No episode aired on January 2 due to the Tournament of Roses Parade since New Year's Day was on Sunday in 1984.
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
1/3/1984
Cash jackpot: $67,000
1/4/1984
Cash jackpot: $68,000
1/5/1984
Cash jackpot: $69,000
1/6/1984
Cash jackpot: $70,000
1/9/1984
Cash jackpot: $71,000
1/10/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $72,000
1/11/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $73,000
1/12/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $74,000
1/13/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $75,000
1/16/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $76,000
1/17/1984
Kathy
Cash jackpot: $77,000
1/18/1984
Bob
Roger
Kathy
Kathy Riley wins the $78,000 cash jackpot and decides to retire (she was $45 away from winning the entire lot).
The "final three questions" is still in place as of this episode.
Once Jim realizes that Kathy secured the win with $555 in her account, he discards the final question exclaiming "Oh the hell with the last question ... ."
Bob and Roger are each given an additional $5.
1/19/1984
Dave
Cash jackpot is reset to $50,000.
1/20/1984
Tom
Mridani
Dave
Cash jackpot: $51,000
1/23/1984
Cash jackpot: $52,000
1/24/1984
Cash jackpot: $53,000
1/25/1984
Cash jackpot: $54,000
1/26/1984
Cash jackpot: $55,000
1/27/1984
Cash jackpot: $56,000
1/30/1984
Cash jackpot: $57,000
1/31/1984
Cash jackpot: $58,000
February[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
2/1/1984
Cash jackpot: $59,000
2/2/1984
Cash jackpot: $60,000
2/3/1984
Cash jackpot: $61,000
2/6/1984
Cash jackpot: $62,000
2/7/1984
Cash jackpot: $63,000
2/8/1984
Cash jackpot: $64,000
2/9/1984
Cash jackpot: $65,000.
2/10/1984
Cash jackpot: $66,000.
2/13/1984
Cash jackpot: $67,000.
2/14/1984
Cash jackpot: $68,000.
2/15/1984
Cash jackpot: $69,000.
2/16/1984
Cash jackpot: $70,000.
2/17/1984
Cash jackpot: $71,000.
2/20/1984
Cash jackpot: $72,000.
2/21/1984
Cash jackpot: $73,000.
2/22/1984
Cash jackpot: $74,000.
2/23/1984
Cash jackpot: $75,000.
2/24/1984
Cash jackpot: $76,000.
2/27/1984
Ed
Cash jackpot: $77,000.
2/28/1984
Ed
Cash jackpot: $78,000.
2/29/1984
Harry
Vicki
Ed
Cash jackpot: $79,000.
At this point, the Fame Game "famous faces" and the "final three" questions are still being used.
First of two Leap Day episodes in the series.
Ed currently has $149 in his bank.
March[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
3/1/1984
Ed
Ed currently has $240 in his bank.
Cash jackpot: $80,000.
3/2/1984
Cash jackpot: $81,000.
3/5/1984
Cash jackpot: $82,000.
3/6/1984
Cash jackpot: $83,000.
3/7/1984
Cash jackpot: $84,000.
3/8/1984
Cash jackpot: $85,000.
3/9/1984
Cash jackpot: $86,000.
3/12/1984
Cash jackpot: $87,000.
3/13/1984
Cash jackpot: $88,000.
3/14/1984
Cash jackpot: $89,000.
3/15/1984
Cash jackpot: $90,000.
3/16/1984
Cash jackpot: $91,000.
3/19/1984
Cash jackpot: $92,000.
3/20/1984
Cash jackpot: $93,000.
3/21/1984
Cash jackpot: $94,000.
3/22/1984
Cash jackpot: $95,000.
3/23/1984
Cash jackpot: $96,000.
3/26/1984
Cash jackpot: $97,000.
The week's theme appears to the "The South." Although two modern-day prizes are shown -- a $3,200 home video package and a Mercedes Benz 190D 4-door sedan worth $23,880 -- there are at least two befitting the theme: Victorian-style living room furniture worth about $5,200 and a 20-day tour of the Civil War-era South worth $8,056.
3/27/1984
Cash jackpot: $98,000.
3/28/1984
Nanci
Bob
Dawn
Dawn McKellar went for the Cash Jackpot, which was at $99,000, but lost the game by $2, 57-55, to Bob, after a back-and-forth Speedround.
At this point, the Fame Game "famous faces" have been replaced by the numbered board with spaces marked 1-9, and the 60-second Speedround is in place. These changes likely took place no later than March 26 (the Monday show of this particular week). The Shopping sales targets are changed at this same time.
The short-lived "Money Back" question for contestants who buy Instant Bargains -- allowing the contestant to win back the sale value of the prize for correctly answering a question -- is in play here. Bob is in on all three Instant Bargains, declining the first and buying the next two, but does not correctly answer the questions. (He hears the question to the first one anyway, and admits he didn't know that answer.)
Perhaps due to time, Jim and new champion Bob rush through the Shopping prizes, only introducing the first three items before jumping right to the cash jackpot and informing him of the requirements to win the lot; the car and Level 4 and 5 prizes are not given, as is usual practice for first-day champions.
3/29/1984
Bob
Bob currently has $57 in his bank.
Cash jackpot: $100,000 - the first time the cash jackpot reached six figures.
3/30/1984
Bob
Cash jackpot: $101,000
April[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
4/2/1984
Cash jackpot: $102,000
4/3/1984
Cash jackpot: $103,000
4/4/1984
David
Cash jackpot: $104,000
4/5/1984
David
Cash jackpot: $105,000
4/6/1984
David
Cash jackpot: $106,000
4/9/1984
David
Cash jackpot: $107,000
4/10/1984
David
Cash jackpot: $108,000
4/11/1984
Keith
Jane
David
David Rogers wins the largest cash jackpot of the series ($109,000). Naturally, he takes it and leaves with $122,084 in cash and prizes.
The total combined value of the lot at this point is $187,101, the largest in Sale's history. Had David played on and won on the next show with $80 or more, assuming a $110,000 cash jackpot, he would have won more than $202,000 in cash and prizes.
The shopping segment featured a circus theme, with an actual clown troupe helping the models with the prizes. Those prizes included an electric organ worth $4,500, a BMW R65 motorcycle and sidecar worth $6,099, a 17-day tour of eastern Europe worth $8,450, a 33-karat diamond sapphire ring worth $14,000, a 17-foot Fleetwood travel trailer worth $15,257 and a Cadillac Seville worth $29,795 (total lot value: $78,101).
David correctly answers the third Fame Game question (subject: Howard Hughes) and finds a $15 money card, doing so after uncovering the rarely seen "$200 or Pick Again." What had been a fairly tight game beforehand (Keith had $30, Jane $40 and David $59) now becomes a runaway as David blitzes his way through the speed round and wins with $114, bringing his current bank account total to $680.
Per a partial episode uploaded to YouTube, David had purchased an unknown Instant Bargain, with a $1,000 cash offer attached, earlier in the show. Jane wins a washer and dryer worth $991 in the Fame Game to go along with $45 cash, while Keith wins $400 from the Fame Game to end with $440.
4/12/1984
For the first time in nearly three months, the cash jackpot is reset to $50,000.
4/13/1984
The cash jackpot is $51,000.
4/16/1984
The cash jackpot is $52,000.
4/17/1984
The cash jackpot is $53,000.
4/18/1984
The cash jackpot is $54,000.
4/19/1984
The cash jackpot is $55,000.
4/20/1984
The cash jackpot is $56,000.
4/23/1984
The cash jackpot is $57,000.
4/24/1984
The cash jackpot is $58,000.
4/25/1984
The cash jackpot is $59,000.
4/26/1984
The cash jackpot is $60,000.
4/27/1984
The cash jackpot is $61,000.
4/30/1984
The cash jackpot is $62,000.
May[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
5/1/1984
The cash jackpot is $63,000.
5/2/1984
The cash jackpot is $64,000.
5/3/1984
John
Barbra
Bill
The cash jackpot is $65,000.
Bill has $247 in his bank at this point. He was playing for the Level 2 prize, a trip to New York and tickets to a number of Broadway shows, but he now has enough for the third-level prize, audio and video equipment worth $8,530.
Shopping has a newspaper theme tied to it, with 22 oz. of gold ($9,480, as part of the "Finance" section) and a pair of Pontiac Fieros ($25,540, for "Automobiles") among the prizes up the line.
Bill buys the second Instant Bargain, a stereo worth $750 plus a $200 cash offer; as well as a lamp package ($425) and his-and-hers watches ($500) from the Fame Game, the latter after he found a "$400 or Pick Again" card; he also finds the $10 Money Card in the first Fame Game. However, Bill loses out on Sale Surprises on both the first (air conditioner, $494, with $500 cash) and third (home gym, $1,170, $1,000 cash) Instant Bargains; Barbra also was in on the first Instant Bargain and declined to buy.
John and Barbra leave with $50 and $40, respectively.
5/4/1984
Bill
The cash jackpot is $66,000.
0346
5/7/1984
Bill
This week was taped on April 11, 1984. The tape date was confirmed from a reliable source that listed what programs were airing that day. It's unclear what exactly were the five preemptions that $ale had up to this point.
This week has a "Back to the '40s" theme. Among the prizes is a fully-restored, mint-condition 1948 Ford convertible (one of at least two weeks where a classic car is offered) worth about $25,000.
The cash jackpot is $67,000.
0347
5/8/1984
Bill
The cash jackpot is $68,000.
0348
5/9/1984
Bill
The cash jackpot is $69,000.
0349
5/10/1984
Paul
Susan
Bill
Bill Baxter wins the Cash Jackpot ($70,000) and leaves, retiring with $85,256.
0350
5/11/1984
The cash jackpot is reset to $50,000.
0351
5/14/1984
Beginning with this week, the new, more familiar set that would be used for the rest of the show's run has debuted. The set now has more of an orange color to it with the contestant podiums taking a new design that features lights pulsating upwards rather than the rainbow lights used with the previous set.
The cash jackpot is $51,000.
0352
5/15/1984
The cash jackpot is $52,000
0353
5/16/1984
Ian
The cash jackpot is $53,000.
Ian ends the day with $305 in his bank account and passes up a trip to Germany.
0354
5/17/1984
Gary
Andy
Ian
The cash jackpot is $54,000.
The week's shopping theme is fairy tales, which plays into the coffee and tea service David was playing for; the Mad Hatter and the Rabbit from "Alice In Wonderland" was the skit.
Ian wins with $100. He is pushed for the first half of the speed round by Andy, who trails just $10 ($65-55) at the midway point before Ian gains form and wins going away, correctly answering seven of the next eight questions. Andy wins $900 over two Fame Game questions, while Gary is never a factor and leaves with $35.
Nobody guesses the correct answer to the second Fame Game, which is "As Time Goes By." Both Ian and Gary give incorrect answers, while Andy is stumped.
With $405 in the bank and more than enough to buy a $12,000 coffee and tea service from David Argell, Ian passes to play on. Up the line is a $15,000 collection of basket-weave gold and diamond jewelry (earrings and a bangle bracelet) from Jewels by Edwar (demonstrated by a princess and the goose that laid the golden egg), a $29,589 Cadillac Seville (Cinderella and Prince Charming) and the cash jackpot. Total value of all the prizes and the cash jackpot (as of this show) is $129,147.
Ian buys the first Instant Bargain, a package that includes dinner for two at Winthrop's Restaurant in Los Angeles and his/her watches from Jules Jergensen, plus $1,100 cash ($100 on a cash offer, the rest from a Sale Surprise) for $1,745 total. He passes on the other two Instant Bargains, a $670 19-inch color TV from Sharp and a $1,275 Irish settee bench from Williams Antiques.
0355
5/18/1984
Ian
The cash jackpot is $55,000.
0356
5/21/1984
Jack
Cathy
Ian
The week's shopping theme is "outer space".
The cash jackpot is $56,000.
0357
5/22/1984
Ian
The cash jackpot is $57,000.
0358
5/23/1984
Jack
Bonni
Ian
The cash jackpot is $58,000.
Ian demanded to drop the balloons, because he's taking the money and run.
0359
5/24/1984
The cash jackpot is reset to $50,000.
0360
5/25/1984
0361
5/28/1984
0362
5/29/1984
0363
5/30/1984
0364
5/31/1984
June[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0365
6/1/1984
0366
6/4/1984
This Week was taped on May 15, 1984. The tape date and episode number were confirmed from a reliable source that listed what programs were airing that day.
0367
6/5/1984
0368
6/6/1984
0369
6/7/1984
0370
6/8/1984
0371
6/11/1984
0372
6/12/1984
0373
6/13/1984
0374
6/14/1984
0375
6/15/1984
0376
6/18/1984
0377
6/19/1984
0378
6/20/1984
0379
6/21/1984
0380
6/22/1984
0381
6/25/1984
0382
6/26/1984
Stephanie
Stephanie passes up the car -- a Nissan 300ZX worth $26,194 -- to play for the cash jackpot. As of this episode, she has $633 in her bank. She needed just just $17 to secure a $73,000 cash jackpot, or $123 to win the lot ($146,095 in cash and prizes).
0383
6/27/1984
Kyle
Dick
Stephanie
Stephanie pulls away late to clinch the $74,000 cash jackpot and, suggesting she had a few scary moments in games earlier, decides to retire, despite needing just $37 to secure the lot, worth $147,095. Her total winnings are $83,337.
Stephanie led Dick by just $5 going into the Speedround, a gamble on a Mystery Money or Pick Again card on the final Fame Game netting her only a $450 mantle clock. Stephanie and Dick are tied at the halfway point, and Stephanie leads by just $5 with 15 seconds, but a string of three correct answers clinches victory.
Based on a partial upload of the episode to video sharing services, Dick picks up a coffee and tea service and women's clothing in two previous Fame Games; along with his $70 cash score, he leaves with $1,075. Kyle lags behind and left with just her $40 cash score.
0384
6/28/1984
0385
6/29/1984
July[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0386
7/2/1984
0387
7/3/1984
0388
7/4/1984
0389
7/5/1984
0390
7/6/1984
0391
7/9/1984
0392
7/10/1984
0393
7/11/1984
0394
7/12/1984
0395
7/13/1984
0396
7/16/1984
0397
7/17/1984
0398
7/18/1984
0399
7/19/1984
0400
7/20/1984
0401
7/23/1984
0402
7/24/1984
0403
7/25/1984
0404
7/26/1984
0405
7/27/1984
0406
7/30/1984
This week was taped June 27, 1984. The tape date and episode number were confirmed from a reliable source that listed what programs were airing that day.
0407
7/31/1984
August[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0408
8/1/1984
0409
8/2/1984
0410
8/3/1984
0411
8/6/1984
0412
8/7/1984
0413
8/8/1984
0414
8/9/1984
0415
8/10/1984
0416
8/13/1984
0417
8/14/1984
0418
8/15/1984
0419
8/16/1984
0420
8/17/1984
0421
8/20/1984
0422
8/21/1984
0423
8/22/1984
0424
8/23/1984
0425
8/24/1984
0426
8/27/1984
0427
8/28/1984
0428
8/29/1984
0429
8/30/1984
0430
8/31/1984
September[]
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0431
9/3/1984
0432
9/4/1984
0433
9/5/1984
0434
9/6/1984
0435
9/7/1984
0436
9/10/1984
0437
9/11/1984
0438
9/12/1984
0439
9/13/1984
0440
9/14/1984
0441
9/17/1984
0442
9/18/1984
0443
9/19/1984
0444
9/20/1984
0445
9/21/1984
0446
9/24/1984
0447
9/25/1984
0448
9/26/1984
0449
9/27/1984
0450
9/28/1984
October[]
There was a preemption at some point between 8/2/1984 and 11/2/1984, but the exact date and nature of this preemption is unknown.
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0451
10/1/1984
0452
10/2/1984
0453
10/3/1984
0454
10/4/1984
0455
10/5/1984
0456
10/8/1984
0457
10/9/1984
0458
10/10/1984
0459
10/11/1984
0460
10/12/1984
0461
10/15/1984
0462
10/16/1984
0463
10/17/1984
0464
10/18/1984
0465
10/19/1984
0466
10/22/1984
0467
10/23/1984
0468
10/24/1984
0469
10/25/1984
0470
10/26/1984
0471
10/29/1984
Mark
This week was taped on October 05, 1984.
Mark Hoffman's first appearance.
0472
10/30/1984
Mark
0473
10/31/1984
Mark
November[]
The show was preempted on 11/22 for The 58th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0474
11/1/1984
Mark
According to Jim on the following episode, Mark was able to make a comeback win after an opponent found the $25 Money Card.
Mark has winnings of $49,569 at the end of this episode.
0475
11/2/1984
Tim
Donna
Mark
Model Lou Mulford fills in for Lee Menning due to Lee's maternity leave.
Starting no later than this episode, the Fame Game has a "$5+" Money card which awards the contestant who finds it a second pick of the Fame Game board allowing the contestant to possibly add up to $30 to his or her score and with the "$400 or Pick Again" card also in play, up to three picks of the board in a single playing. This was a short-lived space and would quickly be replaced by a standard $5 Money Card.
In the first Instant Bargain, there is a Sale Surprise of $500 in Cash.
Nobody gets a pick at the Second Fame Game, as Tim, the last person to get a crack at the board, gave an incorrect answer of Yugoslavia to "Who am I?" Question (The category was Famous Place and the correct answer was Czechoslovakia.)
Despite Donna finding a $25 money card, Mark was able to make a tie with Donna at $80 at the end of the speed round.
The tiebreaker question was "Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in what State?" Donna buzzed in but gave an incorrect answer of Illinois (the correct answer was Pennsylvania), giving Mark the victory.
Neither Tim or Donna pick any prizes in either the Fame Game or Instant Bargains, with Tim walking away with $35 and Donna with $75.
Mark wins a Nikon camera worth $1,972, giving him a final total of $55,382 for the day.
0476
11/5/1984
Mark
0477
11/6/1984
0478
11/7/1984
0479
11/8/1984
0480
11/9/1984
Jeff
Jeff Hewitt's first appearance.
0481
11/12/1984
Jeff
A "Dollar Bill Contest" is run for the next two weeks.
0482
11/13/1984
Jeff
Jeff has winnings of $12,295 after three days.
0483
11/14/1984
Dave
Lisa
Jeff
Jeff wins a gold bracelet from Jewels by Edwar worth $3,125 in the Winners Board bumping his winnings to $17,005. He also collects $585 in dinnerware (from Noritake) "for his mother" in the first Instant Bargain and picks up $1,000 cash from the third Fame Game.
Jeff leads the game almost completely throughout and wins with $90.
In the first Instant Bargain, Jim misidentifies the prize as flatware after Jeff makes the purchase; he later turns down the third Instant Bargain which was a $1,200 private fishing trip for six.
In the second Instant Bargain, there is an error on the cue card where Lee announces the Sale price of a $789 VCR at $12 instead of the intended $9 price. Jim, who had already lowered the price to $10, is alerted from offstage as to the mistake; the correct bargain price had been displayed on the screen. Despite the mistake, Jeff, who has a $10 lead at this point, declines to buy the Instant Bargain.
Lisa wins a selection of small kitchen appliances (worth $285) and $500 cash from the first two Fame Games to end with $830 in winnings.
Dave leaves with just the $25 in front of him after being shut out for misidentifying the second Fame Game question about General Custer (he incorrectly guessed Ulysses Grant.)
0484
11/15/1984
Tom
Jas
Jeff
Jeff's total after five days is $22,055.
0485
11/16/1984
Gregg
Marlene
Jeff
Jeff wins a Nissan 300ZX worth $26,194 from the Winner's Board bringing his total winnings to $48,749. He also wins $500 from the first Fame Game but turns down a $469 towel rack and a $700 gas range in the first two Instant Bargains.
Gregg finds a "$5+" card during the second Fame Game finding a $350 rocking horse with his second pick. Gregg takes the lead in the aftermath and ends up buying a $1,400 trip to the Bahamas in the third Fame Game. However, he falls behind Jeff at that point and after Jeff ends up finding a $15 Money Card in the final Fame Game, he wins with $80.
Gregg ends up with $1,799 in cash and prizes.
Marlene ends up with $30.
0486
11/19/1984
Jeff
0487
11/20/1984
Jeff
0488
11/21/1984
Jeff
0489
11/23/1984
Tim
Perrin
Jeff
Jeff clears the Winner's Board, collecting the last remaining prize which was $10,000. Stating that "Somewhere out there, there is someone who can run faster, jump higher or throw farther" Jeff decides to retire with a grand total of $72,794.
Perrin trailed Jeff $45-$35 going into the third Fame Game but after correctly answering a question about Jane Wyman, she gambles after finding $400 or Pick Again by finding a $25 Money Card allowing her to take a $60-$45 lead. Jeff catches up and, in a back-and-forth game, answers a question about the form of entertainment associated with Tin Pan Alley (music) with under five seconds left to earn the $75-$70 victory.
Perrin leaves with a $450 bedding ensemble and $70 in cash; Tim ends up leaving with just the $25 in front of him.
In the previous two Fame Games, the Mystery Money or Pick Again card was found (concealing $500) as was a $10 Money Card.
0490
11/26/1984
0491
11/27/1984
0492
11/28/1984
0493
11/29/1984
0494
11/30/1984
December[]
The show was preempted on 12/25 for Christmas at Washington Cathedral.
Ep. #
NBC Airdate
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3 (Champ)
Notes
0495
12/3/1984
0496
12/4/1984
Margerite
0497
12/5/1984
Margerite
0498
12/6/1984
Margerite
0499
12/7/1984
Margerite
0500
12/10/1984
Margerite
0501
12/11/1984
Chris
Ron
Margerite
Margerite wins her 6th game and clears $10,000 off the Winner's Board.
0502
12/12/1984
Margerite
0503
12/13/1984
Margerite
0504
12/14/1984
Lisa
Keith
Margerite
Margerite wins her 9th game and clears the car off the Winner's Board.
0505
12/17/1984
Margerite
0506
12/18/1984
Celeste
After two days as champion, Celeste has $6,139 in winnings.
0507
12/19/1984
Lauree
Tom
Celeste
After a comfortable victory, Celeste wins five-day trip to the Bahamas worth $2,380 from the Winners Board. Added to her previous Winners Board winnings, including a custom men's wardrobe and a custom-crafted cabinet, and other winnings from this episode -- a $1,500 silver-plated jewel box (from the third Instant Bargain, not counting Jim's $600 cash offer) and $500 from the third Fame Game -- her winnings are $10,619.
Celeste passes up the first two Instant Bargains, a $500 ladies' wardrobe by Fawnn, and a Christmas gift package that includes an Audiobahn car stereo and toys and games from Lakeside Toys worth $700, the latter where she passes up an additional $200 cash offer.
Nobody guesses the second Fame Game whose clues led to the Broadway musical Hello, Dolly, the aftermath leaving Jim to joke at one of the incorrect answers, "Maybe we were closer with The Waltons." Tom had rang in and guessed The Waltons (which was not based on a story by Thornton Wilder nor set in Yonkers, New York, which were clues given immediately before Tom's incorrect answer, leading Jim stifling his laughter and saying, "I didn't understand that, either." After Lauree incorrectly guesses "Our Town," Jim advises the audience to not shout out any answers, believing the answer will be clearly obvious with the next clues ... until Celeste is completely stumped.
Lauree wins $445, pocketing $400 of it after finding the "... or Pick Again" card in the first Fame Game. Tom wins just the $40 in front of him.
0508
12/20/1984
Karen
Tom
Celeste
Celeste survives a crazy finish to win with $106 and wins a pool table from Regal Manufacturing worth $3,125, bringing her winnings to $15,125.
The setup to a suspenseful Speed Round and Celeste's hard-fought victory comes when Tom's chanced early ring-in on the third Fame Game question pays off (a question about Marco Polo) and finds a $25 Money Card, allowing him to take a $1 lead over Celeste, 77-76. Celeste answers the first three questions to lead 91-77, but Tom responds in kind to lead 97-96 with 20 seconds left. However, Celeste correctly answers a question about the product of any number multiplied by zero (zero) and a costly miss on a question about where the Lorraine grape-producing region is (France; he answered Canada) go a long way toward making the difference, beating Tom 106-97.
Going into the third Instant Bargain, Celeste has a $43 lead over Tom, but Celeste buys the Instant Bargain (a $1,090 trip to San Diego) for $14 to reduce her lead to $29, before the third segment makes for an exciting finish.
Jay helps model the pool table, playing the part of a Godfather-type pool pro.
Celeste and Tom are tied at the first Instant Bargain, and it is Tom who buys a $549 set of balans chairs to leave with $641 in cash and prizes. In addition to the San Diego trip, Celeste also wins a mini refrigerator worth $585 in the first Fame Game, passing up $400 or Pick Again; she passes up Christmas dinnerware worth $712 in the second Instant Bargain. Karen is left in the dust and wins just the $25 in front of her.
0509
12/21/1984
Celeste
0510
12/24/1984
College Players Day 1
0511
12/26/1984
College Players Day 2
0512
12/27/1984
College Players Day 3
0513
12/28/1984
Dean
Suzy
Ham
College Players Day 4. Lee Menning's last episode.
0514
12/31/1984
College Players Day 5. Summer Bartholomew becomes the new hostess, holding this role until the series' end.