Press Your Luck

Press Your Luck

Press Your Luck is an American television game show created by Bill Carruthers and Jan McCormack. The show features contestants answering trivia questions to earn "spins" on a randomly-generated game board with 18 slides. Spaces on the board correspond to cash, extra spins, prizes, and the show's mascot, a cartoon creature known as the Whammy. Landing on the Whammy eliminates any cash and prizes accumulated while also displaying a short comedic animation. Its format is a revival of an earlier Carruthers production, Second Chance, which was hosted by Jim Peck and aired on ABC in 1977. The original version of Press Your Luck aired on CBS between 1983 and 1986. This version featured Peter Tomarken as host, Rod Roddy as announcer, and Carruthers as both director and the voice of the Whammy. Following this version's cancellation, it aired frequently in reruns, first on USA Network and then on Game Show Network. Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck, a revival of the series, aired from 2002 to 2003 also on Game Show Network with Todd Newton as host and Gary Kroeger as announcer. Various incarnations of the show have also aired in other countries as well. A weekly primetime version (reverting to the name Press Your Luck) began airing on ABC in 2019, with Elizabeth Banks as host and Neil Ross as both announcer and voice of the Whammy. The ABC version has aired for four seasons, with a fifth slated to premiere in June 2023.

Update this biography »
Complete biography of Press Your Luck »