theme weeks on past shows you might have wanted to see

[Superballer]

Here's one that I've been wondering of late:  it would have been nice if, in the spring of 1973, the producers of Hollywood Squares had brought aboard as much of the cast of the animated Charlotte's Web as possible to join Paul Lynde for a week of shows (and if they couldn't have gotten enough of the voice cast to fill all 9 squares, they could have extended it to the crew as well) to cross-promote the film and perhaps during breaks from game play give behind the scenes stories of production, which of course would have been extra valuable to hear of today (incidentally, as far as we know, did any of the film's other voice actors appear with Lynde and make reference to their time together with him on it on the air in any surviving episodes that we're aware of?) 

[holein1isawesome]

That would have been very interesting to see.

[Briguy]

Here's one that I've been wondering of late:  it would have been nice if, in the spring of 1973, the producers of Hollywood Squares had brought aboard as much of the cast of the animated Charlotte's Web as possible to join Paul Lynde for a week of shows (and if they couldn't have gotten enough of the voice cast to fill all 9 squares, they could have extended it to the crew as well) to cross-promote the film and perhaps during breaks from game play give behind the scenes stories of production, which of course would have been extra valuable to hear of today (incidentally, as far as we know, did any of the film's other voice actors appear with Lynde and make reference to their time together with him on it on the air in any surviving episodes that we're aware of?)

I'd probably use the best-known ones, then just fill out the rest with the regular Squares of the era.

Brian

[Briguy]

For me, possible "Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour" theme weeks I'd have used:

• "Brady Bunch" week: Seven of the eight stars -- except for Maureen McCormick and Eve Plumb -- participate, plus Bill Daily. Meaning -- Barry Williams, Chris Knight, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen, Robert Reed, Florence Henderson and Ann B. Davis.

• "Little House On the Prairie" week: As -- at least in the early going -- Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) was a semi-regular, I'd have invited the following, mostly support cast: Stan Ivar and Pamela Roylance (John and Sara Carter, from the show's last season), Victor French (Mr. Edwards), Ken Hagen (Dr. Baker), Richard Bull (Nels Oleson), Katherine MacGregor (Harriet Oleson) and Dean Butler (Almonzo Wilder) ... plus probably Charles Nelson Reilly.

• Classic Game Show Panelists week (and we do mean "classic"): Kitty Carlisle, Arlene Francis, Garry Moore, Bill Cullen, Betsy Palmer, John Daly (yes, that one) and Betty White, plus maybe a newcomer of the era that was a semiregular ... Fred Travalena, Jay Leno or Arsenio Hall.

• Game Show Hosts week: The current cast of favorites, and some classics: Tom Kennedy, Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Pat Sajak, Chuck Woolery, Jim Perry, Betty White and Bill Cullen.

• Teen Stars week: Then teen stars: Peter Billingsley, Lauri Hendler, Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn, Glen Scarpelli, Missy Gold and Todd Bridges ... and one adult -- Anson Williams -- who played a lot during teen weeks, even though he was well into his 30s. Or just use the kid at heart: Charles Nelson Reilly.

• Country Music Stars week: Had MG/HS gone into the fall of 1984 and CMA week, a perfect tie in. Bill Anderson, Ricky Skaggs, Larry Gatlin, Jerry Clower, Minnie Pearl, Irlene Mandrell and Dottie West. Finish it off with CNR or Bill Daily.

• Kids Shows week: With Rita Moreno ("The Electric Company"), Carroll Spinney (in character, on alternating days, as Big Bird and Oscar), Joe Negri ("Mr. Rogers Neighborhood"), Soupy Sales, Shari Lewis and Henry Corden (voice of Fred Flintstone). Fill out with CNR and maybe Betty White.

• The Norman Lear show reunion: With Roxie Roker and Mike Evans ("The Jeffersons"), Carroll O'Connor and Sally Struthers ("All In the Family," "Archie Bunker's Place" and "Gloria"), Pat Harrington Jr. ("One Day At a Time"), Whitman Mayo ("Sanford and Son"), Conrad Bain ("Maude," then currently of "Diff'rent Strokes") and -- as the MG regular -- Jimmie Walker ("Good Times").

The key to all my panels is to have at least one "Match Game" regular. Betty White, Jimmie Walker, Bill Daily and CNR fit that bill. But there are so many potential weeks that never did happen as MG/HS lasted just nine months. I know some of these are gimmicky, but they should have and could have worked.

Brian

[pannoni1]

For me, possible "Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour" theme weeks I'd have used:

• "Brady Bunch" week: Seven of the eight stars -- except for Maureen McCormick and Eve Plumb -- participate, plus Bill Daily. Meaning -- Barry Williams, Chris Knight, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen, Robert Reed, Florence Henderson and Ann B. Davis.

Brian

That would have been great on the Bergeron version when nostalgia for the show was at its peak IMO, with the stars arranged exactly as they are in the intro (except for Ann B. Davis, who only makes a cameo appearance besides who's ever the Center Square). The franchise was still reeling from The Brady Brides at the time, and even a "Brady Bunch Week" on the Davidson HS would likely have been a better draw since this was when appreciation was just starting to become multi-generational.

• Country Music Stars week: Had MG/HS gone into the fall of 1984 and CMA week, a perfect tie in. Bill Anderson, Ricky Skaggs, Larry Gatlin, Jerry Clower, Minnie Pearl, Irlene Mandrell and Dottie West. Finish it off with CNR or Bill Daily.

Brian

NBC though did have the broadcast rights to the ACM awards, and the week of May 14, 1984 would have been a perfect time for such a special roster since that was the night that the network broadcast it during the run of MGHS (BTW, I recently found a copy of that special on a tape). The hosts were Mac Davis, Charley Pride, and Crystal Gayle, so I'd include those three and take away Irlene Mandrell or Jerry Clower.

[Briguy]

That would have been great on the Bergeron version when nostalgia for the show was at its peak IMO, with the stars arranged exactly as they are in the intro (except for Ann B. Davis, who only makes a cameo appearance besides who's ever the Center Square). The franchise was still reeling from The Brady Brides at the time, and even a "Brady Bunch Week" on the Davidson HS would likely have been a better draw since this was when appreciation was just starting to become multi-generational.

"Family Feud" did have, sometime in the fall of 1983, five of the "Brady" cast members -- Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Susan Olsen, Maureen McCormick and Chris Knight -- as part of a week featuring classic TV casts.

JSYK, this was one I had conceptualized ever since MG/HS was originally airing and they aired the "Leave It To Beaver" reunion week. "Brady" was one of the top syndicated programs in the early 1980s, and was on every afternoon at 4 p.m. in my hometown market on WHBF-TV.

Brian

[rick420buzz]

I don't know if it could be stretched to a week, but if all three shows existed at the same time, I would've watched a Brady Bunch vs Partridge Family game on Family Feud.