Game Show props/set pieces that you think are really cool.

[Richie]

Okay I'll start off.  One of the things that I like about game shows past or present: the props and or set pieces.  Some of my favorite props from past game shows:

The famous Chuck Bucks that Chuck Woolery passes out on the 80s Scrabble when somebody wins money on the pink or blue squares in the crossword round.

The glass money case for jackpots on Sale of the Century.

The golden dice from Wink Martindale's High Rollers.

Some of my favorite set pieces from past game shows:

The 1984 Name That Tune sign that is NOT from the pilot (the pilot Name That Tune sign was weird)

The Match Game 90 circular opening sign.

Card Sharks 1978-1981 contestant podiums.  (yeah I'm old school)


What are some of your favorite props and/or set pieces from game shows past or present?

[b_masters8]

One prop, one set piece, both from Martindale TTD:

Prop is the computerized board of 9 Apple II monitors hooked up to that Altair 8800 computer.

Set piece is the oval backdrop behind the players that had those alternating Xs and Os with rings of lights around them.

[Mark]

Call me weird, but the original Concentration board from the Downs/Clayton era, and the Narz syndicated run.

[Grand_game2004]

OK, I think the contestant podiums from Card Sharks 79-81 are pretty cool.

Favorite props:

The Alphabetics board from Password Plus
The Chuck Bucks (already mentioned by someone else)
The Contestant podiums on $OTC
The Podiums on Dream House & The "Security System" bonus round
The Cards used on Break The Bank in the bonus round
I don't know if it counts as a prop, but I love the High Rollers board (the one used in later runs of Alex Trebek's High Rollers)
If I can think if anything else, I'll post it here as an additional post.

[tpir04]

Gotta love the electronic spinners from the 1975 game show Spin-Off, the Plinko turntable sign, and the Star Wheel from MG 78. And call me crazy, but I was in love with that giant bingo cage from Bingo America.

[someguy23475]

Call me weird, but the original Concentration board from the Downs/Clayton era, and the Narz syndicated run.

That is what I was going to write.

How about the Big Showdown dice?

[Grand_game2004]

I do have to give mention to the GIANT "Price is Right" tag (love it when they use this to hide Punch A Bunch & Grand Game)
TTD's main game & Bonus game board (I know it was controlled by a master computer connected to 9 slave computers)
Match Game's "Star Wheel"
Honorable mentions go to the electronic board on Bob's Funhouse that showed the categories for the 2nd round, which rotated to show the bonus board, and then turned back to show the credits, AND the board used on "Now You See It" which showed MARK GOODSON BILL TODDMAN (i think I spelled that right) when Johnny said "Now You see it is a (board rotates to show the words I just said) Production!"

[tpir04]

MARK GOODSON BILL TODDMAN (i think I spelled that right)

Bill Todman. 

While I'm here, I might as well mention a few others: the Blockbusters podium that folded out for the Gold Run bonus round, the TPIR Rainbow Wheel, and Monopoly Remix and the Operation Sam Dunk skeeball game from seasons four and two, respectively, of Family Game Night.

[Mr. Weatherman]

The Dawson/Combs-era trilon board on Family Feud was pretty freakin’ cool.  Technology made it obsolete (superimposed graphics during the ‘94 Dawson run, rear-projection screen when Anderson took over in ‘99), but the charm of having a giant rotating board with all of its intricate mechanics simply can’t be replicated by a computer-generated display.

[Superballer]

Let's see: 

-the octagons on Sale's Fame Game board, plus the Instant Cash boxes 
-the big bin of money (with its own security force, no less) tantalizing $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime contestants 
-the circular car cylinder that rotated back to reveal Wipeout's grand prize car 
-Caesars' Challenge's big squirrel cage of lettered balls 
-the Golden Medley clock on Lange's Name That Tune, with the numbers of each second counting off one by one around the finalist's head 
-the Hall Split Second rotating bonus screens 
-the W-H-E-E-L bonus card holder used for the late 80s and most of the 90s (probably my favorite version was the early-mid 90s one with the pink letters and colorful diamond base) 
-the large multi-colored card-themed screens on Perry's version that would slide away to reveal the main game and Money Cards boards 
-the neon palm trees eventually added to Classic Concentration's set, which gave the game a cooler look 
-Wink's Big Numbers (was the 9 blue or purple, incidentally?  I thought it was the former for years, but now I'm not sure) 

[howierules86]

^The "9" in Wink's version was blue (at least in the early episodes of the run that I checked). Anyway, my favorites include:

The big letters in "Jeopardy!" flashing in the pre-1996 sets
The glass tiles on the Double Dare (Marc Summers versions) set

[ooboh]

I’m surprised no one has brought up the Big Board or the rotating contestant island (both from Press Your Luck) that turns 180° after Peter sends the show to commercial break. That combined with the music combines for one of the greatest things in game shows.

-the big bin of money (with its own security force, no less) tantalizing $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime contestants 

I also thought the giant $1,000,000 sign that rose along with Jim Lange in the second season’s intros were awesome.

[Richie]

What about Super Password's Magic Toaster?

[pannoni1]

Several from classic Nickelodeon stand out:

1. Olmec's Temple in Legends of the Hidden Temple
2. The Aggro Crag in GUTS
3.  The Video Zone entrance area in Nick Arcade (even the contestant podiums, complete with the scoreboard area styled like a Game Boy and the chasing light backgrounds are also neat)
4. And of course, the obstacle course in Double Dare. Individually, they aren't as remarkable as the first two, but like the Temple, combine to produce one of the coolest things ever for a kid to watch.

[JayC]

-The Plinko sign, Superball set, and the Big Wheel on Price.
-The hanging $25,000 sign and the wheel itself on Wheel of Fortune
-The big board on Press Your Luck
-The big flashing Jeopardy letters before the "sushi bar" set
-Olmec and the temple on Legends of the Hidden Temple
-The score and timer displays on (Nickelodeon) Double Dare
-The mall set on the Pat Finn Shop Til You Drop
-The hot set, Regis' seat, and the podium inbetween on ABC Who Wants to be a Millionaire
-The Family Feud answer board
-The contestant podiums on Trebek Double Dare