Strike it Rich was a game show that aired the states from September 15, 1986 - September 1987. It's host was former baseball player Joe Garagiola, and the hostess was Theresa Ring. It was the second show to be produced by Kline & Friends (founded by former Barry & Enright employee Richard S. Kline) (Break the Bank was second, & Win, Lose or Draw was third). Like Break the Bank this show with the exception of it's title was no connections with the 50s quiz show of the same name. This is where two couples compete to win cash & prizes by going across an archway of TV monitors on stage.

The Main Game
On a team's turn, they were given a category with five possible answers. They then must decide how many answers they must give (either one, two or three) for control of their respective seven monitored archway. If they complete their contract, they win a chance to move across their archway, otherwise the opposing team gets to complete the contract.

Now the team with the completed contract gets to move & reveal as many monitors as there are answers. Each monitor hides a prize while only one of them hides a bandit. Each time the team in control reveals a prize, they win that prize & can decide to either bank the prize(s) & pass control to their opposing team or reveal another monitor. Deciding to keep playing is a risk because if at anytime they reveal the bandit, they lose all the prizes earned at that point and control goes the opponents. But if they can make their required number of moves without hitting the bandit, not only they bank their prizes but they also keep their turn and answering another question.

If the couple can get pass all seven monitors, they are then being asked The Strike it Rich Question in which if answered correctly, the game is won by the couple whom answered it, otherwise the game continues. The first couple to make it across their archway & answer The Strike it Rich Question wins the game & goes on to play the bonus game to win even more.


The Bonus Game
The game begins by having the winning couple decide which grand prize to play for, either $5,000 or a new car. Now one member of the winning team takes the top row of monitors while the other takes the bottom. On each pair of monitors, one hides a dollar sign while the other hides the bandit which serves as a strike. The couple decides which screen to reveal either top or bottom. If the winning couple chooses to play for $5,000 they must reveal five dollar signs before getting three strikes (bandits). If they choose to play for a car, the process is tougher because they must find six dollar signs before finding two bandits to win the car. If they can't successfully perform either one of those tasks, they still win $100 for each dollar sign they do find.


Notes
The original title was going to be Arch Rivals due to the fact that contestants travel through arches to win prizes. But producer/director Richard S. Kline, figured it wouldn't sell unless it had a really good name. So they decided to change it to Strike it Rich although it was never like the 50s quiz show of the same name.

This show may have had a short life in the USA, but it had a long run in the UK not just under the title of Strike it Rich, but also under the original title of Strike It Lucky.

When the bandit is revealed it usually laughs. The sound of the bandit's laugh was made by baseball player Boog Powell.

Barry & Enright musician Hal Hidey composed music for the show as he did with Break the Bank '85. This was the last game show Hidey did music for.