The creator of one of the most iconic set pieces in game show history has died, according to Ben Silverman, writing on the games blog “Plugged In.”
Art Director Ed Flesh, credited with designing the massive wheel used in game show staple ‘Wheel of Fortune’, passed away on July 15 due to congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, reports The Hollywood Reporter. He was 79 years old.
Flesh worked on countless game show sets over the years, including ‘Jeopardy!’,’ Name that Tune’, and ‘Press Your Luck’.
But his most lasting design was the big wheel. While most game shows featured a vertical spinning wheel, Flesh was the one who came up with the idea of having the “Wheel of Fortune” wheel spin horizontally. The show has gone on to become the longest-running syndicated game show in TV history and has enjoyed success on various video game systems and even Facebook.
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