Sale of the Century/Episode Guide/NBC/1988

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1988

1989

This is an episode guide covering 1988 of the NBC run of Sale of the Century.

January

Sale and Classic Concentration did air on 1/1/1988.

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1273	1/1/1988
1274	1/4/1988
1275	1/5/1988
1276	1/6/1988
1277	1/7/1988
1278	1/8/1988
1279	1/11/1988
1280	1/12/1988
1281	1/13/1988			Tom	Tom has won at this point, so far, $14,260
1282	1/14/1988	Charles	Karin	Tom	Charles goes for the $10,000 Instant Cash jackpot, and loses. Everybody fails on the last two Fame Games. Tom plays the Winner's Big Money Game for $7,000, and wins! Tom's total is now $25,753.
1283	1/15/1988			Tom	Instant Cash is worth $11,000. Last episode featuring Jay Stewart as announcer.
1284	1/18/1988			Tom	First episode featuring Don Morrow as announcer
1285	1/19/1988			Tom
1286	1/20/1988	Eric	Janis	Tom
1287	1/21/1988
1288	1/22/1988
1289	1/25/1988
1290	1/26/1988
1291	1/27/1988
1292	1/28/1988
1293	1/29/1988

February

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1294	2/1/1988	Andy Ross	Linda Credit	Bob Rafael	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 1 All WBMG semifinal games are played for $5,000. Linda wins going away in the Speed Round, picking up $1,500 in David Orgell china as her bonus prize. Andy hits the $25 Money Card in the final Fame Game to pull to within $10 of Linda going into the Speed Round but is unable to seize the momentum. In the WBMG, Linda needs most of the clues in each of her questions, and the resulting slow pace plus a miss on a question about the U.S. state that was once known as the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii; her answer was Massachusetts) means no win. Andy picks up an $899 Magnavox VCR in the first Fame Game to go along with $45; he leaves with more than $82,000 during his run. Bob comes away with only his $35; he had previously won more than $65,000 during his original run.
1295	2/2/1988	Dave King	Zak Barlo	Tom O'Brien	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 2 Tom puts the game away well before the Speed Round and wins the game with $99, well ahead of Dave ($30) and Zak ($25). A miss on the second WBMG question about the planet named for the Roman love goddess (Venus, he answered "Jupiter") and a slow pace the rest of the way cause him to miss out on the $5,000 prize. Tom's bonus prize is a $2,980 computer from Disk 3/Mart. He also picks up two Fame Game prizes: a $509 electric typewriter (via Brother), and a wicker chaise and side table by Ayers/Chairmakers, worth $695; and in the second Instant Bargain, a package including a Yamaha stereo and a $250 Swenson's Ice Cream gift certificate worth $1,149 (not counting a $200 cash offer). Dave wins a 25-inch Goldstar color TV worth $800 via the Fame Game; his total winnings is around $68,000. Zak is a non-factor and leaves with his previous $75,000 in winnings. In the final segment, Tom says he was in the process of writing a pilot for HBO.
1296	2/3/1988	Ben Wong	John Ohma	Diane Cross	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 3 The closing segment features Day 3 winner Diane sitting at the dinette set (her bonus prize for the day, via the Avant Collection and worth $2,115) with Tom and Linda, the three finalists. In the WBMG, Diane whiffs on the first question and it proves costly, as she is unable to catch up all the way to win the $5,000. She picks up an $819 Broyhill secretary-hutch in the second Fame Game. Ben, a College Week contestant who went on to do well during regular play, wins $100 in Instant Cash (playing due to a Dutch auction); he ends with just under $50,000. John wins an $1,100 Mark King serigraph (via Martin Lawrence Galleries) in the second Instant Bargain and $900 in Regal Ware cookware in the first Instant Bargain to go along with $90,000 in previous winnings. As Jim is recapping the missed questions following the Speed Round, he incorrectly recalls Ben's incorrect answer on the first question (about the lead actor in "Ben-Hur"; Ben answered "Charles Hutton," and Jim said he had answered "Charles Heston," adding that had he (Ben) said "Charlton Heston" or even "Chuck" (Heston) he would have been correct.
1297	2/4/1988	Linda Credit	Diane Cross	Tom O'Brien	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 4 All WBMG Best-of-2 finals games are played for $10,000 on the first win, with the winner of their second game automatically getting $10,000 and playing the game for a Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 4-dr. sedan worth $32,195. Diane wins the first game, and has a sensational day: A $10,000 victory in the WBMG, a $4,000 Instant Cash win, a diamond and gold pendant (from Jewels by Edwar) worth $4,500 for winning the game, a $1,498 trip to Mazatlan, Mexico (plus $1,000 as a combined cash offer/Sale Surprise) in the second Instant Bargain and a car alarm ($305, via Ames Electronics) in the first Instant Bargain. All told, her winnings for one day: $21,303. To set up her decision to play for the Instant Cash, she and Tom were tied at 40-each, triggering the Dutch Auction rule. Diane bites when Jim announces the opportunity at $2. Diane's WBMG win is at the last second, where she correctly guesses Robinson Crusoe as the best friend of Friday. Linda and Tom each pick up one prize each from the Fame Game, Linda a vacuum cleaner and Tom a dishwasher. Tom passes on a $500 gold bangel bracelet in the first Instant Bargain (along with a $200 cash offer).
1298	2/5/1988	Linda Credit	Tom O'Brien	Diane Cross	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 5
1299	2/8/1988	Diane Cross	Tom O'Brien	Linda Credit	1988 Tournament of Champions Day 6
1300	2/9/1988	Linda Credit	Diane Cross	Tom O'Brien	1988 Tournament of Champions Finals Diane wins the deciding game of the tournament with $63, defeating Linda ($50) and Tom ($35). Linda still had time in the final 10 seconds trailing Diane by just $8, but stumbled and gave an incorrect answer on a question about a mixture of two or more metals (alloy, Linda answered "compound"). With their additional winnings throughout the tournament, Linda finishes the tournament with $146,157, while Tom leaves with $173,064. Linda didn't win anything on her last day, while Tom picked up a $519 Kitchen-Aid trash compactor in the third Fame Game. Diane wins the $10,000 prize for winning the tournament and gets a last-second victory in the WBMG, correctly answering a question about the planet with seven rings ("Saturn") to finish the tournament with the car. Her final total, which also included a sewing machine and luggage from the Fame Game ($875 total); and a $2,248 trip to Hawaii (the latter won in the second Instant Bargain, which also had a $1,000 Sale Surprise): $146,995.
1301	2/10/1988	Bill	Jack	Anneliis	Regular play resumes. Anneliis had won three games and $13,921. A rarity in that the two challengers were of the same gender. Bill buys the first two instant bargains, trip to Newport Beach, CA(with $100) and Jenn-Air grill range(with $200) and wins a Dishwasher on the Fame Game. Anneliis wins a ceiling fan and a refrigerator on the Fame Game. Instant Cash is $11K, which Anneliis goes for and loses. Jack buzzed in a few times but got several wrong answers and ended the game with $5. Tie between Bill and Anneliis at the end of the Speed Round, which Anneliis wins and wins a cruise to Alaska. Bill leaves with over $3540 in cash and prizes. Anneliss misses the first two questions in the WInner's Big MOney Game(still five in 25 to win), the first one by buzzing in too early. Her grand total is not given at the end, but it is roughly $20,181(the ceiling fan is said to be worth almost $800, fridge worth $760, $100 in the INstant Cash, and $4600 for the cruise)
1302	2/11/1988
1303	2/12/1988
1304	2/15/1988
1305	2/16/1988
1306	2/17/1988
1307	2/18/1988
1308	2/19/1988
1309	2/22/1988
1310	2/23/1988
1311	2/24/1988
1312	2/25/1988
1313	2/26/1988
1314	2/29/1988

March

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1315	3/1/1988
1316	3/2/1988
1317	3/3/1988
1318	3/4/1988
1319	3/7/1988
1320	3/8/1988
1321	3/9/1988
1322	3/10/1988
1323	3/11/1988
1324	3/14/1988
1325	3/15/1988
1326	3/16/1988
1327	3/17/1988
1328	3/18/1988
1329	3/21/1988
1330	3/22/1988
1331	3/23/1988
1332	3/24/1988
1333	3/25/1988
1334	3/28/1988
1335	3/29/1988
1336	3/30/1988
1337	3/31/1988

April

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1338	4/1/1988
1339	4/4/1988
1340	4/5/1988
1341	4/6/1988
1342	4/7/1988
1343	4/8/1988
1344	4/11/1988
1345	4/12/1988
1346	4/13/1988
1347	4/14/1988
1348	4/15/1988
1349	4/18/1988
1350	4/19/1988
1351	4/20/1988
1352	4/21/1988
1353	4/22/1988
1354	4/25/1988
1355	4/26/1988
1356	4/27/1988
1357	4/28/1988
1358	4/29/1988

May

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1359	5/2/1988
1360	5/3/1988
1361	5/4/1988
1362	5/5/1988
1363	5/6/1988
1364	5/9/1988
1365	5/10/1988
1366	5/11/1988
1367	5/12/1988
1368	5/13/1988
1369	5/16/1988
1370	5/17/1988
1371	5/18/1988
1372	5/19/1988
1373	5/20/1988
1374	5/23/1988
1375	5/24/1988
1376	5/25/1988
1377	5/26/1988
1378	5/27/1988
1379	5/30/1988
1380	5/31/1988

June

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1381	6/1/1988
1382	6/2/1988
1383	6/3/1988
1384	6/6/1988
1385	6/7/1988
1386	6/8/1988
1387	6/9/1988
1388	6/10/1988
1389	6/13/1988
1390	6/14/1988
1391	6/15/1988
1392	6/16/1988
1393	6/17/1988
1394	6/20/1988
1395	6/21/1988
1396	6/22/1988
1397	6/23/1988
1398	6/24/1988
1399	6/27/1988
1400	6/28/1988
1401	6/29/1988
1402	6/30/1988

July

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1403	7/1/1988				No episode aired on July 4 due to a preemption (possibly Wimbledon). This preemption affected all the other NBC game shows too
1404	7/5/1988
1405	7/6/1988
1406	7/7/1988
1407	7/8/1988			Christy	Christy wins $5,000 during the Winner's Big Money Game!
1408	7/11/1988			Christy	Christy wins $6,000 during the Winner's Big Money Game, and currently has $24,212! She will have to take a break for the next week, though, because it was Varsity Week.
1409	7/12/1988				Day 1 of Varsity Week The grand prize winner of the week wins a $12,793 Jeep Wrangler and tickets to the 1988 Summer Olympics, which aired on NBC. This week was taped in either June or July of '88, based on a question about an event that took place on June 20, asked on Day 3. All week long, Instant Cash is worth $2,000. There are five prizes to choose from for each winner at the end of the Main Game, instead of six. All week long, the Winner's Big Money Game is worth $5,000. Rudy was the winner on this episode.
1410	7/13/1988	Tim	Heather	Jason	Day 2 of Varsity Week Tim wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Tim wins $5,000 in Winner's Big Money Game! Tim wins $17,344! First 1988 episode/NBC episode to air on Buzzr.
1411	7/14/1988	Ilene	Mike	Brandi	Day 3 of Varsity Week Mike wins $5,000 in Winner's Big Money Game! Mike wins $11,954!
1412	7/15/1988	Mary Ann	David	Whitney	Day 4 of Varsity Week Whitney wins $1,000 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Mary Ann wins $500 from the Fame Game! The theme from the 1981 film Chariots of Fire by Vangelis plays during the description of the Big Screen TV Whitney won. Whitney wins $5,000 in Winner's Big Money Game! Whitney wins $9,768!
1413	7/18/1988	Jonah	Marnee	Mark	Day 5 of Varsity Week The theme from the 1976 film Rocky (Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti) plays during the second Instant Bargain. Jonah wins $800 from the Fame Game! In the last segment, each of the five winners were brought back to hit the highest number possible on the Fame Game randomizer for the grand prizes. Jonah was the winner of the week by hitting "5" and his final grand total was $27,365!
1414	7/19/1988	Debra	Oscar	Christy	Regular play resumes. Christy wins her third match, but fails the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game by a fraction. Christy currently has $27,744!
1415	7/20/1988	Tara	Alan	Christy	Tara defeats Christy, who leaves with $29,000. Christy wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, and currently has $11,525!
1416	7/21/1988	Gail	Dan	Tara	Tara wins $500 from the Fame Game! Tara wins the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game, and currently has $20,440!
1417	7/22/1988	Noie	Ralph	Tara	Tara didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game, and currently has $24,374.
1418	7/25/1988	Linda	Mo	Tara	Tara wins an incredible $120 in the main game! Tara loses the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game due to blowing the 4th question by answering the actress who played in 1984's Splash (Daryl Hannah), instead of "Mermaid". *Tara currently has $27,610.
1419	7/26/1988	Georgeann	Glenn	Tara	Jim gives a shoutout to Christine from the prize department for getting married. Taped sometime after June 10 (and definitely after the 20th), due to a question about one of Bette Midler's films, Big Business. Tara wins $700 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Tara hopes for a trip to Ireland, and wins one at the end! Despite passing on the second puzzle which was about Puff the Magic Dragon, Tara wins the $9,000 Winner's Big Money Game at the last second, and currently $43,214!
1420	7/27/1988	Robin	John	Tara	John is back due to an error. Robin Mckerihan begins her run. John wins $500 from the Fame Game! Robin defeats John & Tara. John leaves with $25,200, and Tara leaves with $45,200. Robin wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $7,795!
1421	7/28/1988	Diane	Michael	Robin	The Newbury Soccer Parks is in the audience. Robin wins $400 from the Fame Game! Robin didn't win the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $12,394.
1422	7/29/1988	Katie	Stan	Robin	Stan wins $500 from the Fame Game! But best of all was Stan winning $16,000 during Instant Cash! Robin didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $17,118.

August

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1423	8/1/1988	Michelle	Paul	Robin	Robin didn't win the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $20,418.
1424	8/2/1988	Heather	Brian	Robin	The prizes on this week of shows have something of a "gold theme". This week was taped after June 15 in June or July, due to one of the questions being about the movie Bull Durham (released on June 15). Brian wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Heather inadvertently stops the Fame Game board for $10, and wins it. Robin didn't win the $9,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $25,606.
1425	8/3/1988	Marge	Anthony	Robin	None of the contestants answered the second Fame Game question correctly. Robin wins the $10,000 Winner's Big Money Game, and currently has $38,337!
1426	8/4/1988	Jeanne	Win	Robin	In a great upset, Robin blows the Car level of the Winner's Big Money Game, and her run comes to an end. Her downfall was the final question, in which Los Angeles was the correct answer. Her final total is $41,537.
1427	8/5/1988	Linda	Steve	Gloria	Three new players. Linda didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $4,940.
1428	8/8/1988	Fran	Terry	Linda	Terry wins $4,000 in Instant Cash! Fran wins $800 from the Fame Game! Terry wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $12,302!
1429	8/9/1988	Mitchell	Sandy	Terry	Sandy inadvertently buzzes in before the start of the second Fame Game question. Terry didn't win the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $14,501.
1430	8/10/1988	Hal	Malia	Terry	Terry wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Terry didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $20,451.
1431	8/11/1988	Frank	Joyce	Terry	Frank is Frank Vascallaro. Former KARE-TV ch. 11 news anchor. Now of WCCO-TV. The West Valley Christian Church School of Canoga Park, California is in the audience. Frank wins $1,000 in Instant Cash! Frank didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $3,495.
1432	8/12/1988	Mike	Susan	Frank	Mike wins $600 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Speed round ends in a $50-$50 tie with Mike and Susan, and Mike wins. Mike wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $12,912!
1433	8/15/1988	Kelton	Wendy	Mike	Last episode with the Winner's Big Money Game prize board. Wendy and Kelton win $600 and $400 respectively from the Fame Game! Kelton wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $7,899!
1434	8/16/1988	Josh	Kathy	Kelton	First episode during the Winner's Big Money Game era with the prize the contestants are playing for announced at the beginning. Due to what was possibly an unplanned Wimbledon preemption, four shows were taped for this week in order to get back on track. This preemption also affected the other NBC games shows. From here on out, there would be no further unplanned preemptions. This week was taped sometime after July 23, due to a question about the 1988 Writers Guild of America Strike coming to an end. Girl Scouts from New York are in the audience. None of the contestants answered the first Fame Game question correctly. Josh wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $7,595!
1435	8/17/1988	Doug	Mary	Josh	Mary wins $300 from the Fame Game! Doug incorrectly answers a question in the form of such (a la Jeopardy!). Mary makes a mistake in the first question in the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, but pulls through at the end, and she currently has $10,372!
1436	8/18/1988	Linda	Andrew	Mary	Andrew wins $500 from the Fame Game! Mary wins the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $22,642!
1437	8/19/1988	Stephanie	Tom	Mary	Stephanie wins $6,000 in Instant Cash! Nobody solves the third Fame Game question. The Speed Round ends in a $65-$65 tie between Stephanie and Mary. Mary wins the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $35,077!
1438	8/22/1988	Rebecca	Darren	Mary	Darren didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $2,176.
1439	8/23/1988	Richard	Laura	Darren	Richard didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $2,889.
1440	8/24/1988	Jason	Nicole	Richard	Jason wins $3,000 in Instant Cash! Jason didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $8,396.
1441	8/25/1988	Bart	Jeannette	Jason	Jeannette wins $1,000 in Instant Cash! Bart wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $9,080!
1442	8/26/1988	Bryan	Barbara	Bart	Bart misses out on the $6,000 Winners Big Money Game jackpot and ends his second day as champion with $12,004. During the game, Bart lets the first question -- asking which country claims the islands Sardinia, Sicily and Capri -- get fully exposed before incorrectly guessing Greece (correct answer: Italy). He gets the next two questions right but time expires on the final question, asking for the leader of the literary band including Friar Tuck and Little John (Robin Hood). On the final question about Robin Hood, Jim stumbles on part of the question. However, the question was not replaced, the likely reason being that, as Bart had only two questions right and time was running out, it would not have affected the outcome. For winning the game, Bart wins an electronic piano from Klavinova worth $2,495. With 35 seconds left in the Speed Round, Bryan leads Bart 65-55. However, two correct answers by Bart and three straight misses by Bryan prove to be the difference. Bryan and Bart both miss the third Fame Game (which was about Hannibal); as Bart misses just after Jim gave the final bit of information, Barbara does not have a shot at the question and nobody gets a shot at the board. Bart will have to take a break for the next week, though, for it was End of Summer Bash Week.
1443	8/29/1988	Kim	David	Karen	End of Summer Bash Day 1 Jim mentions that Classic Concentration, which followed this show on most NBC stations, was also doing an End of Summer Bash Week. The balloons and logos are behind the contestants. The grand prize winner gets a Jeep. All week long, Instant Cash was worth $2,000. All week long, the Winner's Big Money Game was worth $5,000. This week was taped after August 9 due to a question about Wayne Gretzky being then recently acquired by the L.A. Kings. Also, a question was asked about the newest Pee-wee Herman movie Big Top Pee-wee (released on July 22), and his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Also, another episode asked a question about Anne Ramsey (who passed away on August 11) from Throw Mama from the Train. David wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Nobody gets the third Fame Game question. David didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $7,315.
1444	8/30/1988	Alan	Jennifer	Erik	End of Summer Bash Day 2 Jennifer wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Alan wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $8,000!
1445	8/31/1988	Jason	Erin	Robert	End of Summer Bash Day 3 Jason wins the game and a trip to Hawaii. He handily wins the WBMG with 5 seconds to spare and wins $5,000. He finishes with a total of $10,954. During the second Fame Game, a question leading to peanut butter has come down to just Robert (perhaps an Emmanuel Lewis look-alike), after the other two contestants have answered incorrectly. It appears Robert knows the answer after Erin is ruled incorrect, but is momentarily stumped as Jim reads the most obvious clues, with said food coming in chunky and creamy and that it is often enjoyed in a sandwich with jelly. After Jim re-reads the final clue, Robert finally rings in, answers correctly ... and finds $500. The Fame Game is his highlight, as he adds that to his $35 total.

September

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1446	9/1/1988	Lauren	Andy	Darcey	End of Summer Bash Day 4 Darcey wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $9,196!
1447	9/2/1988	Anne	Chris	Evelyn	End of Summer Bash Day 5 Evelyn and Chris win $600 and $500 respectively during the Fame Game! Chris wins $2,000 during Instant Cash! Evelyn wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and has won $9,464! The final segment determining the winner of the week is played in the same way as the Varsity Week from July. Alan wins the grand prize, emerging from a tie-breaker (8-8, then 3-1) to win the Jeep Wrangler worth $13,321. His total winnings for the week is $21,321. The final "big win" prize music plays over the end credits.
1448	9/5/1988	Steve	Florence	Bart	Regular play resumes. This week was taped after August 25, due to one of the questions being about the 70th birthday of composer Leonard Bernstein. On the first Fame Game, Bart answers incorrectly (guessing Beau Bridges); the other two are stumped. After the buzzer, Jim -- perhaps having gotten a signal from off-stage -- says he was told not to give the first name of the correct answer, Jeff (as in Jeff Bridges, Beau's brother), as that would not have been fair to Bart. Bart wins the WBMG for $7,000, stuttering out the words "Andy Griffith" as the correct answer to the third question just a split second before the buzzer/"time" from the judge. He currently has $23,242.
1449	9/6/1988	Jim	Elaine	Bart	Elaine Paulino begins her run here. Elaine stops the board at the first Fame Game so quickly. Elaine wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $11,074!
1450	9/7/1988	Kelly	Scott	Elaine	Elaine wins $4,000 in Instant Cash! Elaine didn't win the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $20,333.
1451	9/8/1988	Renee	Kirk	Elaine	Elaine wins $300 and $700 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Elaine wins the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $34,210!
1452	9/9/1988	Diane	Damon	Elaine	Damon was previously a contestant on Press Your Luck in May 1985. On the first Fame Game, Elaine got Michael J. Fox very quickly, but got a pair of lamps to show for it. Elaine wins the Winner's Big Money Game for $8,000.
1453	9/12/1988	Rhona	Jim	Elaine	Hostess Summer Bartholomew was the subject of the first Fame Game. The contestant who identified her (Jim) just missed the $10 Money Card as he landed to the left of it. After the Fame Game, Jim called for Summer and explained about the two TV movies she did. Elaine wins the $3,000 Instant Cash. NOTE: The scores were inadvertently blacked out and as a result, we never saw Jim walking up to congratulate Elaine. Returning contestant Rhona (who was brought back on a technicality) was previously a contestant on Blockbusters in April 1987. Elaine wins the Winner's Big Money Game for $9,000. Rhona wins $500 from the Fame Game! This week was taped sometime after the week of 8/22; one of the questions on 9/15 was about the then-recently convicted Hunt Brothers.
1454	9/13/1988	Stacy	Jeff	Elaine	Elaine is defeated after six games. A question during the Speed Round was what cost her. Her final total: $71,219 ($40,755 in cash and $30,464 in prizes). Stacy didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $1,600. Jeff later became a contestant on Classic Concentration in January 1991.
1455	9/14/1988	Marisa	Rin	Stacy	Stacy didn't hit her button hard enough in the first Fame Game. Stacy won the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $11,189!
1456	9/15/1988	Pat	Russ	Stacy	Jim sends birthday wishes to Quincy, Illinois NBC affiliate WGEM-TV for 35 years. Stacy won the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $24,040!
1457	9/16/1988	Ruth	Mark	Stacy	Mark didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $1,692.
1458	9/19/1988	Bob	Ellison	Mark	This week was taped after August 26; one of the questions asked on 9/19 was about the new Bobcat Goldthwait film Hot to Trot. Another question asked on 9/21 was about Estelle Getty's recent Emmy win on The Golden Girls on 8/28. Ellison wins $400 from the Fame Game! Jim sends 35th birthday wishes to WICS of Springfield, Illinois. Speed round ends with a $65-$65 tie between Bob and Mark, and Bob wins. Bob didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $6,273.
1459	9/20/1988	Greg	Carla	Bob	Greg wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $9,730!
1460	9/21/1988	Dan	Donna	Greg	Dan didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $5,036.
1461	9/22/1988	Steve	Chris	Dan	Chris wins $700 of Mystery Money and $300 from the Fame Game! Dan loses the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game by blowing the first two puzzles in a row. He currently has $10,846.
1462	9/23/1988	Terry	Susan	Dan	Dan wins the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $22,094!
1463	9/26/1988	Jim	Ann	Dan	New Fame Game prize music package debuts here until the end of the run. This week was taped after 9/2, one of the questions asked was about the new Charlie Sheen/Christopher Lloyd movie Eight Men Out. On 9/27, a question was asked about the youngest male to swim the English Channel (happened on 9/6). On 9/30, a question was asked about the new USA Today show (premiered 9/12). Dan using amazing instinct to win the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $34,757!
1464	9/27/1988	Fritz	Kathleen	Dan	Jim congratulates KVOA of Tuscon, Arizona for 35 years. Fritz wins $400 from the Fame Game! Kathleen wins the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $8,360!
1465	9/28/1988	Janinka	Randy	Kathleen	Kathleen wins the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $22,939!
1466	9/29/1988	Chou Chou	Marty	Kathleen	Kathleen wins $13,000 in Instant Cash! Marty wins $600 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Chou Chou didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $4,909.
1467	9/30/1988	Pearl	Seb	Chou Chou	Chou Chou wins $300 from the Fame Game! Chou Chou lost the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game with two incorrect answers. She currently has $14,355.

October

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1468	10/3/1988	Royal	Hi	Chou Chou	All three players have unusual first names. Model Elaine Hobson is still present.
1469	10/4/1988	Arlene	Vic	Chou Chou	Speed round ends with a $50-$50 tie between Arlene and Chou Chou, and Arlene wins. Arlene didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $3,299.
1470	10/5/1988	Rhonelda	Kyle	Arlene	Kyle wins $500 in Mystery Money! Jim starts plugging Pep Rally Week, happening next week. Arlene misses the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game by blowing two puzzles. She currently has $11,486.
1471	10/6/1988	Marisa	Phil	Arlene	Phil Cambry's first appearance. Phil uses amazing instinct to win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $10,958!
1472	10/7/1988	Nick	Ella	Phil	Phil wins $500 from the Fame Game! Phil didn't win the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $15,182. He will have to take a break, though, because next up was Pep Rally Week.
1473	10/10/1988	Adan	G.G.	Jim	Pep Rally Week, Day 1 Debut of final Money Card designs. Adam wins $5,171 in cash and prizes.
1474	10/11/1988	Aimee	Brian	Mitch	Pep Rally Week, Day 2 Brian wins $5,390 in cash and prizes.
1475	10/12/1988				Pep Rally Week, Day 3 Chris wins $4,749 in cash and prizes.
1476	10/13/1988	Chris	Lakita	Kip	Pep Rally Week, Day 4 Jim and everybody was surprised when Lakita refused to buy the trip to Arizona for a dollar. Chris won off the tie breaker question and went on to win the $5,000 WBMG; his final total is $12,050.
1477	10/14/1988	Jennifer	Andrew	Rhonda	Pep Rally Week, Day 5 On the strength of finding a $15 Money Card in the third Fame Game, Andrew goes on to an incredible performance in the Speed Round, getting 10 correct answers to win with $144, the second-highest one-day total in series history (combining both the NBC and syndicated versions). However, he cannot carry the momentum over into the WMBG, missing on questions about Robin Hood and "The Ugly Duckling." His prize for winning the show was a $4,000 trip to Paris. Andrew -- the final champion of the week -- wins the week's grand prize, a Jeep Wrangler Sahara worth $13,816, to end the week with $22,216. He also takes home $445 worth of Giassi luggage (from the first Fame Game) and -- from the two Instant Bargains -- a $1,635 stereo system and, to go along with a pair of Mead binoculars ($340), $2,000 cash (for season hockey tickets ... because, as Summer points out, "the puck stops here!"). Andrew begins turning a competitive game into a rout after the second Instant Bargain, leaving Jennifer and Rhonda far behind. Jennifer ends with $15 cash along with a pair of Excel exercise bicycles worth $448 (from the second Fame Game). Rhonda has only $35 to show for her efforts.
1478	10/17/1988	Michael	Janet	Phil	Regular play resumes this week. Jim announces 30 years of KING-TV in Seattle, Washington. Phil wins $500 from the Fame Game! Michael wins $700 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Phil didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $21,381.
1479	10/18/1988	John	Bonnie	Phil	Phil wins $500 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Phil didn't win the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $27,980.
1480	10/19/1988			Phil
1481	10/20/1988			Phil
1482	10/21/1988			Phil	Phil wins the car, a 1989 Eagle Premier ES 4 dr. sedan, during the WBMG, earning him the right to play for $50,000 on the next show. His winnings at this point are $85,344.
1483	10/24/1988	Paul	Sylvia	Phil	Trick or Treat Week Day 1. Jim reminds viewers that other NBC game shows are also participating in Trick or Treat Week. The Sale of the Century opening logo was red throughout the entire Trick or Treat Week, but used a Halloween swirling effect instead of its normal animation. Phil becomes the second (known) player to play the WBMG for $50,000, but disaster hits during his playing. He answers the first question correctly (about the sitcom "Taxi") but falls behind, then, after catching up on the second question, gives two incorrect answers in a row to end his shot at the grand prize. Despite the loss, Phil leaves with $91,323, including $30,600 cash, an Eagle Premier 4 dr. sedan and much more, including a $3,800 console piano as his final prize. The $50,000 Winner's Big Money Game level was quietly abolished after this episode. During the intro and the prize plugs to several prizes, Don Morrow speaks in a spooky, Dracula-type voice. Also, several of the prizes have Halloween and spooky themes, including a trip to the Transylvania region of Romania; and Halloween-type musical cues are used as the models dress up in Halloween costumes and/or are involved in Halloween-type skits. Also, the car on offer this week -- the Volkswagen Cabriolet -- is decorated using a Halloween theme.
1484	10/25/1988				Trick or Treat Week Day 2
1485	10/26/1988				Trick or Treat Week Day 3
1486	10/27/1988				Trick or Treat Week Day 4
1487	10/28/1988				Trick or Treat Week Day 5 Model Elaine Hobson's last appearance before her maternity leave.
1488	10/31/1988				Trick or Treat Week Finale

November

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1489	11/1/1988	Azeem	Donna	Jim
1490	11/2/1988	Peter	Margie	Jim
1491	11/3/1988	Noel	Christie	Jim
1492	11/4/1988	Lisa	Brian	Christie
1493	11/7/1988	Margaret	Steven	Melanie	Salute to True Romance, Day 1 This week was taped on October 14, 1988. The questions and prizes are pretty much all love-themed. Instant Cash is frozen at $2,000 for the first nine days of True Romance. The Winner's Big Money Game is frozen at $5,000 for the first nine days of True Romance. The Sale of the Century opening logo was pink throughout the entire Salute to True Romance Tournament, but used its normal animation. Sale of the Century, including its original 1969-1974 incarnation and host in Jack Kelly, are the subjects of the first Fame Game. Melanie wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Melanie didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, or a spot in the finals, and leaves with $6,144.
1494	11/8/1988	Steve	Esther	Raymond	Salute to True Romance, Day 2 Esther wins $700 of Mystery Money from first the Fame Game! Steve wins $500 from the second Fame Game! Nobody guesses the third Fame Game, which was about Nero. Esther guessed Julius Caesar, while Steve and Raymond were stumped. Speed round ends with a $50-$50 tie between Esther and Raymond, and Arlene wins. Raymond fails to answer one question in the Winners Big Money Game, passing on a fully-exposed question about the situation comedy "Family Ties," and incorrectly answering a fully-exposed clue about the future president Stephen Douglas debated (Abraham Lincoln); time expires on the third question, which was about the director whom actress Amy Irving was married to (Steven Spielberg). He loses a spot in the finals, and leaves with $3,850.
1495	11/9/1988	Shari	Ted	Katy	Salute to True Romance, Day 3 A cover of Irene Cara's Flashdance (What a Feeling) plays during the first Instant Bargain. Jim sends 35th anniversary wishes to WIS-TV of Columbia, South Carolina. Ted wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Ted loses the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game. However, he wins a spot in the finals with $9,975!
1496	11/10/1988	Julius	Kathy	Scott	Salute to True Romance, Day 4 First episode aired by GSN. Scott wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Kathy didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, or a spot in the finals, and leaves with $5,675.
1497	11/11/1988	John	Dina	Rodney	Salute to True Romance, Day 5 Rodney didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, or a spot in the finals, and leaves with $3,144.
1498	11/14/1988	Eric	Lisa	Jack	Salute to True Romance, Day 6 Eric wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Jack didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, or a spot in the finals, and leaves with $4,700.
1499	11/15/1988	Sarah	Brian	Veronica	Salute to True Romance, Day 7 Brian loses the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game. However, he wins a spot in the finals with $7,745!
1500	11/16/1988	Richard	Kathleen	Bruce	Salute to True Romance, Day 8 The 1,500th episode; acknowledged by Jim as such. Almost exactly two years had passed since the 1,000th show. Richard loses the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game. However, he wins a spot in the finals with $6,316!
1501	11/17/1988	Patty	George	Lorien	Salute to True Romance, Day 9 George didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game, or a spot in the finals, and leaves with $4,480.
1502	11/18/1988	Richard	Ted	Brian	Salute to True Romance, Finals Instant Cash is $5,000 for the finale of True Romance. Ted leaves with $10,500 and Brian leaves with $11,900. Richard is the all-time winner of the two-week tournament with $21,167 in prizes!
1503	11/21/1988	Diane	Larry	Lisa	Regular play resumes. Diane didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $5,691.
1504	11/22/1988	Lucinda	Fred	Diane	Fred won the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game!
1505	11/23/1988	Emil	Pamela	Fred	Last episode before Thanksgiving (aired on Thanksgiving Eve), and the last episode of Thanksgiving week (no episodes aired on Thanksgiving (11/24/88) and Black Friday (11/25/88) due to special Thanksgiving programming on NBC).
1506	11/28/1988	Joe	Dominique	Emil	First episode after Thanksgiving, and the first episode aired in five days (see above) This week was taped after Halloween Day 1988, based on one of the questions being about the end of Daylight Savings Time.
1507	11/29/1988	Rick	Pattie	Emil	Pattie also played during True Romance Week, where she went as "Patty"; Jim explains there was a possibility of her being disadvantaged on a question during her game. Jim wins $600 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Rick wins $9,000 in Instant Cash! Pattie didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $6,464.
1508	11/30/1988	Jaimi	Don	Pattie	Don wins $500 from the Fame Game! Pattie didn't win the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $10,912. Both Don & Jaimi were on other game shows before Sale: Jaimi was on the premiere episode of NBC's Wordplay in December 1986 (12/29/86 to be exact), and Don was on Match Game 74 in March 1974 and on Press Your Luck in January 1986.

December

Ep. #	NBC Airdate	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3 (Champ)	Notes
1509	12/1/1988	Bonnie	Howard	Pattie	Jim sends anniversary wishes to KWL-TV of Waterloo, Iowa. Pattie didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $18,462.
1510	12/2/1988	Sharon	Rick	Pattie	Pattie doesn't win the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $23,749.
1511	12/5/1988	Ann	Larry	Pattie	Ann wins by tiebreaker. Ann didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $4,548.
1512	12/6/1988	Carla	Jamie	Ann	Jamie wins $400 from the Fame Game! Carla wins $700 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Carla wins $5,000 in Instant Cash! Carla didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $12,139. Carla was previously a contestant on NBC's Super Password in 1985.
1513	12/7/1988	Ruth	Walt	Carla
1514	12/8/1988	Mary	Gianni	Carla
1515	12/9/1988	Vivienne	Sean	Carla	Carla didn't win the $8,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $34,607.
1516	12/12/1988	Cindy	Matt	Carla	Matt didn't win the $5,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $2,538.
1517	12/13/1988	Chip	Bonnie	Matt	The beginning of Charles "Chip" Esten's run.
1518	12/14/1988	Tony	Michelle	Chip
1519	12/15/1988	Godfrey	Kimberly	Chip	Chip wins $600 from the Fame Game! Chip wins $7,000 in Instant Cash! Jim notes that senior citizens from Nevada are in the audience. Chip didn't win the $7,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $27,898.
1520	12/16/1988	Johnny	Kathy	Chip	Chip wins $800 of Mystery Money from the Fame Game! Chip finishes the day with $31,998.
1521	12/19/1988	Bill	Karen	Chip	The Sale of the Century opening logo was red with green drop shadows throughout the entire Christmas week, but used its normal animation. Karen becomes the new champion, winning in the final seconds of the Speed Round. At one point, Chip has a $10 lead, 60-50, over Karen, but a string of three straight missed questions proves costly. In the final seconds, Karen's correct answer on Jesus' first miracle turning water into this (wine) and Chip answering after the buzzer -- correctly -- about the weather term about the amount of moisture (precipitation). The three questions that initially derailed Chip: The tree that grows if you planted an acorn (oak, he answered elm); the Charles Schultz book whose title begins with "Happiness Is a Warm ..." (Puppy; he answered "Peanuts"); and the police drama starring Ken Wahl play a federal undercover agent infiltrated by the mob ("Wiseguy"; he answered "Police Story"). Chip ends his five-day run with $31,998; had he won, he would have gone for $9,000 in the Big Winners Money Game. Set decorated for Christmas this week. This week was taped after November 18; a question about the Andrew McCarthy & Molly Ringwald movie Fresh Horses was asked. Karen wins $2,000 in Instant Cash! Her bonus prize was crystal stemware from Orrefors worth $2,116. Karen missed the first puzzle about the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere, but managed to come roaring back especially on the last two when she got them in two words each -- including the final one, with just "southern state" showing (answering "Louisiana" before "where Creoles, Cajuns live") -- to win the $5,000. She finishes the day with $9,870.
1522	12/20/1988	Holly	Rene	Karen	Jingle Bell Rock plays during the first Instant Bargain. Rene and Karen win $500 and $700 respectively from the Fame Game! Karen wins the $6,000 Winner's Big Money Game and currently has $21,420! Last time the Winner's Big Money Game is won this week. Jim mentioned that after Karen won $11,000 total in the Winner's Big Money Game, she could keep on winning 7, 8, 9, 10, a total of $45,000 and then the car. No mention of the $50,000 Winner's Big Money Game at this point.
1523	12/21/1988	Nancy	Randy	Karen
1524	12/22/1988	Ben	Angela	Randy
1525	12/23/1988	Ursula	Jeff	Angela	Last episode of Christmas week (aired on Christmas Eve Eve), and the last episode before Christmas Day (Christmas Day was on Sunday in 1988). Last ever Christmas episode aired before the series' cancellation in March 1989.
1526	12/26/1988	Carolyn	Flip	Angela	First episode of New Year's week (aired the day after Christmas). New Year's decorations replace the Christmas ones, and the questions are New Year's-themed.
1527	12/27/1988	Louise	Seth	Angela
1528	12/28/1988	Rita	Mike	Angela
1529	12/29/1988	Stacy	Neil	Angela	Neil is Neil Flynn, who would later star in Scrubs and The Middle.
1530	12/30/1988	Beverly	Kerry	Stacy	Last episode of 1988 (aired on New Year's Eve Eve). Kerry becomes the final new champion of 1988, winning $7,723 in cash and prizes. His winnings total includes a trip to New York.