<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website </Td> </Tr> <P> Wheel of Fortune (often known simply as Wheel) is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin . The show features a competition in which contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel . </P> <P> Wheel originally aired as a daytime series on NBC from January 6, 1975, to June 30, 1989 . After some changes were made to its format, the daytime series moved to CBS from July 17, 1989, to January 11, 1991 . It then returned to NBC from January 14, 1991, until it was cancelled on September 20, 1991 . The popularity of the daytime series led to a nightly syndicated edition being developed, which premiered on September 19, 1983, and has aired continuously since . </P> <P> The network version was originally hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford, with Charlie O'Donnell as its announcer . O'Donnell left in 1980 and was replaced by Jack Clark . After Clark's death in 1988, M.G. Kelly took over briefly as announcer until O'Donnell returned in 1989 . O'Donnell remained on the network version until its cancellation, and continued to announce on the syndicated show until his death in 2010, when Jim Thornton succeeded him . Woolery left in 1981, and was replaced by Pat Sajak . Sajak left the network version in January 1989 to host his own late - night talk show, and was replaced on that version by Rolf Benirschke . Bob Goen replaced Benirschke when the network show moved to CBS, then remained as host until the network show was canceled altogether . Stafford left in 1982, and was replaced by Vanna White, who remained on the network show for the rest of its run . The syndicated version has been hosted continuously by Sajak and White since its inception . </P>

When was the first wheel of fortune aired