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Synopsis: Tune into Game Show Network's First Documentary about
Michael Larson, Press Your Luck's all time money winner.
Michael Larson, an unemployed ice cream truck driver from Ohio, memorized
the sequence of flashing screens and awaited the dreaded "Whammy" on
"Press Your Luck's" game board to become the show's all time money winner,
racking up $110,237 in cash and prizes with his two-episode appearance.
The documentary will feature both the original episodes of Larson's
game play and exclusive interviews from sources close to the show and
Larson, including host Peter Tomarken, co-contestants, Larson's family
and network executives.
Larson, who had watched "Press Your Luck" since it premiered on September
19, 1983, tried out to become a contestant in the spring of 1984 after
fervent study of the show's game board. The "Press Your Luck" game board
was comprised of flashing TV screens which featured money in dollar
amounts, prizes and the cartoon character "Whammy." Contestants stopped
the flashing sequence and "landed" on a screen by pressing a control
button on his or her podium. Landing a "Whammy" would wipe out a contestant's
winnings. After researching the pattern of the flashing screens, Larson
deduced that there were only "six" different sequences and upon memorizing
each pattern he would theoretically be able to control the board any
way that he wished as a contestant.
With this insight, Larson flew to LA with only enough money in this
pocket to try out to be a contestant. The executive producer and head
contestant consultant disagreed over his acceptability as a contestant,
however, ultimately he got his chance. Larson was ready to take on the
board.
As a contestant, Larson played it safe on his first spin by hitting
a whammy, but on the following two spins he garnered the top dollar
amount, $1250. Larson began to really heat things up in round two when
he earned seven spins. He pinpointed two screens which he wanted to
continuously hit to earn money and additional spins. He immediately
started to raise his prize winnings from $14,000 to $18,000 to $28,000.
As Larson kept rolling, the show ran out of time and had to cut the
show at his 15th consecutive spin and record earnings of $36,851. Prior
to Larson's experience, "Press Your Luck" never had to resume a show
that wasn't completed in the allotted 22 minute time frame.
Spinning on and on, Larson increased his earnings to $70,000 before
he began to struggle with the synchronization between the timing of
the buzzer and the flashing of the board.
When he hit the $102,000 mark after 40 consecutive spins, Larson relinquished
his remaining spins to the other contestants. In the end, Larson won
the game and left with $110,237, with over $100,000 of it in cash.
As a result of his outsmarting the board, the producers added sixteen
more patterns and the network set a $75, 000 cap on winnings. What did
he do with his money? Larson spent his entire earnings in less than
two years. Larson, who was later interviewed by the FBI for his alleged
involvement with unsecured securities dealings, died in 1999 of cancer
in Florida while on the run from the SEC.
Airdates: It debuted on Sunday, March 17th, 2003 on the Game
Show Network
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