[1] Further hindering the show was that a planned deal with CBS owned-and-operated stations to carry it in major markets had to be scrapped because of the network-imposed $25,000 winnings limit for game shows (which, at the time, was also extended to syndicated games airing on the O&Os).

While the producers were able to get the Metromedia-owned stations to fill these gaps and the series did well enough to be renewed for a second season, The $128,000 Question proved not to be as popular as its predecessor and it came to an end in 1978.

[1] Mike Darow hosted the first season with Alan Kalter as announcer, and the series was taped in New York City at CBS's Ed Sullivan Theater.

The second season moved production to Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario, at Global Television Network's studios.

Alex Trebek became host, with model Sylvie Garant as his assistant, and Sandy Hoyt became the announcer.

Once the contestant chose a category, a cassette tape containing four questions was given to host Darow, who then fed it into an electric typewriter onstage.

If a contestant continued on from $512, the next question was worth $1,000 and play moved across the stage to a podium positioned in front of a television monitor.

A home version of The $128,000 Question was released by Ideal Toy Company in 1977 and followed the first season format, complete with a "category tree".

The Welk Music Group, parent company of Ranwood, currently owns the master tape of Grean's recording of the $128,000 Question theme.

WMG has not rereleased the track themselves on CD or licensed it to other labels to appear on compilation albums as of this writing.

Additionally, other local stations aired reruns of The $128,000 Question during the late 1970s and early 1980s.