Since Wheel of Fortune (1975) was doing well in the daytime rating hours, host Chuck Woolery asked for parity with what Richard Dawson was making since the show was beating Family Feud (1976). Merv Griffin offered to increase Woolery's salary to $400,000, however, Woolery refused to take no less than $500,000. When NBC offered to pay Woolery the other $100,000, Griffin was angered and threatened to take the show to CBS. With both parties unwilling to compromise, Griffin fired Woolery and replaced him with Pat Sajak. Woolery's last show televised on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25th, 1981. See more »