Editing Match Game (section)

====Star Wheel====
On June 28, 1978, the producers made a second attempt to ensure that each celebrity received a chance to play the head-to-head match. Instead of simply choosing a celebrity, the contestant spun a wheel that was divided into six sections, each marked with a different celebrity's name. Once the wheel stopped, the contestant attempted to match with the indicated celebrity. If the wheel did not make at least one complete revolution, the contestant was required to spin again.

The introduction of the star wheel also brought about a change in the bonus payout structure. Each section included several gold stars, which doubled the stakes if the wheel stopped on one of them. The maximum prize was $10,000 on the daytime series and $20,000 on ''Match Game PM''.

When the star wheel was introduced, each section contained five stars in a continuous white border, and the prize was doubled if the wheel stopped with its pointer anywhere in that area. Beginning with the premiere of the 1979 syndicated version, the wheel was re-designed so that each section had three stars in separate, evenly spaced squares. The pointer now had to be on a square in order to double the money.

Ironically, the wheel stopped on Dawson the first time it was used, inspiring four of the panelists (Somers, Reilly, guest panelist [[Mary Wickes]], and Dawson himself) to stand up from their places and leave the set momentarily out of disbelief, leaving recurring panelist [[Scoey Mitchell]] and guest panelist [[Sharon Farrell]] behind.<ref>{{Cite episode |series=Match Game |network=CBS |number=1246 |language=en}}</ref> As the others returned, Wickes said to host Rayburn, "Do you know what that wheel costs us? And it's right back to Richard!"

At the time, Dawson was becoming weary as a regular panelist on ''Match Game'' as he had concurrently been hosting the (by then) more-popular ''Family Feud'' since 1976. Dawson was tired from appearing on both shows regularly and wished to focus solely on the latter. The addition of the Star Wheel ended what effectively was Dawson's "spotlight" feature on the show, which distressed him further, and he left the panel of ''Match Game'' permanently a few weeks later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/18082/4-famous-tv-co-workers-who-struggled-get-along|title=4 Famous TV Co-workers (who struggled to get along)|date=2008-02-21|website=mentalfloss.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-01}}</ref>

The subsequent [[#1990–91, ABC|1990–91 version]] of the show used a redesigned version of the star wheel. The wheel itself was stationary, and the contestant spun the pointer on a concentric ring to determine which celebrity he or she had to match. The prize was doubled if the pointer stopped on either of two circles within each section.