<P> When Griffin pitched the idea for the show to Lin Bolen, then the head of NBC's daytime programming division, she approved, but wanted the show to have more glamour to attract the female audience . She suggested that Griffin incorporate a shopping element into the gameplay, and so, in 1973, he created a pilot episode titled Shopper's Bazaar, with Chuck Woolery as host and Mike Lawrence as announcer . The pilot started with the three contestants being introduced individually, with Lawrence describing the prizes that they chose to play for . The main game was played to four rounds, with the values on the wheel wedges increasing after the second round . Unlike the show it evolved into, Shopper's Bazaar had a vertically mounted wheel, which was spun by Woolery rather than by the contestants . This wheel lacked the Bankrupt wedge and featured a wedge where a contestant could call a vowel for free, as well as a "Your Own Clue" wedge that allowed contestants to pick up a rotary telephone and hear a private clue about the puzzle . At the end of the game, the highest - scoring contestant would play a bonus round called the "Shopper's Special" where all the vowels in the puzzle were already there, and the contestant had 30 seconds to call out consonants in the puzzle . </P> <P> Edd Byrnes, an actor from 77 Sunset Strip, served as host for the second and third pilots, both titled Wheel of Fortune . These pilots were directed by Marty Pasetta, who gave the show a "Vegas" feel that more closely resembled the look and feel that the actual show ended up having, a wheel that was now spun by the contestants themselves, and a lighted mechanical puzzle board with letters that were now manually turnable . Showcase prizes on these pilots were located behind the puzzle board, and during shopping segments a list of prizes and their price values scrolled on the right of the screen . By the time production began in December 1974, Woolery was selected to host, the choice being made by Griffin after he reportedly heard Byrnes reciting "A-E-I-O-U" to himself in an effort to remember the vowels . Susan Stafford turned the letters on Byrnes' pilot episodes, a role that she also held when the show was picked up as a series . </P> <P> The original host of Wheel of Fortune was Chuck Woolery, who hosted the series from its 1975 premiere until December 25, 1981, save for one week in August 1980 when Alex Trebek hosted in his place . Woolery's departure came over a salary dispute with show creator Merv Griffin, and his contract was not renewed . On December 28, 1981, Pat Sajak made his debut as the host of Wheel . Griffin said that he chose Sajak for his "odd" sense of humor . NBC president and CEO Fred Silverman objected as he felt Sajak, who at the time of his hiring was the weatherman for KNBC - TV, was "too local" for a national audience . Griffin countered by telling Silverman he would stop production if Sajak was not allowed to become host, and Silverman acquiesced . </P> <P> Sajak hosted the daytime series until January 9, 1989, when he left to host a late - night talk show for CBS . Rolf Benirschke, a former placekicker in the National Football League, was chosen as his replacement and hosted for a little more than five months . Benirschke's term as host came to an end due to NBC's cancellation of the daytime Wheel after fourteen years, with its final episode airing on June 30, 1989 . When the newly formatted daytime series returned on CBS on July 17, 1989, Bob Goen became its host . The daytime program continued for a year and a half on CBS, then returned to NBC on January 14, 1991 and continued until September 20, 1991 when it was cancelled for a second and final time . </P>

Who was the first emcee of wheel of fortune