I remember watching this documentary on Game Show Network 20 years ago. I was just a toddler during the time contestant Michael Larson achieved his impressive one-day victory in my year of birth,1984. This unemployed ice cream truck driver from Ohio won more money in a single-day appearance on Press Your Luck than anybody else on any other game show. Just think how long it would take trying to figure out and decode Press Your Luck's game board - trying to memorize the algorithm of the board and scoring over $110,000, which is over a quarter of a million in today's money..
From what I also remember, GSN's Whammy game show did a tribute to Michael Larson where they invited his opponents and someone from Larson's family since he passed away in 1999 do to throat cancer. I doubt that in 2024, ABC's version of Press Your Luck will do a 40th anniversary tribute to Michael Larson with another rematch.
10 Reviews
A great story, but an only average documentary
blott2319-116 January 2021
I remember watching the original two-episode run when Michael Larson was on Press Your Luck back in the 1980s. It was astounding to watch as a kid, but even then I remember thinking he was too good at the game for this to be true. Little did I realize that I was watching history, and those episodes would never be aired again until this documentary was made. It's an unreal story if you've never heard of it, because it's the first time that you could genuinely say someone broke a gameshow. Let me be clear, he did not truly cheat or break any rules (which had happened before if you've ever watched Quiz Show,) he simply took control of the game and removed the element of "luck" that everyone thought was built into the show. I will say, for those who know nothing about the story, it might be worthwhile for you to check out this documentary (which is free on Youtube) just to see what happened.
As a documentary, Big Bucks is a bit rudimentary, and has a tendency to be a tad condescending to the audience. Rather than assuming we are smart enough to follow things, they hold our hands a bit too much. But this was just a TV special that was partially designed simply as cheap marketing to remind audiences of Press Your Luck before they tried rebooting the show. However, it still tells the story effectively by both replaying the bulk of the two episodes that Michael Larson appeared on, and breaking down how he did it. I also love some of the frame-by-frame details that show the little tells in Michael's expression that reveal what might be going on in his mind. It's just too bad that, outside of the show, Michael didn't have a more endearing story. It's one of those moments where you'd love to cheer for the underdog taking down the corporate network, but his life after the events detailed in Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal was less than remarkable.
As a documentary, Big Bucks is a bit rudimentary, and has a tendency to be a tad condescending to the audience. Rather than assuming we are smart enough to follow things, they hold our hands a bit too much. But this was just a TV special that was partially designed simply as cheap marketing to remind audiences of Press Your Luck before they tried rebooting the show. However, it still tells the story effectively by both replaying the bulk of the two episodes that Michael Larson appeared on, and breaking down how he did it. I also love some of the frame-by-frame details that show the little tells in Michael's expression that reveal what might be going on in his mind. It's just too bad that, outside of the show, Michael didn't have a more endearing story. It's one of those moments where you'd love to cheer for the underdog taking down the corporate network, but his life after the events detailed in Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal was less than remarkable.
Highly Interesting
MichaelMovieLoft17 March 2003
Michael Larsen is the stuff game show legends are made of. He cracked the code of Press Your Luck and smoked CBS out of over $110,000. The key was he memorized the board and knew where to land. All he had to know was two spots to land on. Of course, he had a lot of time to memorize it since he was unemployed.
The bonus of this documentary was they showed both episodes documenting Michael's run at big bucks and no Whammies. These episodes had not been seen since the original broadcast in 1984. The incident obviously gave CBS a black eye. In between episodes, they analyze the episodes. You could see Michael was in his zone while he spun the big board.
The documentary also reunited Michael's opponents and got their point of view. Peter Tomarken is also on hand to provide narration. But it also showed the dark side of a game show contestant. Michael Larsen was a gambler from day one. He wanted that quick buck, and when Press Your Luck came by, he seized the opportunity. For years, we all thought he sunk all of his money into a housing deal gone bad, and lost everything. But as the documentary reveals, much of the money was stolen. He kept much of his money in his house, which made it easy for someone to take it. Larsen continued trying to make the quick buck by getting involved in 'get rich quick' schemes (which of course, never work). He died under a huge cloud of mystery while being investigated by the IRS and SEC.
Kudos to the Game Show Network for giving this moment in game show history the attention it deserves.
The bonus of this documentary was they showed both episodes documenting Michael's run at big bucks and no Whammies. These episodes had not been seen since the original broadcast in 1984. The incident obviously gave CBS a black eye. In between episodes, they analyze the episodes. You could see Michael was in his zone while he spun the big board.
The documentary also reunited Michael's opponents and got their point of view. Peter Tomarken is also on hand to provide narration. But it also showed the dark side of a game show contestant. Michael Larsen was a gambler from day one. He wanted that quick buck, and when Press Your Luck came by, he seized the opportunity. For years, we all thought he sunk all of his money into a housing deal gone bad, and lost everything. But as the documentary reveals, much of the money was stolen. He kept much of his money in his house, which made it easy for someone to take it. Larsen continued trying to make the quick buck by getting involved in 'get rich quick' schemes (which of course, never work). He died under a huge cloud of mystery while being investigated by the IRS and SEC.
Kudos to the Game Show Network for giving this moment in game show history the attention it deserves.
One very quick 2 hours!
Carmen-517 March 2003
I tuned into this documentary with a vague knowledge of the story. I remembered hearing about the guy who figured out the board when I was a kid. Then when I heard that Game Show Network decided to make a documentary about him, I figured I'd tune in.
The story gives some insight as to who Michael Larson was and then shifts its attention to an analyzed replay of the two episodes Michael was in. (Larson did so well, his turn could not fit into one 30 minute airing!) It was amazing to see just how this guy did it and got so much money from the board! I think that was the greatest part of this special.
Still, even knowing the pattern, Larson sure had to be quick.
Nice to see Peter hosting as well. He narrated the piece decently. Besides- he was a good choice to host this special since of course he hosted the original "Press Your Luck."
The story gives some insight as to who Michael Larson was and then shifts its attention to an analyzed replay of the two episodes Michael was in. (Larson did so well, his turn could not fit into one 30 minute airing!) It was amazing to see just how this guy did it and got so much money from the board! I think that was the greatest part of this special.
Still, even knowing the pattern, Larson sure had to be quick.
Nice to see Peter hosting as well. He narrated the piece decently. Besides- he was a good choice to host this special since of course he hosted the original "Press Your Luck."
Greed and game shows.
BlackJack_B19 July 2004
Press Your Luck was one of my favorite game shows as a kid. I loved the enthusiasm of the contestants (although a lot of it was forced) and the big money you could win at the time. Peter Tomarken was the perfect host for the show with his zaniness. However, I didn't know until a couple of years ago about the Michael Larson incident that nearly brought the show down.
Mr. Larson was a gambler with a Ralph Kramden zen for quick rich schemes. He stumbled upon PYL and studied the patterns until he cracked the code that would allow him to win unlimited money if he could hit the buzzer correctly. He managed to get himself on the show and walked away with a sailboat, two vacations, and over 100,000 in CBS's money.
This documentary on the once great GSN talks about the incident with PYL execs, Tomarken, relatives and friends of Larson, and the two contestants that were playing against Larson that day. They show the very patterns that Larson was able to exploit, the stress that was coming onto Larson as his pot grew bigger, and his facial expressions via a split-second camera that CBS happened to have on them during the tapings. It's very well done and very engrossing.
Sadly, you can see this documentary only when GSN airs it and you'll have to wade through the worst commercials ever made. Still, it's worth watching to learn about how greed can eventually do you in.
One funny thing. An exec who met with Michael Larson, who claimed he drove an ice cream truck, was leery about putting him on the show. He felt that there was something not quite right with him. Today, if Mr. Larson were alive and wanted to appear on GSN's "Whammy:The All New Press Your Luck" in an attempt to break their bank he'd be brought in with open arms. There have been some very colourful looking people appearing on that game.
Mr. Larson was a gambler with a Ralph Kramden zen for quick rich schemes. He stumbled upon PYL and studied the patterns until he cracked the code that would allow him to win unlimited money if he could hit the buzzer correctly. He managed to get himself on the show and walked away with a sailboat, two vacations, and over 100,000 in CBS's money.
This documentary on the once great GSN talks about the incident with PYL execs, Tomarken, relatives and friends of Larson, and the two contestants that were playing against Larson that day. They show the very patterns that Larson was able to exploit, the stress that was coming onto Larson as his pot grew bigger, and his facial expressions via a split-second camera that CBS happened to have on them during the tapings. It's very well done and very engrossing.
Sadly, you can see this documentary only when GSN airs it and you'll have to wade through the worst commercials ever made. Still, it's worth watching to learn about how greed can eventually do you in.
One funny thing. An exec who met with Michael Larson, who claimed he drove an ice cream truck, was leery about putting him on the show. He felt that there was something not quite right with him. Today, if Mr. Larson were alive and wanted to appear on GSN's "Whammy:The All New Press Your Luck" in an attempt to break their bank he'd be brought in with open arms. There have been some very colourful looking people appearing on that game.
God Documentary
brojason-1076917 September 2023
It's a good documentary that I believe would make an even better Netflix, Prime Video or Hulu fearure film. Mainly because it's an awesome story of one man's obsession with becoming rich. It also shows us all how quickly it can all be lost. Not every business venture is a get rich quick solution. And money can't buy everything. Someone should recommend this to Netflix, Prime Video or Hulu. A lot of people would probably enjoy it more as a feature film. Also a lot of details of his life were left out that could be included in the film. Just something to think about. Documentaries are good but films are so much better.
Such A Sore Looser
minerals27 January 2008
When this aired on Game show network and some others gathered with me to see this I could not believe how Peter Tomarkin had become such a sore looser. He was at times insulting Larson. He in some of my friends views was also giving Bob Barker, Regis Philben, Pat Sajak, Vanna White and Alex Trebek bad names because of how he was fussing over a mere 100 thousand dollars being won by one man where at the time this aired in 2003 Bob Barker and the others were giving away prize combinations that would be higher value than what Larson won. Some people that were with me were wanting to see Alex, Pat and Regis come in and slap Peter with a white glove then have Vanna hit him with her purse and have Bob give him a Chuck Norris Karate Kick because of how those who were with me felt that Peter was insulting all those other hosts by fussing over how a man won a mere 100 thousand dollars where all these others were giving away money amounts and prizes that valued over the amount that was won by Larson.
An interesting find
ogre200421 August 2004
One day I saw an article about Michael Larson, and wondered if he really had done this. Searching for it turned up little if anything. About a month later, I saw this on TV and taped it. I don't know where the tape is, but it is an interesting documentary.
It tells how Michael Larson, a self-employed ice-cream truck driver, changed from having almost nothing, ending up with a fortune, and then losing it all in the end.
It also provides a look back at how Press Your Luck producers did not realize that the game was fallible. Looking at this documentary, I realized it was very insightful. I do wish Game Show Network (now GSN) would release this as a video/DVD.
It tells how Michael Larson, a self-employed ice-cream truck driver, changed from having almost nothing, ending up with a fortune, and then losing it all in the end.
It also provides a look back at how Press Your Luck producers did not realize that the game was fallible. Looking at this documentary, I realized it was very insightful. I do wish Game Show Network (now GSN) would release this as a video/DVD.
Good Story gets Buried by all the Filler.
juliankennedy2324 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal: 5 out of 10: Michael Larson is an out of work Ice Cream truck driver who got on the game show Press Your Luck and ran the board for over a hundred thousand dollars. This is his story.
I just reviewed a documentary about a game show scandal (Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much) and here I am on some sort of theme week or something. Though I gave both documentaries the same score they couldn't be more different.
Perfect Bid is about someone who broke the code in the Price is Right in the banalest way possible. He memorized all the prices of the items. In Big Bucks Michael Larson figured out that the game board had certain patterns and with the right amount of hand-eye coordination you could make a run for "Big Bucks" and not lose.
If you are unfamiliar with Press Your Luck it is a very simple trivia contest followed by a combination video game/ slot machine with not just prizes but little cartoon whammies that if you landed on them would cost you all your winnings. The chance of landing on a whammy was one in six. It was an actually good game that was entertaining even without the most dynamic contestants or host. What Larson figured out is that there were spaces which never got a whammy and by learning the seemingly random patterns he could hit the button just so where he always landed on those spaces. In other words, he figured how to break the house.
I got the sense that director James P. Taylor Jr. was not looking forward to doing a documentary on a game show contestant cause he paints Michael Larson like he was the prime suspect on Unsolved Mysteries. Not for the game show stuff. Everyone agrees that was slick but otherwise on the up and up. His life is examined as if we will find out about the dead hookers in his basement after the next commercial break. Unfortunately for the director Michael made poor choices but was otherwise an unremarkable person.
So when your subject matter is more a loser than a serial killer how do you fill the rest of the hour and twenty odd minutes. Hope you like Press Your Luck cause we are showing the entire episode Michael was on and even slowing it down to appear scientific in places. They also recreate the episode on a cheap soundstage with the two other contestants fifteen years later and original host Peter Tomarken who also "hosts" this documentary.
Is there enough material here for a full-length documentary? Not even close. The how he did it is fascinating but this is at best a half hour episode.
Do I feel bad for director James P. Taylor Jr.? A little bit. Your next job is directing a feature-length film for The Game Show Channel is not the news anyone wants to receive sober. When he found out his contestant was a former unemployed Ice Cream Truck driver who disappeared soon after his money was stolen he has to have had high hopes for a juicy Errol Morris expose. Unfortunately for both himself and the audience, it was not to be.
Any other takeaways? Host Peter Tomarken's outfit from the early eighties was actually pretty sharp with nice pastels and a tie sweater vest combo.
With way too much filler and reality TV tropes (this is the director of When Animals Attack 3 after all) the kernel of a good story gets buried by all the filler.
I just reviewed a documentary about a game show scandal (Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much) and here I am on some sort of theme week or something. Though I gave both documentaries the same score they couldn't be more different.
Perfect Bid is about someone who broke the code in the Price is Right in the banalest way possible. He memorized all the prices of the items. In Big Bucks Michael Larson figured out that the game board had certain patterns and with the right amount of hand-eye coordination you could make a run for "Big Bucks" and not lose.
If you are unfamiliar with Press Your Luck it is a very simple trivia contest followed by a combination video game/ slot machine with not just prizes but little cartoon whammies that if you landed on them would cost you all your winnings. The chance of landing on a whammy was one in six. It was an actually good game that was entertaining even without the most dynamic contestants or host. What Larson figured out is that there were spaces which never got a whammy and by learning the seemingly random patterns he could hit the button just so where he always landed on those spaces. In other words, he figured how to break the house.
I got the sense that director James P. Taylor Jr. was not looking forward to doing a documentary on a game show contestant cause he paints Michael Larson like he was the prime suspect on Unsolved Mysteries. Not for the game show stuff. Everyone agrees that was slick but otherwise on the up and up. His life is examined as if we will find out about the dead hookers in his basement after the next commercial break. Unfortunately for the director Michael made poor choices but was otherwise an unremarkable person.
So when your subject matter is more a loser than a serial killer how do you fill the rest of the hour and twenty odd minutes. Hope you like Press Your Luck cause we are showing the entire episode Michael was on and even slowing it down to appear scientific in places. They also recreate the episode on a cheap soundstage with the two other contestants fifteen years later and original host Peter Tomarken who also "hosts" this documentary.
Is there enough material here for a full-length documentary? Not even close. The how he did it is fascinating but this is at best a half hour episode.
Do I feel bad for director James P. Taylor Jr.? A little bit. Your next job is directing a feature-length film for The Game Show Channel is not the news anyone wants to receive sober. When he found out his contestant was a former unemployed Ice Cream Truck driver who disappeared soon after his money was stolen he has to have had high hopes for a juicy Errol Morris expose. Unfortunately for both himself and the audience, it was not to be.
Any other takeaways? Host Peter Tomarken's outfit from the early eighties was actually pretty sharp with nice pastels and a tie sweater vest combo.
With way too much filler and reality TV tropes (this is the director of When Animals Attack 3 after all) the kernel of a good story gets buried by all the filler.
Genius or Cheat?
Michael_Elliott22 February 2014
Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal (2003)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Highly entertaining documentary taking a look at Michael Larson, an out of work ice cream truck driver who made his way from Ohio to Los Angeles where he got on the Press Your Luck game show and ended up walking away with over $110,000. How did Larson do it? For months he studied the game at home and caught a pattern that would allow him to rack up the big bucks without hitting a whammy. To say this is the biggest scandal in game show history might be an understatement. There's certainly something interesting about what Larson did as some are going to call him a genius while others are going to call him a cheat. Personally speaking I can't help but call him a genius and I would never use the word cheat since there was a way to break the board and he found out how to do it. I think most of the blame has to go to the network for not having a plan in case something like this ever happened. The documentary does a very good job at telling the story of how a man from Ohio won a ton of cash from CBS who were pretty much dumbfounded by what was going on. The documentary features host Peter Tomarken talking about what was going on during the taping of the show but we also get interviews with the director, creator and others involved in the show including the two other contestants that Larson was going up against. The film also features the entire episode that was originally aired over two days but was never seen again until this documentary. Fans of the show or just scandals in general will certainly want to check this out as the entire thing is just bizarre to say the least.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Highly entertaining documentary taking a look at Michael Larson, an out of work ice cream truck driver who made his way from Ohio to Los Angeles where he got on the Press Your Luck game show and ended up walking away with over $110,000. How did Larson do it? For months he studied the game at home and caught a pattern that would allow him to rack up the big bucks without hitting a whammy. To say this is the biggest scandal in game show history might be an understatement. There's certainly something interesting about what Larson did as some are going to call him a genius while others are going to call him a cheat. Personally speaking I can't help but call him a genius and I would never use the word cheat since there was a way to break the board and he found out how to do it. I think most of the blame has to go to the network for not having a plan in case something like this ever happened. The documentary does a very good job at telling the story of how a man from Ohio won a ton of cash from CBS who were pretty much dumbfounded by what was going on. The documentary features host Peter Tomarken talking about what was going on during the taping of the show but we also get interviews with the director, creator and others involved in the show including the two other contestants that Larson was going up against. The film also features the entire episode that was originally aired over two days but was never seen again until this documentary. Fans of the show or just scandals in general will certainly want to check this out as the entire thing is just bizarre to say the least.
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