on September 18, 1989 with Edwards once again hosting, coming to an end on March 16, 1990 after its syndicator went out of business.^[1]

The first series was announced by Don Pardo until early 1975, when Wayne Howell replaced him, marking Pardo's last announcing gig for an NBC game show (later in 1975, Pardo would settle in for his last announcing role in his career on the long-running NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live). The 1985 series saw announcing duties shared by Global announcers John Harris and Ken Ryan, the latter of whom was also the announcer on the USA/Global collaboration Bumper Stumpers. The 1989 series saw Johnny Gilbert and John Harlan split the announcing duties.

Elements of Jackpot's gameplay were later used in the GSN original game show Hollywood Showdown. Its producer, Sande Stewart (son of Jackpot! creator Bob Stewart), became a production partner of his father during the 1980s.

Gameplay[edit]

Sixteen contestants competed for an entire week, with one designated King/Queen of the Hill, who stood at a circular podium at stage-left. The other fifteen contestants, numbered 1 through 15, were seated in three-tiered bleachers. Each had a special wallet containing a riddle and a varying cash amount or the Jackpot Riddle. The King/Queen of the Hill selected a number and the contestant with that number asked a riddle to this player. If answered correctly, the King of the Hill continued picking numbers; if answered incorrectly, the two contestants switched places, with the contestant who stumped him/her becoming the new King of the Hill.

The value of the riddle increased the value of the Jackpot. If the King selected the contestant holding the Jackpot Riddle (one per game) and answered it correctly, those two contestants split the Jackpot.

In addition to building the Jackpot, there was a secondary objective for the King and the other fifteen riddle holders. Before each new game started, a three digit number, determined at random by the show's computers, was set as the 'target number'. If at any point in the game the last three numbers displayed in the Jackpot matched the target number, the King and the contestant whose riddle enabled the match were given a chance to win the Super Jackpot, which would be worth thousands of dollars.

The Super Jackpot Riddle was always read by the host from his podium and read twice. If the Super Jackpot Riddle was answered correctly, they split the prize.

Depending on the rules or the situation, the King could ask the Jackpot Riddle-holder to be seated and continue the game, perhaps with other bonuses, a larger Jackpot, or the Super Jackpot in mind.

Special riddles[edit]

Double Dollars (Syndicated) – As the name implied, a correct answer to one of these riddles doubled the amount in the Jackpot at that time.
Instant Target Match (Syndicated) – If this riddle was answered correctly, the last three digits in the Jackpot were augmented to match the target number and give the player that held the riddle and the King of the Hill a chance at the Super Jackpot.
Bonus Prize (all) – A correct answer won the King or Queen of the Hill a prize.
Return Trip (USA/Syndicated) – Correctly answering this riddle resulted in both players (riddler and King [or Queen]) being allowed to compete in an extra week of shows.

NBC (1974–1975)[edit]

The King (or Queen) of the Hill was referred to as the Expert. Riddles on this version ranged in value from $5 to $200 in multiples of $5, and Target Numbers could go no higher than $995. After the selection of a Target Number, a Multiplier ranging from 5 to 50 was chosen at random (although 15 and 20 were twice as likely to appear) and was multiplied with the Target Number to determine the Super Jackpot (e.g., $500×30 = $15,000). If the Target Number was $995 and the Multiplier was 50, the Super Jackpot was automatically set to $50,000.

The Super Jackpot could be played for in one of two ways:

Initially, if the Expert solved a Jackpot Riddle and last three digits of the Jackpot matched the Target Number, the players (whoever asked the Jackpot Riddle and whoever answered it) split the Super Jackpot. Later, the Expert had to answer a second riddle asked by Edwards after solving a Jackpot Riddle when the last three digits of the Jackpot matched the Target Number in order to share the Super Jackpot with the other player.
The Super Jackpot could also be won if the Expert chose the player that had the Super Jackpot Wildcard and correctly answered the Super Jackpot Riddle, again asked by Edwards.

Originally, the player who answered the most riddles in the week won a car. This was later changed to awarding a car to anyone who answered all fifteen riddles in a single game. After a week-long experiment in February 1974 (when it was called 'The Valentine Riddle'), most games had a 'Double Bonus' riddle which, if answered correctly, won the two players involved a trip, usually to somewhere in Mexico or the Caribbean.

Beginning on June 30, 1975, the format was altered for the last 13 weeks of the run:

The Target Number and Multiplier were dropped. Instead, the

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