Golden-Road.net
Studio 46 - Non-TPiR Discussion => Out In Left Field => Topic started by: jimlange on June 12, 2014, 04:08:17 PM
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I have just taken the initiative and started the non-Price related version here. Wink's Facebook challenge has been met and now here is a FULL and RARE episode of Gambit outside of the one that has been traded for years!! Enjoy!!
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Judging by that car description, this was from late 1975 or 1976. Either way, the show had less than a year left. It's a shame, the morning lineup of Joker's Wild/Price/Gambit is one of the greatest ever, even though it was short lived.
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Judging by that car description, this was from late 1975 or 1976. Either way, the show had less than a year left. It's a shame, the morning lineup of Joker's Wild/Price/Gambit is one of the greatest ever, even though it was short lived.
From July 1976 or later, from the Muhammad Ali question.
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OK, I have to watch this episode before I put together the FPG picks. :-D
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Now, we'll all just sit and wait for whatever rarity shows up next.
What do any of you hope it'll be?
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Now, we'll all just sit and wait for whatever rarity shows up next.
What do any of you hope it'll be?
I don't know if he'd be allowed, but I'd love to see either Wheel of Fortune from its first year (1975), or the syndicated "Jeopardy" from 1975 -- maybe even if there's the episode where a certain host played as a celebrity a decade before he'd become synonymous with the show.
Brian
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The question about Muhummad Ali's confrontation with a wrestler may refer to either his infamous encounter with the WWF's Gorilla Monsoon, which aired in June 1976; or his wrestler vs. boxer match against Antonio Inoki later that month.
Brian
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The question about Muhummad Ali's confrontation with a wrestler may refer to either his infamous encounter with the WWF's Gorilla Monsoon, which aired in June 1976; or his wrestler vs. boxer match against Antonio Inoki later that month.
Brian
I'm thinking they were more likely referencing the Inoki match, since the question asked for the result of that match (a win for Ali, a loss for Ali, or a draw)
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Now, we'll all just sit and wait for whatever rarity shows up next.
What do any of you hope it'll be?
For every 500 subscribers to Wink's Youtube channel, he will post a FULL episode of Jack Narz's Concentration. Right now, it is 82 subscribers away from the next one. If you haven't subscribed to his You Tube channel, please go and do so!!
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From July 1976 or later, from the Muhammad Ali question.
Later than July 1976. There was a question about the next Summer Olympics, in 1980. Wiki says the 1976 Montreal Games ended on August 1, 1976.
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and now a SIZZLE for the pilot Jamie was hosting when GS hosts week on Scrabble came around
Fixed Youtube link. Make sure the "s" is removed from the "https://" when posting it, or it'll break.
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Wink's You Tube challenge has been met again!! So later today we will get another RARE episode of Jack Narz's version of Concentration!! In case you haven't seen the episode posted before, I will post it here. I will put the new episode later on when he releases it. Now to get the next episode, Wink has to get up to 2,000 subscribers. So, if you have not subscribed to Wink's You Tube channel please go and do so!!
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In the words of Adam Wade, host of the 1975 Musical Chairs, "and give ourselves a round of applause!" :-D As per the usual, I suggest telling everyone you know who has a YouTube and/or Facebook account that if they wish to see more, subscribe and like...but not to make multiple accounts for either purpose, as was proven to be the case with the Dennis James clip goal of 2,100 Facebook Likes.
I shall be quite amused if the upcoming episode, #1541 (taped December 2, 1977), is the Linda vs. Randy match (with a copyright date of MCMLXXVIII, I should note) that has been around for quite some time.
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Apologies for the double-post, but something I just noticed...
This was the photo uploaded by Wink when he announced the "1,500 YouTube subscribers" challenge, with a slate shot clearly indicating this is #1541 (taped 12/2/77):
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/1978749_1541679282725859_5579012025931915182_n.png)
This is the slate shot used when it was announced that they were only eleven YouTube subscribers away, with a slate shot clearly reading #1534 (also taped 12/2/77):
(https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10384661_1562691463957974_601806187314074999_n.png)
Perhaps oddest of all, as of yet there is no mention of the discrepancy by Wink or any of the comments on either picture. Hm.
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Here it is! Enjoy!
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Any time we hear "Starcrossed" and "Splendido" is definitely a good time :-)
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Finally. One of the episodes I'd most been looking for. (But I'm not done yet.)
Like this one, I'm always looking for any episodes in which "The Money Game" is played.
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I wonder if Wink has any episodes of his old show Words and Music from 1970. I've heard it wasn't a very good show, but it's been something I've been intrigued to see for a long time.
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To address my earlier post, Wink swapped around the two Concentration shows to keep them in chronological order. :embarassed: #1541 shall now be unlocked for 2,000 YouTube subscribers.
Speaking of Wink, he has found this (https://www.facebook.com/winkmartindalegames/photos/a.1485144971712624.1073741827.1485120435048411/1563280323899088/) in his collection:
(https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/p180x540/10463940_1563280323899088_3944924893933306849_n.jpg)
8-O
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I wonder if Wink has any episodes of his old show Words and Music from 1970. I've heard it wasn't a very good show, but it's been something I've been intrigued to see for a long time.
i
I asked on his Facebook page about it, and John Ricci Jr. said he'd keep an eye out for it.
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To address my earlier post, Wink swapped around the two Concentration shows to keep them in chronological order. :embarassed: #1541 shall now be unlocked for 2,000 YouTube subscribers.
Speaking of Wink, he has found this (https://www.facebook.com/winkmartindalegames/photos/a.1485144971712624.1073741827.1485120435048411/1563280323899088/) in his collection:
(https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/p180x540/10463940_1563280323899088_3944924893933306849_n.jpg)
8-O
Now this is something. Going to be quite a sight if or when we get to see them.
i
I asked on his Facebook page about it, and John Ricci Jr. said he'd keep an eye out for it.
Awesome, thanks. As far as I'm aware that's one show that's been pretty much lost since its original broadcast; I don't think it ever found its way to the trading circuit over the years.
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Now this is something. Going to be quite a sight if or when we get to see them.
Per a very recent update, they are currently transferring from Betamax not solely the final two episodes of Gambit but at least one Las Vegas Gambit episode (from the second part of the run, if the screencap shown is any indication):
(https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/p180x540/10526001_1571720063055114_4432334444615914732_n.jpg)
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Wink has uploaded a blooper from the Geoff Edwards era of Chain Reaction (specifically 1987, based on the color scheme of the set):
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Per a very recent update, they are currently transferring from Betamax not solely the final two episodes of Gambit but at least one Las Vegas Gambit episode (from the second part of the run, if the screencap shown is any indication):
<picture snipped>
That's a surprise. Looking forward to it.
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Hopefully there are shows of the original 1974-1976 High Rollers out there. I would love to see the finale.
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Hopefully there are shows of the original 1974-1976 High Rollers out there. I would love to see the finale.
At least two, possibly three, episodes are known to exist. Two of them exist at the Paley Center, clips from a third—from the final seven weeks, using the "Face Lifters" format—can be seen on YouTube in the "March of the Game Show Hosts" video.
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Looking through the notes I have compiled from a myriad of websites, I am aware of at least five episodes (possibly six, as RJSchex notes) that exist in some form:
-The two held by the Paley Center are June 11 and July 4, 1975, the former being a master copy (more specifically, per the listing, show #258) and the latter having been recorded by Andy Warhol. The former is also rather noteworthy for co-host Ruta Lee being hit in the head by a falling chandelier.
-Regarding the other three, they are held by Archival Television Audio, Inc. (http://www.atvaudio.com/index.php) (as audio recordings, per the company title): the debut show (July 1, 1974); October 15, 1974; and July 15, 1975.
clips from a third—from the final seven weeks, using the "Face Lifters" format—can be seen on YouTube in the "March of the Game Show Hosts" video.
Which per my notes is from the 1983 Daytime Emmy Awards, among a variety of other game show clips.
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...Hm.
For whatever reason, several of the uploads have been made private, including the Baffle clips and Press Your Luck April Fool's joke.
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I've seen one of the Paley High Rollers shows. Fairly certain it was the July 4, 1975 episode. It was enjoyable, so I'd not complain if it came up on Wink's channel.
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The July 3, 1975 episode also exists in the hands of a private collector and has been viewed by Adam Nedeff.
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...Hm.
For whatever reason, several of the uploads have been made private, including the Baffle clips and Press Your Luck April Fool's joke.
It's public again.
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Scratch that. Those two videos are completely gone from Wink's You Tube page, but they are still playing on various sites. Interesting.
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Tomorrow Wink is uploading a FULL pilot he hosted called On A Roll!! Looks like fun!!
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Can't wait to see what this "On a Roll" game show is all about. I'm wondering if this was like a pilot for High Rollers that Alex Trebek hosted in the 70s.
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the "missing" vids are probably on Unlisted mode (I know the PYL one is)
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Indeed it is.
(Also, I just now saw the way to make pictures into thumbnails. I feel quite ashamed at having not realized that before. :embarassed:)
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the "missing" vids are probably on Unlisted mode (I know the PYL one is)
So is the Baffle one.
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Tomorrow Wink is uploading a FULL pilot he hosted called On A Roll!! Looks like fun!!
Oh this looks neat! I've never even heard of this show before.
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Here is the FULL pilot of On A Roll hosted by David Sparks!! Sorry for the confusion of saying it was hosted by Wink. Enjoy!!
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That's actually a pretty neat show. High Rollers plus Wheel of Fortune, not a combination I'd have thought of, but it's actually pretty good. I would have watched a series of it.
I notice a lot of familiar sound effects, too. The buzz-in sound is the Family Feud buzz-in, and I swear that was the Price/CBS bell too.
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I notice a lot of familiar sound effects, too. The buzz-in sound is the Family Feud buzz-in, and I swear that was the Price/CBS bell too.
Yeah, you're right! Those sounds are very familiar. I noticed a lot of bell ringing when the tossup for control the dice was solved.
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Wink has put up clips of the last two Gambit episodes and the two Las Vegas Gambit episodes, all of which shall be uploaded in full soon:
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After noticing that On A Roll is a pretty cool amalgam of Wheel and High Rollers, this would've had some potential for it to be a series. I really did like it and David Sparks wasn't bad as the host of that show.
I notice a lot of familiar sound effects, too. The buzz-in sound is the Family Feud buzz-in, and I swear that was the Price/CBS bell too.
Also, there was the last 2 or 3 seconds of Dig We Must when the male contestant solved both puzzles.
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I notice a lot of familiar sound effects, too. The buzz-in sound is the Family Feud buzz-in, and I swear that was the Price/CBS bell too.
Just checked, taped at Television City, Studio 33 (Bob Barker Studio)
(per the CBS Television City website (http://www.cbstelevisioncity.com/) under "Shows" menu, February 1986 listings show an "On A Roll Pilot")
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Also around 4:30 when the contestant guessed "Jack and Jill" and was incorrect, isn't that the buzzer sound effect that's used if the contestant steps on a wrong number in Pathfinder on The Price is Right?
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It is. That sound effect was also used in Trivia Trap to indicate a wrong answer was chosen or the correct answer was chosen depending on which version (they changed the rules so many times). Trivia Trap may have been the first show to have that sound effect as well as the reveal sound effect used on Family Feud during the Fast Money Round.
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They also used the end of the Dawson Feud theme for a winning round as well, if I'm not mistaken.
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Oddly enough, the theme to On a Roll is "Working Girl March" from the 1982 film Tootsie, which was also used on the pilot for Body Language and a failed pilot called Star Words, both in 1983.
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Also, this pilot seems to be a derivative of an earlier failed pilot, 1977's Spell Binders (http://www.usgameshows.net/x.php?show=Spellbinders). The Name Game and the Lucky 7 bonus round seem to come straight out of that pilot.
I like how there's a twist on the double rolls. Instead of awarding an insurance marker like High Rollers, a double gives control, a free letter, and any remaining rolls to the other player.
It's really strange to hear Dig We Must on a show that's not Price. Also, that computer-generated Mark Goodson Productions logo looks weird next to the art card "On A Roll" credit.
In addition to the Wheel and High Rollers combo, the puzzle element is straight out of Password Plus/Super Password. Overall, I thought the format is good, but it could get tedious as the puzzle gets more revealed.
Given the possibility for a Lucky 7 payout of as little as $2,000, I wonder if this was intended to replace Pyramid or Press Your Luck on CBS, rather than try for syndication.
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using "Dig We Must" as a game/match win cue definitely doesn't seem appropriate on a game like this, probably also inappropriate for any other TV game show. However, using the end of the "Family Feud" theme for a round win (before they do the $2,000 trivia race) is an exception. I do love hearing the end of the Family Feud theme.
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Wink has just issued another challenge. When his FB page gets to 4200 Likes he will release the first of the 4 episodes of the Gambit episodes he just found and had transferred over from Betamax. Right now, it is at 4052 likes, so we are just 148 away!! If you have not liked Wink's FB page, please go and do so!!
https://www.facebook.com/winkmartindalegames
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For the On A Roll pilot, after the dice girls (Linda and Lisa) introduce themselves and the name of the show, announcer Gene Wood should have voiced during the playing of its theme music with something like From Television City in Hollywood, its the game of luck and puzzle solving, On A Roll. And now, here's the star of On A Roll, Daaavid Sparks.
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Coming this week, Wink will be uploading the pitch reel of Cash Tornado hosted by Jim Perry and the Full Pilot of Matchmates, if I'm not mistaken, hosted by Jim Lange.
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Coming this week, Wink will be uploading the pitch reel of Cash Tornado hosted by Jim Perry
They should have called it "Cashnado". :hammer:
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Correction, the Matchmates pilot was hosted by Michael Burger. Sorry about that folks. Anyways, I will post it here when it is uploaded. Stay tuned!
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Here's the full Matchmates Pilot!! Enjoy!!
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This might've spawned the Winners' Big Money Game on $ale of the Century. The bonus round is almost exactly like the first version of that game (five puzzles in 25 seconds).
Overall, my main issue is the front game could get tedious with contestants trying to match each other, or needing a lot of words to guess the puzzle.
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According to Michael Burger on Wink's page, this had all but sold. NBC made a last minute decision to not take it and told them that they were fazing themselves away from daytime game shows.
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Notice that the game used the "sportstype" display for the 25 second timer, and also notice that during both the main game and the bonus round the "heavy dings" sound effect is played for a win, and an odd sounding buzzer is used for wrong answers. Both the "heavy dings" and the "ring-in" sound are used on Scrabble. One thing you'll definitely notice is how big the button is that's used to ring in.
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Here's the sizzle reel from a 1994 lottery show pilot called Cash Tornado. You'll recognize a lot of aspects of this one!
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And you'll definitely recognize one of the contestants...
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Watching that makes me want to see Jim Perry host the syndicated Price in 1994.
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And you'll definitely recognize one of the contestants...
This proves he can't be stopped :-D
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I'm surprised Jim was still working. I thought he retired after SOTC ended.
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According to Michael Burger on Wink's page, this had all but sold. NBC made a last minute decision to not take it and told them that they were fazing themselves away from daytime game shows.
I'm not sure that's the case since this pilot is from 1985, and NBC still had Classic Concentration and Win, Lose or Draw ahead of themselves. It could have been held for a few years like Scrabble '90 was though. Is a shame since its a nice combo of Newlywed Game, Body Language's puzzle, and what would become SoTC's final bonus round unfortunately. If time was running out if each episode was self-contained, they could have easily had a speedup where each word is revealed one at a time. 1986 only had four NBC game shows on their daytime schedule after Your Number's Up was cancelled (Scrabble, SOTC, Wheel, Super Password), while 1987-early 1989 had six or even seven during I'm Telling's Run)! There was definitely room, and I'm sorry that Matchmates didn't get hooked up by the network.
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I don't know which lottery they were aiming for with Cash Tornado. California already had The Big Spin, and I don't know if either of the multi-state games were in operation then.
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Here's the sizzle reel from a 1994 lottery show pilot called Cash Tornado. You'll recognize a lot of aspects of this one!
Even though this pilot didn't sell, it was a good thing that the general format didn't go to waste, as "Illinois' Instant Riches" hit the air a couple of years later and became successful.
And WOO! :clipboard:
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Even though this pilot didn't sell, it was a good thing that the general format didn't go to waste, as "Illinois' Instant Riches" hit the air a couple of years months later and became successful.
And WOO! :clipboard:
FTFY
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FTFY
Wow, I forgot that "Illinois' Instant Riches" was that old.
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Here's the sizzle reel from a 1994 lottery show pilot called Cash Tornado. You'll recognize a lot of aspects of this one!
Seeing that makes me wonder what could have been. Jim on that set, with those music pieces and the idea of it... something about it all just feels right.
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Not only did Illinois Instant Riches premiere shortly after this pilot, but Force Field was one of the games! I fondly remember watching both IIR and its successor, Illinois' Luckiest, when I was young.
Also, with a name like Cash Tornado, you'd think there would be a game with a cash cube blowing around money!
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Also, with a name like Cash Tornado, you'd think there would be a game with a cash cube blowing around money!
Yeah, I was waiting for a version of Whirl Win too.
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I wonder how many pilots were done on other game show sets? I would love to see how Jim would of handled The price is right he does look right on the set.
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This isn't from Wink's channel. But he did post it on his Facebook page, and it's hilarious!
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I wonder how many pilots were done on other game show sets? I would love to see how Jim would of handled The price is right he does look right on the set.
if I remember right the Brady LMAD pilot was in the TPIR set
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Nope. Although I believe it may have been filmed at Television City in a different studio. TPiR's Rachel Reynolds was the model for the pilot.
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This isn't from Wink's channel. But he did post it on his Facebook page, and it's hilarious!
This is actually the second in what appears to be becoming a series. The first is below, in which Wink reacts to "haters" in quite an amusing manner:
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Soon coming to Wink's channel, is an episode of Tom Kennedy's first game show, "Big Game"!!
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So we've been getting clips from Wink now for several months... I'll go back to what I mentioned when he released the 3 videos of the missing TPiR games.
IMO, This is some of the best stuff for the game show community I've seen in decades. I love it all.
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Soon coming to Wink's channel, is an episode of Tom Kennedy's first game show, "Big Game"!!
Bring on the double-breasted bush turkeys!
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Wink has just issued a flash challenge. If his Facebook page can get to 4170 likes by 11:59 PM Pacific Time tonight, Wink will release the FULL Puzzlers pilot hosted by Pat Sajak!! It is at 4146 right now, so we only need 24 more likes. If you haven't liked Wink's page by now, do so!! If you already have get others to join! Also we are 54 likes away from the first of 4 rare Gambit/Las Vegas episodes to be released as well. Let's do this!!
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^ make that 15 now. (total is at 4,155)
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Wink has just issued a flash challenge. If his Facebook page can get to 4170 likes by 11:59 PM Pacific Time tonight, Wink will release the FULL Puzzlers pilot hosted by Pat Sajak!!
I've been waiting for this pilot to hit the internet for years. Not much is known about that show. Only two brief clips have been made publicly available. One clip appeared on one of the Game Show Moments Gone Bananas specials: The common letter that links _ART, _ALL, and _ABLE seems to be "F"... but the next clue confirms that it's actually "T". The other clip is on YouTube, and that's the intro. Johnny Olson was the announcer and the opening theme was recycled from Dick Martin's short-lived "Mindreaders".
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A full rundown of the pilot is available here (http://gameshowvault.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html), Fireball.
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For 13 more likes, in 4 hours and 6 minutes pacific time, he can not only read about it but watch it too!!
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We got to 4170!!! Get ready for the Puzzlers Pilot next week along with Big Game and Mad Dash from Canada hosted by Pierre LaLonde!!
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Not to quote another game show, but we hit the jackpot this time. ;-)
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We got to 4170!!! Get ready for the Puzzlers Pilot next week along with Big Game and Mad Dash from Canada hosted by Pierre LaLonde!!
As well as another rare episode of Gambit, I imagine. :-) (Wink's FB page is at 4,186 likes-- he needs 4,200 for the episode to be unveiled.)
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We got to 4170!!! Get ready for the Puzzlers Pilot next week along with Big Game and Mad Dash from Canada hosted by Pierre LaLonde!!
(http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120102043236/simpsons/images/9/92/WOOHOO.jpg)
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I remember Mad Dash...but it's definitely been a while. It will be fun to see it again. :-)
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And this awesome week begins!! Here is an episode of The Mad Dash from Canada hosted by Pierre LaLonde in 1979. Enjoy!
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I can't wait to see the Gambit finale. I hope it's posted this week (he got the 4200 likes).
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I can't wait to see the Gambit finale. I hope it's posted this week (he got the 4200 likes).
Per a post on his Facebook page, the Gambit episode being posted (may or may not be the finale, but is from the final week) will go online on Thursday.
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It will most likely be December 9th, 1976, the day before the finale. The Betamax tape he found had the final two shows from December 9th and December 10th. But today we have an episode of "Big Game" which is the first game show hosted by Tom Kennedy!!
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And here it is!! An episode of Tom Kennedy's first game show, "Big Game"!! ENJOY!!
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Very interesting variant on Battleship with animals!
Let's hope the PETA people don't attack Wink for showing this off... :lol: :lol:
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Continuing this awesome week, here is the "Puzzlers" pilot hosted by Pat Sajak in 1980. Enjoy!!
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Well, the set looks awesome with the jigsaw puzzle theme, and the music from Mindreaders is welcome. I liked those check mark overlays in the Capture the Category round.
However, the whole game seems disjointed. Too many puzzle types and gameplay elements clash and vie for attention. The Double Puzzles seemed confusing at first, and takes careful study to figure out what the heck is going on. Revealing the letters could've been faster if they did it like Now You See It, with Pat saying "Letter" every second.
Some of the puzzles in Capture the Category were creative and would later spawn other game shows (like Bumper Stumpers and Catch Phrase). But I think this would've been better if the format focused on a few types of puzzles rather than a variety of mini games. Also, if this show had sold, I wonder if they would've had to come up with a rotation of categories to make the game seem fresh.
Thirty seconds seems very unforgiving in the first part of Photo Finish. It's already harsh that a contestant can't return to a previous photo, so give them a chance to win as much as they can before the second part. Maybe 45 seconds for part one?
I wonder if each episode would've been self-contained or they would've straddled, had this pilot sold.
Pat I think was a bit too humorous here, trying to crack a joke at every opportunity. However, at least his humor was appropriate for each segment and didn't grind the game to a halt.
With some tweaking, this could've worked.
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Is there a full version of the theme somewhere online, somewhere like TelevisionTunes.com? The intro was cool.
Well, the set looks awesome with the jigsaw puzzle theme, and the music from Mindreaders is welcome. I liked those check mark overlays in the Capture the Category round.
However, the whole game seems disjointed. Too many puzzle types and gameplay elements clash and vie for attention. The Double Puzzles seemed confusing at first, and takes careful study to figure out what the heck is going on. Revealing the letters could've been faster if they did it like Now You See It, with Pat saying "Letter" every second.
Some of the puzzles in Capture the Category were creative and would later spawn other game shows (like Bumper Stumpers and Catch Phrase). But I think this would've been better if the format focused on a few types of puzzles rather than a variety of mini games. Also, if this show had sold, I wonder if they would've had to come up with a rotation of categories to make the game seem fresh.
Thirty seconds seems very unforgiving in the first part of Photo Finish. It's already harsh that a contestant can't return to a previous photo, so give them a chance to win as much as they can before the second part. Maybe 45 seconds for part one?
I wonder if each episode would've been self-contained or they would've straddled, had this pilot sold.
Pat I think was a bit too humorous here, trying to crack a joke at every opportunity. However, at least his humor was appropriate for each segment and didn't grind the game to a halt.
With some tweaking, this could've worked.
I totally agree with this. Maybe 40 seconds, for the first part of the bonus round, and probably 20 seconds for the 2nd part.
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And here it is!! An episode of Tom Kennedy's first game show, "Big Game"!! ENJOY!!
It could have maybe worked as a Saturday morning children's show ... y'know, kids aged 10-13 answering relatively easy questions and then playing this Battleship variant on a 6-by-6 board with five animals. Two of two spaces each (maybe a zebra and a hippopotamus), two of three spaces (I thought maybe the elephant and the lion) each and then the big four-space animal (the alligator). Top earnings would be $5,000 ($500 for the two-peg animals, $1,000 for the three space animals and $2,000 for that big, nasty 'gator), with all money put in a bond for future education.
Brian
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The ending to this awesome week, here's an episode of Gambit from the final week airing December 7th, 1976. Enjoy!!
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Is there a full version of the theme somewhere online, somewhere like TelevisionTunes.com? The intro was cool.
I totally agree with this. Maybe 40 seconds, for the first part of the bonus round, and probably 20 seconds for the 2nd part.
I did find the Mindreaders theme on TelevisionTunes.com, and even if it is a short theme, I love it.
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One of the upcoming clips or full episodes Wink has up his sleeve is the 2000 $100,000 Pyramid pilot, with Donny Osmond. It'll be interesting to see what was the same as and what was different from the series that debuted two years later.
(https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/10516814_1592013574359096_2433566361742718366_n.jpg)
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Here is the pitch reel for Donny Osmond's version of $100,000 Pyramid!
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And to paraphrase Bob Eubanks... What a piece of "boop-boop!"
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Interestingly, the host's lectern and the contestant desks fit better with the set than the wooden ones that went into production. Still, this set looks quite barren and uninviting. I did like that entrance arch, though, compared to the framed shots of each celebrity that was used in the actual show.
I do wonder why the producers decided to go with 6 in 20 seconds rather than stick to the 7 in 30 seconds. I've heard it was time constraints, but it seems they had no problem with staying with the tired and true format, as seen on the pitchfilm. Also, I liked how the subjects stuck to the "punny" titles of the Clark and Davidson eras, rather than the overtly comic ones the actual show used.
The $500 bonus for a perfect round would eventually carry over to the 2012 Pyramid. I wonder if that bonus obviated the need for a bonus card like the Mystery 7 or 7-11 (it certainly did for the latter) in this version.
And yay for actual bells and buzzers rather than the "woosh" and burble sounds the actual show used.
I do like the logo here, as it recalls the classic The $xxx,000 Pyramid while still being modern. The green backgrounds for the subjects look better than the 3D pyramid backgrounds on the actual show. It's really interesting to see that the clue giver's hands weren't restrained in the Winner's Circle like on other versions.
I really like the fact that there's no background music in the main game, but was disappointed at the lack of a clock ticking sound for the Winner's Circle, though I did like the win music heard in the video.
I do appreciate the judges are fair on this pilot, as opposed to the overtly strict ones in the actual show. And kudos to the writers for not writing categories like "Things Tom Cruise's Dentist Might Say" in the Winner's Circle.
Overall, this is what I think the 2002 version should have been like, rather than very compromised version it was.
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There is background music during the main game, just percussion in the form of a heartbeat soundtrack. Note the progressive five wins for $100,000 format; I wouldn't mind a revival that kept that yet still has a Tournament where a contestant can win ANOTHER $100,000 with in each 13-week cycle the $100,000 champions claiming spots followed by the fastest times afterwards. Of course, these types of sets were all the rage around the beginning of the century (and some still are today), and I am sorry that this format wasn't finalized.
Based on Mad Dash's board game idea, I wouldn't have mind if the 1990 Monopoly had contestants' partners stand on an oversized Monopoly board with their partners buzzing for control on the board (same type of questions), switching between rounds yet keeping the same bonus game.
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Here is the sales reel for a remake of The Gong Show with Tom Arnold as host.
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Here's today's offering: A sizzle reel from Name That Tune.
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There's something I never knew existed, that Gong Show pilot with Tom Arnold.
Any idea of when it was made? Looks like early/mid-90s to me, which would place it between the Don Bleu version and Extreme Gong.
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Any idea of when [The Gong Show with Tom Arnold] was made? Looks like early/mid-90s to me
2001, placing it after Extreme Gong (and hence, I suppose, the bawdiness).
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Here's the sizzle reel for the return of Catch Phrase with Todd Newton as host.
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Mr. Clue? Not Herbie like the old version?
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It probably didn't sell in America because there weren't enough sexual clues.
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It seemed that a lot of games were shopped for the 2007-2008 syndicated season. We know Temptation and Merv Griffin's Crosswords made the cut, but this revival of Catch Phrase is a gem. It would've gone up against those two shows, Combination Lock with Marc Summers, and a potential The Joker's Wild revival. I would have taken this over what we got. It remains true to the franchise's format, and it's fun to play along with. Also, the stakes are reasonable at about a $25,000-30,000 payout per episode, and technology is used in a good way rather than modernizing the show for the sake of it.
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2001, placing it after Extreme Gong (and hence, I suppose, the bawdiness).
Huh, really? Weird, I got a really 90s vibe from it. Probably a combination of the old-looking set, Tom Arnold and the kind of Jerry Springer-ish feel of it. Seems like something that would have been right at home during his heyday somewhere.
Here's the sizzle reel for the return of Catch Phrase with Todd Newton as host.
Now THIS is a gem. Never thought that this would even have been pitched for a comeback. It looks good all around, though I don't think it would have managed to survive in the syndication market. It has a more GSN-ish flavor.
Did Fremantle have any involvement in it? The podiums look like the ones from Card Sharks '01 and Whammy but recycled into new frames again.
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You Tube challenge met!! Coming next week is episode number 1541 of Concentration with Jack Narz!!
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Here's today's offering - a Wink sizzle reel!
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Here's today's offering - another Narz episode of Concentration.
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Here's an episode of Split Second posted by Wink to celebrate Monty's birthday today. It also includes the slate. Enjoy!
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I'm actually pretty thrilled to see that. I've always had a soft spot for that version, but I've never been able to see it in such clear quality until now.
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Here's a second pilot for the 1985 revival of Concentration hosted by Orson Bean. According to the info on the video, there were 10 pilots made for this revival.
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10 pilots? Huh, Goodson must really have believed in this one.
It's not bad. It's no Classic Concentration and Orson Bean is no Trebek, but it's certainly not a bad attempt at a revival, just a different one.
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Based on when this was taped and all of the Family Feud sound effects, this may have been pitched to replace the Feud. The word associations a la Pyramid or Password adds a new dimension of challenge in addition to simple matchmaking, and it does allow room for regular prizes to be featured in the bonus round. It also allows more emphasis on the bonus round since although just some money can be won in the front game, the prizes (along with cash that outside of Wild Card matches or the Cash Pot wouldn't be used on CC) give the classic feel. Since it would be Concentration without a car, I'd make the seventh win for retiring champions award a car. The large number of pilots indicates later possible pitch for syndication/ABC and eventually NBC that is closer to Classic Concentration. However it seems like the earlier pilots for ABC didn't get picked up since it felt that with Feud being cancelled it felt more inclined to promote soaps and talk shows to their affiliates unlike NBC/CBS at the time.
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This would be a good theory, were it not for the fact that NBC owns Concentration (having bought it from Barry-Enright in 1958, shortly into the original run) and licensed the format to Goodson-Todman. As such, NBC would very likely not approve another network airing their show.
One credit near the end ("Distributed by Victory Television, Inc.") indicates that this was for syndication, as if I am not mistaken Victory Television was previously known as Jim Victory, the company which distributed the Narz era.
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how they got away with that one matching pair around the 11 Minute mark is beyond me....
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I think Orson Bean tried too hard to be funny. A good host for this game has to find the balance between humor and seriousness, and Bean came off as grating here. Also, matching words together is just being different for the sake of it, and doesn't scream Concentration. The game means concentrating on the prizes' and take cards' locations, to match them up, bank them, as well as figuring out the rebus underneath.
The best thing about this pilot was the bonus game. With some tweaking, it became the eight-car bonus round that worked very well on Classic Concentration. Still, it was nice that contestants kept any prize they matched, and the $5,000 bonus was rewarded for matching all the pairs before time was up.
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This would be a good theory, were it not for the fact that NBC owns Concentration (having bought it from Barry-Enright in 1958, shortly into the original run) and licensed the format to Goodson-Todman. As such, NBC would very likely not approve another network airing their show.
One credit near the end ("Distributed by Victory Television, Inc.") indicates that this was for syndication, as if I am not mistaken Victory Television was previously known as Jim Victory, the company which distributed the Narz era.
Not to also mention, that the sound effects weren't used on Feud until the 1988 version with Ray Combs.
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Here's the finale of the original Gambit from December 10th, 1976.
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The Winker now needs 11 more likes to bring his likes to 5000. He promises something special when it's posted. He says he's not sure what it will be but it will "hit him". I still hope for the last High Rollers from 1976:)
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The Winker now needs 11 more likes to bring his likes to 5000. He promises something special when it's posted. He says he's not sure what it will be but it will "hit him". I still hope for the last High Rollers from 1976:)
It could be an episode of "Las Vegas Gambit". I think he teased that at one time.
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It could be an episode of "Las Vegas Gambit". I think he teased that at one time.
Hasn't at least some of Las Vegas Gambit been said to be lost? Or am I thinking of the Las Vegas season of Marshall's Hollywood Squares?
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Hasn't at least some of Las Vegas Gambit been said to be lost? Or am I thinking of the Las Vegas season of Marshall's Hollywood Squares?
For the record, lost ≠ wiped.
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Here is today's entry - an episode of Las Vegas Gambit!
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We first saw the opening of this two and a half years ago, but now here's the full fifth pilot of Match Game '90, hosted by Bert Convy. It's a shame that Bert became ill and couldn't host this version, he would have been great.
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That think music in the Head-to-Head match sure sounds familiar, doesn't it? And I kinda wish they'd gone with the three-round format for the actual series... the Match-Up rounds had no humor and were basically just "guess the coin flip" for 30/45 seconds.
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The Match-Up rounds had no humor and were basically just "guess the coin flip" for 30/45 seconds.
That, IMO, was the one single thing that caused MG90 to fail. It seemed that the whole game relied solely on the Match-Up, making the main game moot and irrelevant.
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Actually, I think the main reason it failed was the horrible noon timeslot that ABC gave it, leading many markets (including mine) to preempt it for local news. Game shows were on the decline by 1990, and it seems ABC had little faith in it to begin with.
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That's not the same pilot that aired on GSN a few years back, is it? Some parts of it felt familiar (such as Bert stumbling around when the logo lifted in the intro) but others didn't, and I recently discarded a vast majority of my tape collection so I no longer have it to check.
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No, the pilot GSN aired two Christmases ago was different; it had the infamous "balls" answer from Teri Copley.
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No, the pilot GSN aired two Christmases ago was different; it had the infamous "balls" answer from Teri Copley.
Ah, that's right. Thank you.
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No, the pilot GSN aired two Christmases ago was different; it had the infamous "balls" answer from Teri Copley.
More specifically, per the advance schedules, Pilot #3.
It seemed that the whole game relied solely on the Match-Up, making the main game moot and irrelevant.
Indeed. It would appear that the point of Match-Up was to be a fast-paced/exciting climax that brought a definite "end" to gameplay and not allow for the dreaded "straddling" of games, never mind the fact that Match Game was never really supposed to be about the format.
That, IMO, was the one single thing that caused MG90 to fail.
I believe ABC slotting the show at Noon (Eastern time) was the major problem.
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Here's a master of episode #88 of Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour
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Now THAT is a welcome sight. As a show it has its problems but it's always been a favorite of mine.
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Here's another great episode of Narz Concentration!
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Wink strikes again!
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Seeing Episode #1535 of "Concentration" made me wonder about something...
In the first game, the contestant filled up all the slots on his scoreboard. What would happen if a player ran out of slots, but won more prizes?
Though I haven't seen it yet, on the Narz version a duplicate prize win (two of the same prize by the same contestant, both using Wild Cards) is indicated by a second copy of the prize card. On the original NBC version, a check mark in the squares along the edge of the board denoted a duplicate prize win.
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Seeing Episode #1535 of "Concentration" made me wonder about something...
In the first game, the contestant filled up all the slots on his scoreboard. What would happen if a player ran out of slots, but won more prizes?
Though I haven't seen it yet, on the Narz version a duplicate prize win (two of the same prize by the same contestant, both using Wild Cards) is indicated by a second copy of the prize card. On the original NBC version, a check mark in the squares along the edge of the board denoted a duplicate prize win.
I'm not sure if this is relevant to the Narz series, but I'd assume when the original NBC set was designed, the prize board likely was built to hold every possible prize on the board, thus there'd be no possibility of having more prizes than slots.
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I'm not sure if this is relevant to the Narz series, but I'd assume when the original NBC set was designed, the prize board likely was built to hold every possible prize on the board, thus there'd be no possibility of having more prizes than slots.
Actually, the prize board on the Narz version was the exact same one used by NBC, only cut down to size, repainted, and glued together at the center. (On NBC, the prize board doubled as a set of sliding doors through which new contestants entered.)
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Second edition of Game Show Bloopers/ This installment is dedicated to Match Game.
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i'm guessing the Match Game blooper reel came from "lunch break" episodes
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Here's the third edition of game show bloopers from Wink.
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The "25-point boner" blooper! LMAO!
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Just posted by Wink and his team, here's an episode of Gambit from May 15th, 1981. Enjoy!!
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It's been awhile, but a couple weeks ago Wink has uploaded the premiere to the Marc Summers' hosted Majority Rules. Enjoy this short-lived show that was canned after half a season.
Also, the pilot to Pictionary 2000 has been posted:
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Another update to this thread - Winc. has posted the pilot for Jim Peck's Showdown!
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And one other thing to note which is related to the channel as a whole -- Wink currently has 2,966 YouTube subscribers. At 3,000, he releases the fifth and last Jack Narz Concentration episode from his vault. If you are not subscribed to him yet, I highly suggest you do so. :-)
(Legally, mind you. Not artificially. Do not create multiple accounts just to subscribe, as people who did so in regard to Facebook Likes nearly got everyone in some trouble.)
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The final Concentration eppy is here!
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Get ready Supermarket Sweep fans!! David Ruprecht recently discovered the pilot he hosted for the return of Supermarket Sweep and Wink, also with a taped introduction from David himself, will be posting the full pilot on his You Tube channel for Throwback Thursday!! (http://[attachimg=1])
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And here it is!! With a special taped introduction by David Ruprecht, here's the pilot for the return of Supermarket Sweep! ENJOY!!
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And here it is!! With a special taped introduction by David Ruprecht, here's the pilot for the return of Supermarket Sweep! ENJOY!!
For some reason the "http://youtu.be/<code>" links don't embed right, but in any case...
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Don'r know what happened, but here it is again...
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The final Concentration eppy is here!
It's also in the Paley Center for Media's archived collection, with a copy each at its New York City and Beverly Hills branches. I saw this one in the NYC location a few years ago.
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Here's today's update - a contestant's story (and accompanying clip) from The New Treasure Hunt!
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Here's a test episode of Classic Concentration that was made about two weeks before its debut on NBC. Enjoy!!
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You could definitely tell this was a test episode. Just look at the first main game. The graphics were a little off. The doors were a couple of centimeters too low, causing a sliver of the WILD! under #16 to become exposed when #11 was opened.
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Wasn't the puzzle used in the first game, "Equal Pay For Equal Work," used as an opening teaser puzzle on one of the Orson Bean-hosted pilots?
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Indeed, specifically the one which has been circulating for many years.
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Here's another great video from Wink. It's the pilot for Whammy: The All New Press Your Luck hosted by Peter Tomarken!! ENJOY!!
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Oh, what could have been...
Peter never lost a beat hosting, even though the last Press Your Luck was taped almost 16 years before this pilot. It's a shame he didn't get the job.
Not having the physical Whammies rise up out of the podium was a minus, in my book. Thankfully those were reinstated when the series entered production in later in 2002.
The "Whammy Guard" was an interesting gameplay bonus for a perfect score in the question round. I would have liked to see it come into play in the regular big board round to make things interesting, especially for a gambling player or one with a huge score.
Like the series, the second big board round seemed to really drag, even though it was exciting to watch. The Double Whammies seemed to be there to get a laugh, rather than adding anything interesting to the game.
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The "Whammy Guard" was an interesting gameplay bonus for a perfect score in the question round.
Seems to me like it would have been VERY hard to earn. Only one contestant in each game would have the chance to get it - in this case, Vickie, since she answered the first question and got the right answer.
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It would have been. That's why I would have liked to have seen it on the big board, similar to how the Free Spin token could be earned in Wheel of Fortune, a bonus for the contestant lucky enough to hit the right spot.
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I absolutely never thought I'd see that pilot.
Peter doing his original sign-off at the end sent a chill down my spine.
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From Wink and his team, here's an episode of a great show that should've had a LONGER run, Break The Bank from 1976 with slate! Enjoy!!
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A tribute to Bill Rafferty, whose birthday was today:
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Bill Rafferty has to be the most underrated and unlucky game show host in history with the all the bombs he hosted.
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Good host, just cracked a lot of bad jokes.
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Bill Rafferty was a good host it sucked that many of his Game shows didn't last long. I prefer his hosting of Card Sharks over Bob Eubanks.
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Quick question on the Whammy! pilot....do we know why Peter wasn't selected as the host for the series? I mean, if you look at most of GSN's reboots/originals back then they liked established game show hosts (Bob Eubanks, Chuck Woolery) - I'm confused why they wouldn't select the ORIGINAL Press Your Luck host to be the host of the reboot.
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Apologies for the bump, but this just showed up on Wink's FB page...
"September was a big month for game shows back on a certain day in the 1970's. Starting Friday relive some special moments and view a few rare gems straight from my vault! You won't want to miss it! The Winker"
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Quick question on the Whammy! pilot....do we know why Peter wasn't selected as the host for the series? I mean, if you look at most of GSN's reboots/originals back then they liked established game show hosts (Bob Eubanks, Chuck Woolery) - I'm confused why they wouldn't select the ORIGINAL Press Your Luck host to be the host of the reboot.
It's rumored they went with Todd Newton because he was younger.
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It could only mean one thing on Friday: the Gambit premiere.
I also recently saw the montage of Debt, and its a shame that Sony/Columbia Tri-Star Television had saw the similarities to Jeopardy!, since while it has a similar concept, that wasn't the only game to use such a format (Let's Go Back and Make the Grade for instance).
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A show called Instant Recall that didn't suck. :-D
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I think we're all going to like this one!
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Indeed we will...
http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,25284.0.html
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Here's another anniversary upload from Winc.
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The end game almost looked like a pinball machine of sorts (even though it didn't have any flippers) and I loved seeing that "answer machine" as well!
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I think a better bonus game would have been this...
A mini version of the main game with no questions.
The couple stands next to three Gambit card place holders separated slightly from each other.
A new card deck is brought out, the seal is broken and the cards cut.
The game works like the main game.
But, Hitting 21 once is $ 1,000.
Hit it twice and it's $2,500
Get 21 Three in a row, $ 10,000
But, if a couple busts on anyone hand.
They only receive $ 200 for any 21's.
Or 10 times the dollar value of the cards on the boards
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I think a better bonus game would have been this...
A mini version of the main game with no questions.
The couple stands next to three Gambit card place holders separated slightly from each other.
A new card deck is brought out, the seal is broken and the cards cut.
The game works like the main game.
But, Hitting 21 once is $ 1,000.
Hit it twice and it's $2,500
Get 21 Three in a row, $ 10,000
But, if a couple busts on anyone hand.
They only receive $ 200 for any 21's.
Or 10 times the dollar value of the cards on the boards
Now where have I seen that endgame? :roll: ;)
coughCatch21cough
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Here's a pretty good bump. To celebrate 10,000 likes, Wink has posted one of the last regular contestant episode of Whew! with Tom Kennedy. Enjoy and congrats Wink!!
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Original airdate: October 31, 1979. The show didn't air on November 1, per what Tom said, referring to November Magazine on CBS. Part of the final civilian episode (featuring what's likely the last successful solo Gauntlet win), OAD: November 2, 1979 is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYlkT8GCYI).
It's great to see this in full, complete with slate and contestant plugs.
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AFAIK, that's now only the second master episode of Whew! that has been available on YouTube, and the first since Randy Amasia's $25,000 win finally saw the light of day a couple of years ago.
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Original airdate: October 31, 1979. The show didn't air on November 1, per what Tom said, referring to November Magazine on CBS. Part of the final civilian episode (featuring what's likely the last successful solo Gauntlet win), OAD: November 2, 1979 is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYlkT8GCYI).
It's great to see this in full, complete with slate and contestant plugs.
Steve Leblang was indeed the last contestant to win the $25,000 in the Gauntlet before the show switched to the celebrity format.
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In tribute to the late Jim Perry, Wink has posted 5 episodes of $ale Of The Century with the slate and fee plugs. These are syndicated episodes 30-34. There is another note about these episodes, but I won't spoil it for you. Enjoy!! RIP Jim Perry.
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Wink posted a bit of this last year, but now here's the full 2006 pilot of All New Catch Phrase, with Todd Newton.
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Wink recently uploaded the third pilot for the Reg Grundy show Keynotes from 1986, which did not sell in the US (it did in the UK and Australia). Kevin O'Connell from Go was host and Marc Summers was announcer.
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Wink uploaded another pilot to YouTube. This time, it's the third pilot for Star Words from 1983, which was in the running to replace Child's Play but lost to Press Your Luck. Pilot #1 previously aired on Buzzr's "Lost & Found."
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Here's something I've wanted to see for a while, one of the 1978 Spell Binders pilots, hosted by Bill Anderson.
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Here's something I've wanted to see for a while, one of the 1978 Spell Binders pilots, hosted by Bill Anderson.
Being as big a country music fan as I am, it seemed weird seeing Bill hosting a show. He was such a great guest, but I ouodnt have dreamed of him being a host!
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Being as big a country music fan as I am, it seemed weird seeing Bill hosting a show.
In that case, I suggest you look up The Better Sex (ABC, 1977-78) and Fandango (TNN, 1983-89).
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Wink recently uploaded the third pilot for the Reg Grundy show Keynotes from 1986, which did not sell in the US (it did in the UK and Australia). Kevin O'Connell from Go was host and Marc Summers was announcer.
After viewing this pilot on YouTube a couple weeks ago, I think Keynotes should have sold to CBS here in the states, it would have gotten a decent run here in the US.
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Wink uploaded another pilot to YouTube. This time, it's the third pilot for Star Words from 1983, which was in the running to replace Child's Play but lost to Press Your Luck. Pilot #1 previously aired on Buzzr's "Lost & Found."
After seeing both pilots of Star Words on YouTube, I knew CBS made the right choice in selecting Press Your Luck to succeed Child's Play in the fall of 1983.
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Tomorrow at 3:00 PM Pacific Time (6:00 PM Eastern, 5:00 PM Central), Wink will host a livestream on his Facebook page. To warm viewers up, here's the pilot for the show he hosted after Tic Tac Dough in 1985, Headline Chasers.
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OMG - they are playing TTD on Facebook Live - no words just awesome
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Kudos to Wink and John Ricci Jr. for putting this livestream on. There were plenty of laughs and it's great to see Wink back hosting. Also, John did an impeccable job recreating the graphics to emulate the look and feel of the show from 40 years ago.
There are three different games on Wink's Facebook page. Check them out if you can.
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I thought Star Words was okay—think Password meets Tattletales—but had all the earmarks of a 13-weeker along the lines of Blackout. Nipsey Russell did have some nice hosting chops.
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Nipsey Russell was a great panelist but horrible host. Way too loud and lost when it comes to hosting.
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Star Words was a decent show i like simple word game shows. It's like Password/Match Game mixed in with tattletales. I see why they went with Press Your Luck.
Once Nipsey tone it down he was a pretty good host. Its a shame none of his pilots he hosted never picked up i think he would made a good host.
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He hosted the 13-weeker Your Number's Up (NBC, 1985) and in spite of his "no indoor voice," he did rather well.
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I love the less-than-subtle shout-out to NATPE in the first headline of the Headline Chasers pilot. That's the name of the trade show where local stations get acquainted with the new syndicated offerings. They might as well have had Wink get down on his knees and say, "Pleeeeeease buy this show!"
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This morning, Wink posted the studio master to episode #17 of the short-lived Bill Cullen-hosted game Pass the Buck, which preceded Price in 1978.
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Wink has a subscriber challenge for the first time in a while. If his YouTube channel surpasses 8,000 subscribers, he will post two studio masters of Whew! from 1979. One is A-131D, which likely aired on October 30, 1979. The other is A-133D, which is likely the civilian finale from November 2, 1979. For the latter, Steve Leblang's gauntlet run (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYlkT8GCYI) has been on YouTube for years now. Wink previously uploaded A-132D (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPudRBp2K7E), which aired on Halloween, 1979, so it'd be nice to have this trifecta.
(https://scontent.fbed1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42611786_2401474360079676_6858811524715118592_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&oh=8fac6bb34a0284519f2ee71f72c5c43e&oe=5C53B519)
(https://scontent.fbed1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42681081_2401474406746338_8371184206738358272_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&oh=34796e84b5fbb050ec121e48de833edf&oe=5C1F8039)
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There's an update to the 8,000 YouTube subscriber challenge. In addition to the two regular episodes of Whew!, Wink will also upload the third pilot episode, taped on December 4, 1978. This will be a treat for many game show fans.
(https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42864435_2403661953194250_3013369047946362880_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&oh=9e883e7cd41c74465cd59c157b6c4837&oe=5C20A61F)
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Regarding the Card Sharks pilot...it's certainly better than what ended up airing in 2001, but there are some issues.
First, the positives: The set, while smaller, looks better than the one used on the series. There is some symmetry and balance to it, and it has a Las Vegas/casino feel to it.
Pat Bullard, while known for being one of the worst hosts we've ever seen, is tolerable here. He isn't terribly hammy or sleazy, and he did not use his infamous "because I'm a nice guy!" when he explained how a contestant could change the first card on each line in the Money Cards. He also moved the game along reasonably well. However, he was a bit cocky in the pitchfilm that followed the pilot.
It was neat to hear Burton Richardson announce. I wish we heard more of him in the pilot.
I liked how they tried to use a variety of card games (blackjack and acey-deucey/high-low), rather than just sticking with acey-deucey/high-low for the entire show. This adds some variety and gives some strategy in each of the show's acts. The final round of the main game has the classic format of Card Sharks, even if they use the pre-taped segments to determine the control of the cards.
The shark mascot was interesting-especially when they used it to munch on the lost cards in the second round.
Now, here are the downsides:
The theme song started with a Jaws-esque tension, before transitioning to the main theme. However, the main theme sounds very generic, in my opinion. I had hoped for something more Vegas-like.
The whole game feels like Candid Camera or Street Smarts featuring Card Sharks. Maybe they felt having the survey, audience poll, or educated guess questions would have made the game drag or feel too tedious, but these pre-taped segments don't engender much in the way of contestant interaction, and they take away attention from the main game.
It was interesting to have the contestants change their cards once after every draw, rather than the initial one. Making the game more like true blackjack would have given the contestants the chance to employ much more thought and strategy-contestants would be more apt to pass cards to their opponent if they felt they were at risk of busting.
While the version that made it to air had the fatal flaw of having a contestant win by doing nothing-their opponent made the wrong call on the last card and lost, this version at least tries to avoid that in the second round by making control of the cards dependent on guessing the outcome of a pre-taped segment, and each line of cards is worth increasing amounts of money, giving contestants ample opportunities to build up their score.
The Money Cards have problems. Instead of securing the contestant's main game winnings, the show divides them into the rows, which are arranged in a three-level pyramid. There exists the possibility of a contestant losing it all on the Major Wager by wagering everything and making the wrong call, leaving an unsatisfying conclusion for the show. Maybe the uneven amount of cards was used to help the budget or make it easier for contestants to reach the final level, but there wasn't anything wrong with have to turn over three cards on the first two lines before they have to make their final bet.
Overall, this had potential. Perhaps reinstating the survey/audience poll/educated guess questions, or making the questions more like those on High Rollers or Gambit-true or false/yes or no/multiple choice would have made for a more solid game, and it would have opened up interaction with the contestants more. Also, securing the contestant's main game winnings and restructure the Money Cards so the champion does not end the show with nothing would have been desirable. Everything else was pretty fine for what they were going for.
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I still prefer the classic version of card sharks
The set here is nice and i like the sharks logo i think that's pretty cool.
The video questions made the show as someone else pointed out feel like street smarts and candid camera. A few video out come questions would be fine i prefer the "We surveyed 100 people questions" and the Audience polls.
Burton Richardson is a good touch
But other then that this is still a crappy format it still ranks up there with Match Game 98 and Temptation. I still don't understand why they messed up the format but the European/Australian formats are still intact.
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And the hits keep coming...
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Wink has a treat for us this Thanksgiving:
MG2 from 1996, with Charlene Tilton:
TriBond from 2002, with Cram's Graham Elwood for Game Show Network:
Card Sharks from 1996, with Tom Green (the sportscaster):
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A trifecta of terrible.
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Regarding the 1996 CS pilot, I have one pro and one con:
Pro: I like the transparent card suit shapes on the stage. They are a blue hue, as is much of the rest of the set.
Con: The board that holds the cards in the main game is just way too small and simple. Whereas the Perry and Eubanks versions had a casino style to them, there is nothing to see here. Literally, all that has to be done is to find a board and put some shelves on it.
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Tribond is decent, but I can see why it didn't sell.
i thought Match Game '98 and Card Sharks 2001 were bad, but MG2 and CS 1996 made them look like The Price is Right. All-American TV and Pearson really do know how to trash Goodson's game shows (excluding Price and Family Feud)
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All-American TV and Pearson really do know how to trash Goodson's game shows (excluding Price and Family Feud)
Including Family Feud, if you ever saw the Anderson years.
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Including Family Feud, if you ever saw the Anderson years.
I didn't mind Louie Anderson IMO. I thought he was alright.
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It's more than Match Game...it's Match Game 2! The host is annoyingly flamboyant, the set is just too cramped, and there are only five celebrities instead of six!
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Louie nearly ruined the Feud. He was so bored and depressed it was pathetic. MadTV even made sketches about it.
Tribond is the only one of the three which was watchable, even though Graham Elwood was not good. Charlene Tilton is one of the worst hosts I have ever seen. Dare I say it Patrick Wayne looks like Bob Barker compared to her.
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Louie nearly ruined the Feud. He was so bored and depressed it was pathetic. MadTV even made sketches about it.
Hell, even disregarding Louie altogether for a moment, that era still sucked because of the inane "most points after round 4 wins" format. If one team was too far ahead, the game could end immediately following the single strike in round 4 (itself a mistake) if there weren't enough points on the board for the trailing team to win following the steal.
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Louie wasn't bad on Feud his very early episodes he was a little awkward. Atleast Louie version had an proper into family intros and good Game Play and a Theme! Today everyone wants to say something sexual or crazy to get an reaction from Steve Harvey and to be on youtube.
MG2 The set looks like its from a public access talk show. I never heard of the panelist no name plates for them? Having the celebrities answer before the contestants took the fun and banter away. The forced fun made the show look extra cheesy.
CS pilot. I watched the first segment i am glad they kept the toss up questions and the format sucked as well. The women announcing the into voice was annoying. Why doesn't the host turn the cards?
Tribond i could really get into its a decent show. Graham is a good host when he tones it down i always pictured him a better Late Night host then Game show host.
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And more should be on the way here soon...
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I had never seen Whew! before, but I think I've found a new favorite show.
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Atlanta's WVEU (now CW's WUPA) was the Channel of Love here as they cleared Pyramid when our CBS affiliate passed on it. It aired on delay at 4 in the afternoon so I saw the return after I got home from work.
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I admit, I haven't seen an episode of Scrabble, until now! Thanks for sharing.
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This is a treat. It's a copy of the studio master for the premiere of the 1989 version of Now You See It.
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I thought it was strange that they didn't have the lights dancing around in the rings at the end of the episode. I couldn't tell if there were any changes to the format. I must say that it was neat that they used one of the insides of the rings to show people at home the prizes that some of the departing contestants would receive.
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Hell, even disregarding Louie altogether for a moment, that era still sucked because of the inane "most points after round 4 wins" format. If one team was too far ahead, the game could end immediately following the single strike in round 4 (itself a mistake) if there weren't enough points on the board for the trailing team to win following the steal.
Not only that, but I’ve seen a few episodes of that version in which a family could literally force a win by giving a nonsensical answer because there weren’t enough points on the board for the other team to steal.
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A TPIR clip of Charles playing Lucky 7 has been put up. It features something that a few contestants have done at the end.
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Here's a copy of the master tape for the premiere of The $100,000 Pyramid from 1985.
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Funny...I just watched this less than an hour ago...and I didn't even know it was a new video!
Such fantastic quality, and I'm glad Dick Clark stuck around. He was always a brilliant host.
Thanks for sharing!
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Not a video clip, but Wink has posted the .mp3 file of the theme to Blackout here (https://clyp.it/c/blackout). This is a treat to hear in the clear and in full.
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Here's a The New Shop Til You Drop episode from 1997 from Wink.
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In honor of Halloween, Wink posted the studio master of episode #30 of The $25,000 Pyramid, which originally aired on October 29, 1982.
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Interesting faux pa from Dick in the interviews, he says to Chris "You've won yourself $750 today", reflecting the actual taping schedule with multiple episodes shot at once. I'd be curious if anyone caught it in the truck and woulda edited it later since this is a studio master. Likely not though but could be wrong.
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Just checked my GSN copy of this episode, and that same goof is left in on their airing of it.
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Just checked my GSN copy of this episode, and that same goof is left in on their airing of it.
Guess it did go unchecked, course back then a lot less was edited out, but interesting nonetheless that it stayed. Thanks for the timely response, I figured I'd just be left to wonder with it not on YT otherwise best I could tell, so that was a pleasant surprise. :)
What makes the whole thing funnier too incidentally, is that just before that comment he mentioned remembering Chris's job from "yesterday". I could see some viewers unaware of how the taping schedule worked relative to airdates, being a little perplexed after those statements back to back.
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And, more Pyramid...
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Wink has posted an episode of Greed in honor of its 20th anniversary. Enjoy!
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More Pyramid...
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I wonder if he'll pull out a Cullen Pyramid show at some point. He hasn't posted one of those yet has he?
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I wonder if he'll pull out a Cullen Pyramid show at some point. He hasn't posted one of those yet has he?
Not yet, no.
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Not yet, no.
Yeah I took a peek actually after I said that. I hope some does show up eventually, it's a pretty underrepresented show in the online circles as far as streaming goes.
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an episode of Dawson Feud (from '77) and a bonus clip with a familiar family (from Feud's past)
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an episode of Dawson Feud (from '77) and a bonus clip with a familiar family (from Feud's past)
Neat to see a rare time where the winning family doesn't return next show due to unforeseen circumstances AND a family from the pilot returning too. Did anyone catch incidentally...that Richard made an error in FM? He didn't get back to the weed question that was passed in 1st half. I couldn't tell how much time was left based on the timecode blocking things (only thing I hate about timecoded shows and clips, they obscure some of what's on screen and in a show like this important stuff at that), but looked like there was at least a few seconds left. I would imagine if FM was that close, they mighta given the $5k out after the fact if it was discovered.
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Don't know if he could swing a deal with WGBH and show at least one 1970s ZOOM game segment.
Highly unlikely he/his site would, but it's an idea.
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Going to bump this to bring you a rare 1978 High Rollers pilot that Wink has posted:
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Whew! is coming to Wink's channel.
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- Here it is, the full Whew! pilot! :D
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The Unsinkable Maggie Brown strikes again. Hope she's doing well today.
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Given how rampant he was in those days, surprised they didn't book Jack Campion for it.
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That pilot was an interesting watch to say the least......between the different music that really didn't fit the show.....the complete lack of it at ALL for the Gauntlet run, and more than even those things Tom Kennedy's SUPER HIGH enthusiam to the point of SEVERE overkill during the entire show, it was a bit of a tough watch for me personally. And I say that as someone who respects Tom and his work a lot. But this was really not good IMO. I'm glad the kinks got worked out on all levels before it made air. Wouldn't have lasted even as long as it did I don't think otherwise.
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I actually like the Whew! concept for its "Guess the Blooper" aspect. It made the show hilarious, I think. It deserved a longer run, for sure.
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I actually like the Whew! concept for its "Guess the Blooper" aspect. It made the show hilarious, I think. It deserved a longer run, for sure.
I think the big problem is that the pace is so frenetic, you can't really enjoy the humor in the bloopers most of the time. And it's really hard to play along i think. I enjoy the show, but I can see why it did not last particularly long.
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I think the big problem is that the pace is so frenetic, you can't really enjoy the humor in the bloopers most of the time.
That's what Tom Kennedy himself said in his recent interview he did. It was a show that was funny...but with no time to really absorb the funny. Would need to be tweaked/changed somehow for it to work so that that could shine as intended. Was too serious a format for its' own good.
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Here's the pilot version of Scattergories from the UK that's much different than the version that aired in the US in 1993.
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Here's the pilot for Initial Reaction, an unsold game show from 1975. Enjoy!
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Here's a real treat: the second pilot for the Eubanks version of Card Sharks, from 1985. Interestingly, this was taped several months before the series' premiere, which aired in January 1986.
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Wink's Trivial Pursuit pilot is now up. :D
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Wink has posted the never-before seen pilot to the NBC game show Hot Potato. Enjoy!
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The theme music was somewhat catchy! I loved that they used the "Play the percentages" game win & bonus round win theme, and I also noticed that they didn't play the 'short dinging' sound until after the 2nd or 3rd correct answer was given! I also noticed that the border surrounding the team names would flash when a team initially got control of a question.
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Here's a Jumble:
Hey RatRace10, there's something for you at 4:45 :P
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How mind-boggling that we missed this! :oldlol:
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Rhis was posted in light of Fred Willard's passing
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I just watched the What the Blank! pilot and my thoughts are: Fred has the chops to be a good host for Match Game. He knows when to crack a joke and keep the celebrities in check. Also, he has good fun with the contestants and celebrities. Randy West does a great job announcing, as always.
However, the execution of this version seemed like they were going for a parody of Match Game, rather than letting Match Game be Match Game. Probably the most cringeworthy things for me were the inner monologues of Fred and the celebrities, which were distracting, and the fact that we couldn't really keep score of the main game, relying on Randy West's announcing (which was done very well).
It was neat for to have the celebrities write on video writers, kind of anticipating modern tablets, but it seemed like they were put in for the sake of appearing modern.
Many of the questions foreshadowed the Monitor Match questions the current version with Alec Baldwin features, but the jokes were drawn out too much and I was left waiting for the questions to see what could be good answers to them.
Having a photo accompany the Super Match was an interesting touch, but two of the three top answers could have been given without needing the photo, so what was the point of it, to get another laugh in? This also goes for the head-to-head match.
Of note, kudos to the pilot for having good payouts: $25,000 for matching the top answer in the Super Match and then matching the celebrity head-to-head, rather than just $5,000 for the 1998 version of Match Game. In another bit of foreshadowing, the payouts for this pilot carried over to the current version of the show with Alec Baldwin.
Finally, it seemed the pacing was way too slow to fit as many jokes in as possible. Some of the funniest moments in Match Game came from the deliberations of answers, rather than the reveals. It's a shame that most of the deliberations were edited out or so short. The jokes during the reveals made the game move along slowly.
Overall, there were lots of issues with this, but it was better executed than MG2 with Charlene Tilton.
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The pilot was okay, This probably could of worked with some tweaks. I felt like they tried to hard to make this show feel modern and edgy.
The panel was bland, Anna Nicole was ditzy and Martin Mull was out of place and Zachary looked annoyed.
Fred worked well with what he had. I think the right panel and format he would of been a great host.
The show moved way too slow, the one question took forever to finish and between Fred bantering with the celebrities and the inner thoughts.
The inner thoughts part was cringy and unfunny.
The set was nice i would of done something different with the contestants area, scoreboard and celebrity name plates were needed.
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Wink uploaded a pilot of Match Game from 2008.
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Blech. That was painful.
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What the _____ indeed!
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I can see why George Lopez’s late night talk show Lopez Tonight was picked up over this flaming piece of diapers, had it been picked up it wouldn't have lasted a year or even six months.
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P.U! The bonus round was awful and that retro 1973 set is ug-a-lee nowadays. At least it was slightly better than the '98 version.
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P.U! The bonus round was awful and that retro 1973 set is ug-a-lee nowadays. At least it was slightly better than the '98 version.
I imagine they used it because they had it from when they did the Game Show Marathon 2 years before. Woulda made sense from a cost perspective. Why build a new set from scratch when you could use one you already had in storage?
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I imagine they used it because they had it from when they did the Game Show Marathon 2 years before. Woulda made sense from a cost perspective. Why build a new set from scratch when you could use one you already had in storage?
That thought most certainly crossed my mind. It's just weird how "off" that older set looked to me, though.
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That thought most certainly crossed my mind. It's just weird how "off" that older set looked to me, though.
Maybe the lighting and such adds a bit too? Like it looks different than its' counterpart from that maybe. Incidentally though, John Ricci Jr, who worked on the pilot and was responsible for working the cue cards for Andy, said in a comment it actually WASN'T that set which was a scaled-down model. They actually rebuilt it from scratch using the 70's blueprints that they still had. They wanted to use the 70's Marks-A-Lot markers as well, but they no longer existed by this time. I do have to give them credit for doing this, can't have been a simple task.
He also noted that most everyone who worked on this and had game show experience, wanted the old Super Match format and had the board ready to go if this one didn't work out well in execution (unfortunately it did though just enough in the two pilots, the other one is on YT as well incidentally, with the intro cut though). But Robert Smigel thought it was more about the comedy than the game, so they kept it.
I think it mighta made series had he listened to the others, the rest was actually pretty good I thought, overly vulgar aspects aside. The vibe was pretty 70's with Andy and the panel's chemistry, and his hosting style in general, even if he maybe tried a tad too hard in spots to be like Gene Rayburn was. But that end game ruined it, way too much like Family Feud to where it felt out of place and it took incredibly long. Literally from when the main game ends to the end of the show, it's a good 7 minutes, or almost 1/3 of the entire show.
No good, likely explains some of the editing to keep the show to time as well. Change for the sake of change like that usually doesn't work well (see: The Joker's Wild 1990). If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Even the short-lived Match Game 90 and 98 reboots, didn't mess with the Super Match despite changing other things. Hell even the failed MG 2 and What the Blank pilots used it, and in the former they had a radically different format for literally EVERYTHING else. When they all used it....there's probably a reason lol.
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All I can say is...meh. Props to the set designers for being ridiculously accurate in duplicating the 70s set, especially the stucco wall behind the contestants. Andy wasn't that bad, but I think he tried to channel Gene Rayburn a bit too often. The bleeped answers and censored words really weren't necessary; the double-entendres of old were long gone by 2008. Further, it doesn't help when a contestant or panelist says an answer but you don't know what they said because it was bleeped. If you insist on censoring, at least write the questions so that they sound clean and potentially have clean answers, but leave room for a naughty answer. Stars weren't immaculate but I don't expect them to be. The Super Match, however, oof. Extremely choppy by design. In the 70s Super Match there was usually one answer that popped into everybody's head, and two less frequent, but still common, answers. Hell, sometimes there would only be one viable answer and the celebrities gave the other two because those were the rules. The questions here were wiiiiiide open where 3 or 4 phrases could potentially be the top response. And the "changing answers" thing wasn't really helpful, especially when the contestant didn't choose either answer the star gave for the two responses she elected to tweek. And $1000 per correct answer? Pfft, this is 2008. Millionaire and Deal or No Deal had already been around for a while. At least make it $3000 per, for a $30,000 top prize. That's what MGHSH did. If they could do that 25 years earlier, you can too.
Overall I give this pilot a C+. Wasn't a bomb in my eyes but could've done better.
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Game$how Marathon's Match Game had it right. Ricki wasn't that bad there as host. It's much better to have Rich continue as an announcer for that pilot. The celebrities were fine too on the G$M special. How I've wished they were carried over to this pilot, especially Betty White.
My thoughts on the bonus game is, it's really bad. Messing up with a format that worked for over a decade was one of the flops for this "modern" revival. The innuendo here is much more than what we had on the 70s version. Plus, the celebrity panel was not good at all.
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And $1000 per correct answer? Pfft, this is 2008. Millionaire and Deal or No Deal had already been around for a while. At least make it $3000 per, for a $30,000 top prize. That's what MGHSH did. If they could do that 25 years earlier, you can too.
It was intended for daily basic cable, so I’ll give the budget a pass. Even a poor player is likely to pick up $1,000-$2,000, and your prize budget is likely $20K-$30 per week.
But yeah, the bonus round was bizarre. It’s like somebody got worried the Super Match felt like it was ripping off Family Feud, so instead they... ripped off Fast Money?
The panel has some incredibly funny people on it but the only one that made me laugh more than once was Super Dave.
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It was intended for daily basic cable, so I’ll give the budget a pass. Even a poor player is likely to pick up $1,000-$2,000, and your prize budget is likely $20K-$30 per week.
But yeah, the bonus round was bizarre. It’s like somebody got worried the Super Match felt like it was ripping off Family Feud, so instead they... ripped off Fast Money?
The panel has some incredibly funny people on it but the only one that made me laugh more than once was Super Dave.
It's almost as if someone didn't realize where Feud even came from isn't it? lol
As to the panelists, Super Dave was good. I wonder if he got along with Norm though, the one shot at the end he tossed his way seemed a bit mean even for this show, wasn't followed up on either. Norm incidentally in the other pilot had a good line at the open, where he referenced his yellow jacket being from the Dandy Don Meredith collection. I thought that was quite funny, if dated, a fact Andy was quick to point out in his response back to him I'd add.
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The panel has some incredibly funny people on it but the only one that made me laugh more than once was Super Dave.
Really? I thought Super Dave was the least funniest one there. But then again, I've never been a Super Dave fan. Always kinds wondered if his real name was Noah... Noah Talent. :-D
Just goes to show ya... different strokes, etc. etc. etc.
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I am not really a fan of the Retro set and music. It just feels so outdated.
Andy wasn't too bad as a host.Sometimes he tried to channel Gene Rayburn. He's a way better host then Alec Baldwin.
The Bonus Game felt like fast money on Family Feud.
This is one of the better pilots. I think this show could of worked if TBS picked it up and did some tweaking.
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ABC's got the perfect modern set for a MG revival. It's cozy yet familiar, with the vibe of the 70s set. But on this pilot, it's surely wayyyy outdated.
As I've said, they could've got a better panel of celebrities there. Match Game '73's pilot had the right formula right from the very first minute!
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This isn't premiering till tomorrow....but it caught my attention tonight so thought I might share it now. The super rare but oft talked about in these circles Combination Lock pilot is coming.
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And here it is.
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Pity the funding for the show didn't come through. I certainly would have watched this every day. Marc Summers did an excellent hosting job.
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Pity the funding for the show didn't come through. I certainly would have watched this every day. Marc Summers did an excellent hosting job.
It was interesting, if maybe a bit understated in presentation I felt like. Personally to that end, without spoiling it if anyone viewing hasn't seen it yet, I thought Marc coulda played up the end game a bit more than he did, giving it a little more energy. Maybe it woulda been different once it sold though, could maybe see that.
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That was unbearably boring.
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That was unbearably boring.
I have to agree. Honestly, it's not as good as I thought it was going to be.
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That was unbearably boring.
Agree. The game play had little variety and the high money amounts in the last two rounds made the previous rounds irrelevant, especially if they went unclaimed. At least Marc Summers did a great job.
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Agree. The game play had little variety and the high money amounts in the last two rounds made the previous rounds irrelevant, especially if they went unclaimed. At least Marc Summers did a great job.
As I spoke of, I thought his energy was a little flat, especially for the end, but he did keep the game moving well. Mighta again done better once it went to air vs. this pilot which apparently was meant as a presentation more than anything that was moved last minute to Wheel's stage apparently per John Ricci Jr.
Gameplay wise, and I floated this concept in a comment on the video too, I think a speed round to close the main game coulda really benefited it. It wouldn't have been too hard either I don't think to pull off. The way I'd see it working is, you present the three categories as normal, but instead of having 3 numbers to position, you only have 1 with the other 2 already in place. That last number would then be listed alongside 2 others similar to the setup for the other rounds, and the first team to buzz in and pick the correct 1 of the 3 would get the cash value, whatever it'd have been set at.
You'd do as many of these quick fire games as you could till either time ran out if it was timed, or till a signal was heard to indicate the game was over. I am sorta thinking it mighta worked best in the latter format given the time it'd take to reveal each one, but either way I think it'd really add a lot to the game, allowing for lots of drama as it came to a finish.
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My main issue with the format is that it's extremely repetitive--even the bonus round used the same format as every round of the main game, except an extra option was added to go for the jackpot. Also, the bonus round was about as exciting as Safe Crackers is on TPiR. Nothing against Safe Crackers, but playing for $185,000 should be more exciting than Safe Crackers. That said, I do think there's an underlying format here that could work, but it would need some refinement to get there.
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My main issue with the format is that it's extremely repetitive--even the bonus round used the same format as every round of the main game, except an extra option was added to go for the jackpot. Also, the bonus round was about as exciting as Safe Crackers is on TPiR. Nothing against Safe Crackers, but playing for $185,000 should be more exciting than Safe Crackers. That said, I do think there's an underlying format here that could work, but it would need some refinement to get there.
Kinda piggybacking off my speed round idea I spoke of earlier....what if they had added a wrong number every couple rounds or so? Like you could start with just the 3 numbers of the combination to warm the teams up, then after a few rounds of that, add one extra number, and then eventually a second one, making things just a bit more interesting and challenging. I think actually, if they did that...maybe say doing 2 rounds of each type, working the same way they did them here (or 6 rounds total), and then finishing with the rapid fire ending, I think you'd have a really solid format.
Then with the bonus game....not so sure about that. I'm thinking maybe some type of timed thing where each correct combination offered xxx number of dollars, with perhaps an option at the end of it to take that or risk it for one 4 digit combination for the jackpot. Not sure what would work best for the first half of it though.
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So going off what I posted just then.....I think I got a format worked out fully in my head, including the end game. The ideal to me, based on budget and overall gameplay I think would go like this.
Main Game:
Round's 1 and 2: Cash Value: $500; 3 numbers in play
Round's 3 and 4: Cash Value: $1,000; 4 numbers in play
Round's 5 and 6: Cash Value: $2,000; 5 numbers in play
Speed Round: Cash Value: $4,000; 2 numbers given, 3 in play
Bonus Round (Part 1): 1:30 to get 7 combinations @ $500 each, w/Main Game winnings doubled if you get 7; 4 numbers in play, up to 2 given, can pass on any
Bonus Round (Part 2): 4 combination lock for jackpot, risking entire winnings up to that point if played for.
Thoughts everyone? I think it's fairly solid. Only aspect I am slightly unsure on is the working of the bonus game given the way the questions are structured. I think I came up with something that accounts for it though pretty well. I thought of going 10, but not sure how feasible that'd be exactly. 7 seems a bit more reachable to me.
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I just don’t see how such a limited format could have worked on a daily basis. Admittedly, I still don’t understand the appeal of people picking random suitcases either, so that’s on me. But as a quiz type show, the nature of the questions would be so limiting when stretched out 5x per week over a season...let alone more.
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In a first (for the thread, and possibly overall), we have a post from Wink and his folks on Vimeo (as a tribute to Carl Reiner) Not a valid vimeo URL , an upload of "Those Wonderful TV Game Shows" from NBC
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In a first (for the thread, and possibly overall), we have a post from Wink and his folks on Vimeo (as a tribute to Carl Reiner) Not a valid vimeo URL , an upload of "Those Wonderful TV Game Shows" from NBC
Quite a rare gem, and a great way to salute Carl Reiner, RIP.
On the special itself, it's interesting both The Price is Right and Password (even in the tribute to Allen Ludden) were not represented at all here. I thought maybe that was because it was meant to focus on NBC shows more strictly as part of why (syndicated stuff notwithstanding), but Password Plus was aired on NBC, as was the original Price in the 50's and early 60's. So I don't quite get the omissions in that way. Even Press Your Luck got a clip or two (Peter Tomarken being part of the production team perhaps is why), and to not show any of Ludden's Password work at all is rather strange, given he was most associated with that for much for his hosting career, let alone meeting Betty while doing it.
It's also notable to go back to Price, that none of Bill Cullen's work was featured here either. That's a really glaring omission as well, and like Allen, he did several NBC shows/was doing Hot Potato at the time of this one I would think, depending on when it aired. So it's not like they didn't have stuff in their vault to feature from him.
The only thing I can think of as I type this that would make any of this make sense, given Family Feud wasn't shown either in any form outside of the SNL skit with Bill Murray, is that Mark Goodson declined to have his shows be a part of this. Why that'd be I don't know (and in saying that I realize also that Match Game in either the 60's or 70's/80's was not shown here, adding fuel to that school of thought), but I can't imagine any other reason why so many big shows and for that matter notable hosts between Bill, Gene Rayburn and Richard Dawson, would be left off this. He woulda had to have been why.
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It's also notable to go back to Price, that none of Bill Cullen's work was featured here either. That's a really glaring omission as well, and like Allen, did several NBC shows/was doing Hot Potato at the time of this one I would think, depending on when it aired.
It aired February 27, 1984 (an OC copy of it turned up on YouTube a few years ago, I believe), so Hot Potato may not have yet begun taping when this was being put together.
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It aired February 27, 1984 (an OC copy of it turned up on YouTube a few years ago, I believe), so Hot Potato may not have yet begun taping when this was being put together.
Possibly not, and thanks for that clarification, with Pop and Rocker Game featured and spoke of as still being on the air, I figured it was likely to be somewhere closer to the beginning of the year vs. the end of it, but wouldn't have been able to say for sure on that.
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Here's a treat: a 1974(?) episode of Masquerade Party. Enjoy!
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Fresh out of the vault: the 1974 pilot for the NBC would-be game show Money Words.
I can see why this didn't make it to air. The gameplay was far too slow, especially during the reign of Lin Bolen, and in an era where Price, a much more fast-paced show, was already on the air for a year-and-a-half. Not only that but the technology was outdated too. While the set was very colorful and one that I would prefer, there were hardly any eggcrates and Price and Jokers Wild among other shows were making great use of them for a while before then. Conversely, Mike Darrow did a fair job as host, keeping the game moving as much as he could. The bonus round surprisingly foreshadowed Wheel of Fortune, I liked it.
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Money Words one day, Pot O' Gold the next...
Enjoy!
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And the pilot for Banko!
I think it's great that this was unedited. Gives a small glimpse of the raw episode before the tape reaches the editing room. Especially where Wink was running through the play-at-home plug beforehand, that was pretty awesome.
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Banko is just as boring as Money Words. Too slow and tedious.
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Banko was god-awful.
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This exists, apparently.
The 1986 pilot to Second Guess, with host Alex Trebek, uploaded in honor of Alex's 80th birthday.
Not that bad of a pilot imo. Alex did an absolutely fantastic job. Really liked the idea of second guessing your spouse, whether to trust their instinct or not. The board layout and the idea of trying to get more than your opponent overall was cool, it kept the emphasis on the bigger prizes but they took more time to earn. So there was this sort of trade-off, do you want the smaller prizes immediately or the bigger prizes later? Bonus round was pretty sweet, with the urge to quit getting bigger and bigger as the game progressed. Set wasn't bad, you can't go wrong with gold.
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This exists, apparently.
The 1986 pilot to Second Guess, with host Alex Trebek, uploaded in honor of Alex's 80th birthday.
Not that bad of a pilot imo. Alex did an absolutely fantastic job. Really liked the idea of second guessing your spouse, whether to trust their instinct or not. The board layout and the idea of trying to get more than your opponent overall was cool, it kept the emphasis on the bigger prizes but they took more time to earn. So there was this sort of trade-off, do you want the smaller prizes immediately or the bigger prizes later? Bonus round was pretty sweet, with the urge to quit getting bigger and bigger as the game progressed. Set wasn't bad, you can't go wrong with gold.
Just watching this, and while I think the main game format is solid.........I think number one, going by overall totals made the game more complex than it needed to be. A best 2 out of 3 rounds format woulda worked fine IMO, the best and longest lasting shows are the simplest. And two, there shoulda been more risked attached to a second guess. I would have set it up where a second guess given correctly was worth 3 spins, but gave the opponents 2 if wrong, as opposed to the usual 2 spins or 1. This woulda added intrigue in situations like in Round 2, where one team got the first two prizes, leaving the other to have to catch-up. Could also do just 1 spin for the second guess vs. 2 if you wanted to ensure a team didn't throw an answer to get 3 spins. That might make more sense come to think of it. Either way, 2 and 1 all the way through seemed a bit off to me.
I think with those tweaks the main game (haven't gotten to bonus yet) woulda been perfect.
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I totally agree with PriceFan18. But to me, the total of the winning team should've flashed at the end of the main game, but if you ask me, the only tweak the bonus round should've had was that none of the 2 cash awards ($100 and $1000) should've been given out at the beginning. Other than that, it's an interesting game. I do like the design of the set. It looks like a combination of To Tell The Truth (Alex Trebek) and $ale Of The Century.
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I totally agree with PriceFan18. But to me, the total of the winning team should've flashed at the end of the main game, but if you ask me, the only tweak the bonus round should've had was that none of the 2 cash awards ($100 and $1000) should've been given out at the beginning. Other than that, it's an interesting game. I do like the design of the set. It looks like a combination of To Tell The Truth (Alex Trebek) and $ale Of The Century.
Actually come to think of it....now that you say that....if they really wanted to do the highest total prizes thing....what they should have done then is when a team captured a prize, the value of it would then be revealed on the spot and shown on the team's scoreboard immediately. This way throughout the game, you'd have a running set of totals for the teams to base decisions off of. If you still wanted to do the rounds format you still could, but the way I'd do it then is..you play till a times up sound, vs. say 2 rounds strictly. You could do the first 2 normally as seen there, and then if there was time for a 3rd....do it to the end of the game. I think that'd make the format as given much more intriguing and less of a crapshoot.
Also as a sidenote....kinda interesting how the questions format was done sorta like Split Second, although without more than one choice to be given as an answer course.
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Not hard to see why it did not go to series.
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Another pilot is up, this one being a pre-Finders Keepers Wesley Eure show from 1981 called Pot Of Gold (the same title as the Art James-hosted show). The show's rules are similar to the Gambling Debt segment of Debt. Geoff Edwards is one of the producers of this pilot.
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This was taped on the day of Allen Ludden's funeral as it turns out. Wesley Eure referenced what that day was like in a Facebook post back on 2012, and can see part of what he said in the comment section. Ironic too because between the dings, buzzer and chimes the show used, Password Plus used them as well (the chimes only briefly though in the first week when a team got a puzzle, although come to think of it wasn't it a times up signal at the end of shows too?).
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I find the rules more similar to TTD's Auction format though, since each team can only bid once and if the first team misses, the second team must come up with a correct answer. The "Help" call is an interesting strategy and probably my favorite feature of this show, but the gameplay otherwise is so-so, and definitely inferior to Second Guess. Still its great to see all these "could of been" shows popping up, and imagine if some of Moneywords concepts were used on Wheel of Fortune or especially Scrabble.
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Wink has uploaded a pilot of Slingo, based on the 90's PC game, with Michael Burger hosting and Randy West announcing.
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Yuck.
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Besides Lingo, has there been any game show based around bingo that worked well? Nothing comes to mind, or at least nothing with notable longetivity.
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Wink has posted another tribute to Tom Kennedy, this time with Carol Burnett in Star*Play, with Rod Roddy announcing. Too bad it didn't get greenlit, as it seems like a suitable successor to Body Language, mixed with rebus-type phonetics.
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Wink has posted another tribute to Tom Kennedy, this time with Carol Burnett in Star*Play, with Rod Roddy announcing. Too bad it didn't get greenlit, as it seems like a suitable successor to Body Language, mixed with rebus-type phonetics.
It looks like a combination of Body Language and You Don't Say! Pity it didn't sell.
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it was a good show, even though it never made it to air. I thought it was fun to watch.
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Premiering tomorrow:
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After seeing a bit of this on VH-1's Game Show Moments Gone Bananas over a decade ago, and eight years since the opening surfaced on YouTube, here's the full second pilot of 1975's Showoffs, with Larry Blyden as host. This would be the last production Blyden hosted before his untimely death not long after taping a series of pilots for this. Bobby Van was picked to be the replacement host when the show went to series on ABC.
Of all the charades formats attempted by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, this pilot's format has the best execution and the least flaws. It could work reasonably well today as an hourlong primetime show with the right host and celebrity mix, in my opinion.
Enjoy!
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The Winker never ceases to amaze! He was on Password Plus opposite Gene Rayburn in 1981.
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Rare pilot of Puzzle Roulette, with Jim Lange, from 1987. Enjoy!
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What the heck was that
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What the heck was that
Catchphrase but even lamer.
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Painful
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Here's another treat coming soon. It looks like we'll finally see the full 1990 Scrabble pilot with Steve Edwards. Wink posted a highlight reel (https://youtu.be/7Xt_Vbn3QCY) of the first Crossword game and Bonus Sprint several years ago, so it's going to be cool to see how the full game was played.
(https://scontent-bos3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/140435485_251981086293484_2349026862912967190_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=2&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=WJgPTmTI-zYAX97-wTl&_nc_ht=scontent-bos3-1.xx&oh=78d3bfb4cb3b8471b926491524517361&oe=602BD0BA)
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I'm looking forward to seeing the 1990 Scrabble pilot in full.
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Here's the full 1990 Scrabble pilot, complete with a special introduction from Steve Edwards, the host.
This was pitched for syndication, and it's not a bad follow-up to the NBC series. Perhaps the Bonus Sprint payouts could have been higher (such as $10,000 to start with $1,000 added to the prize for each loss), and the chyron tiles could have been visible throughout the game for a better play-along factor, in absence of the physical tiles. Finally, perhaps with enough time, Steve would have been more comfortable as a host and improved.
As an aside, I wish the payouts in the pilot carried over to the eventual revival in 1993 (notably, the handling of the bonus squares money and starting the Bonus Sprint jackpot at a much higher amount, either $5,000 or $10,000).
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Rare pilot of Puzzle Roulette, with Jim Lange, from 1987. Enjoy!
The format was just Wheel of Fortune dressed as a casino-themed Catch Phrase. Jim was as usual a great emcee, but for 1987 standards it seems to be outdated even at that time.
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Surprised this wasn’t mentioned. Wink is teasing about posting the Deal or No Deal pilot that was supposed to be aired on ABC in 2004.
https://www.facebook.com/100044447828970/posts/256743612483898/?d=n
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Here's a gem. From 2008, it's a pilot that was filmed in Paris, France, American Know-it-All. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, this was another attempt to bring a 1980s format, Run for the Money (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DOFm22cMMM) (which airs as Questions Pour un Champion in France, and previously as Going for Gold in the UK), to the United States. Overall, I liked this a lot, and it's a shame it didn't sell, as it had great play-along factor, NPH was a great host, and the show could be tailored to be an hour-long, as was the case with this pilot, or cut down to 30 minutes for daily syndication.
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it's a pilot that was filmed in Paris, France
Why was it filmed in Paris?
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Why was it filmed in Paris?
My guess? It was filmed on the France set, since they had a version going already. Woulda been akin to GSN's Lingo doing its' first season in the Netherlands on their set, before moving stateside.
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My guess? It was filmed on the France set, since they had a version going already. Woulda been akin to GSN's Lingo doing its' first season in the Netherlands on their set, before moving stateside.
The first season of That's The Question was also held in Holland, before moving to Los Angeles for its second season, we never got to find out the production codes for the first season of TTQ as it was taken out of the airing rotation before the PDF schedules were first published. Same applies with the first season of Lingo.
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Split Second '90 pilot with Rob Weller just went up
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I loved how they tried to return to the breakneck pace of the ABC version by having the answers revealed first, then the contestants raced towards the buzzers, interrupting Rob if they thought they knew the answer. Also, the Countdown Round reverted to 3-4-5 for the number of correct answers needed to win for the first, second, and third place players, respectively, just like that older version of the show.
I will say the weak spot was the bonus round. Those trips look great, and they were pretty valuable for the time, but turning the bonus round into a shell game with a one-in-three chance of winning was not as exciting as trying to start one of five cars in the ABC era, or picking from five screens in the 1986 version. In an interesting way, this bonus round is like the "Memory Buster" questions of the ABC era, but reworked. Still, seeing five cars on stage and champions try to start one them was more exciting, especially if the champion managed to retire undefeated and choose one of the five cars they wanted.
If only the gameplay from this version was in the 1986 version, maybe that could have lasted another season. Also, if this pilot had sold, maybe there would have been another attempt to revive this show in the 1990s or 2000s.
Rob Weller did a fine job moving the game along. He wasn't the quick reader and joker like Tom Kennedy was, but he was much better suited as a host for this game than Monty Hall was in 1986.
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Wow. That was bad.
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Wink comes through again!
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Wow. That was bad.
I didn't think so.
But I was thinking about how long it must take to set up and take down the stunts, and how long it took to tape one show. The length of time involved must have made it as rough an experience for the audience as the last stunt was for the final two contestants.
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Wink comes through again!
It’s remarkable how they went from this assault on the eyes to Classic Concentration in a short span. I don’t mind mixing up the match element, though themed games might help. But yikes, that set and logo were something else. Orson may have been a fun panelist, but not a smooth host here.
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Coincidentally, New Coke was on the market at the time that pilot was taped. Even though there was no huge public backlash, I'd imagine that fiasco may have played a role into its rebranding.
That second puzzle is a classic example of a certain symbol making the solution tricky (I thought it represented water or ice). Still, to have mismatches that includes one that may be found on the Playboy channel as well as an unexpected visitor that contradicts what's in the Bible provide some great laughs.
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Wink comes through again!
That set which looked liked moving eyeballs always kinda freaked me out. The logo on top of it looks like a unibrow.
There are some people, like Orson Bean, that make better panelist than game show hosts. Henry Polic II, Pat Harrington and Richard Kline also come to mind. Very few people can pull it off the double duty like Richard Dawson, Vicki Lawrence or Bill Cullen.
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There are some people, like Orson Bean, that make better panelist than game show hosts. Henry Polic II, Pat Harrington and Richard Kline also come to mind. Very few people can pull it off the double duty like Richard Dawson, Vicki Lawrence or Bill Cullen.
Could add Bert Convy to that list too, even if some weren't always fond of him on Super Password.
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Could add Bert Convy to that list too, even if some weren't always fond of him on Super Password.
My problem with Bert on Super Password was that his hosting style was not quite suited for that show. He came off as a little too chatty. I wished he had swapped places with Tom Kennedy on Body Language. He would have been a perfect host for Hollywood Squares, though.
Bobby Van was also excellent as a panelist and a host. A tragic shame that his death from a brain tumor cut him off just as he was getting his footing.
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My problem with Bert on Super Password was that his hosting style was not quite suited for that show. He came off as a little too chatty. I wished he had swapped places with Tom Kennedy on Body Language. He would have been a perfect host for Hollywood Squares, though.
That's how I'd classify Orson as a host too funny enough. At least in those pilots. On a celebrity driven game maybe he'd do better ala Bert? But depends.
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Orson would've been a hit for Family Feud, especially given how several people act like their celebrities or a bigger deal than they actually are.
I actually enjoyed Bert on Super Password, probably because I enjoyed his work overall. However I agree that him and Tom swapping would have been perfect. Really if you think about it, Mark could have sorta kept things the way they were. He kind of traded Kennedy for Bert in a way. Just keep Bert in the 4:00 timeslot with the then new gameshow and have Tom return to his role within the Password franchise as he did so well with Plus. I don't know if Body Language lasts longer with Convy at the helm; I think it would have as he was quite good IMO for Win Lose or Draw.
I usually give folks like Bean and Convy a pass but it's really about the nature of what gameshow they're working as well as the "supporting cast". Man, I would have loved to see him run Hollywood Squares!
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Ralph Edwards is spinning in his grave as we speak. Seriously, I couldn't get past the intro to this. Consider yourself warned.
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Ralph Edwards is spinning in his grave as we speak. Seriously, I couldn't get past the intro to this. Consider yourself warned.
In general, I’m not a fan of Truth or Consequences, but I could tell this was going to be crap 10 seconds in. With the exception of Greed and 5th Grader, among a few others, FOX churns out the worst game shows.
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In general, I’m not a fan of Truth or Consequences, but I could tell this was going to be crap 10 seconds in. With the exception of Greed and 5th Grader, among a few others, FOX churns out the worst game shows.
This feels like another version of Fear Factor from the opening (which WTF? yeah let's DROWN people to make them eligible for our game, that's a SUPER great idea, total turnoff as soon as I saw it.......), which given it was made 2003/2004 or at about the height of that show's popularity, that makes sense.
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This feels like another version of Fear Factor from the opening (which WTF? yeah let's DROWN people to make them eligible for our game, that's a SUPER great idea, total turnoff as soon as I saw it.......), which given it was made 2003/2004 or at about the height of that show's popularity, that makes sense.
You would have thought that maybe Fox learned it's lesson from The Chamber the year before... or maybe they did, which is why the pilot wasn't green lit.
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This makes The Chamber look less deadly.
Whoever was in charge of creating game shows at FOX must’ve been sadistic.
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Wink does it again!
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and now, probably a cleanser after the Truth or Consequences pilot, here's a pilot run of the 1990 Pat Finn version of The Joker's Wild... with an arguably less creepy Joker
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Not only far less creepy, but a far better set, and, in my opinion, a better format.
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And we have a trailer of ABC’s Deal or No Deal pilot.
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Not only far less creepy, but a far better set, and, in my opinion, a better format.
Meh on TJW on the 90s when the review includes it and in versions that occurred from 1972-1986. I probably might consider ranking it over the early 70s version but the one that ran along with TTD is/was too good that I can’t rank the Pat Finn version over Barry (and Cullen). There were some aspects from Finn that make a great argument for being better than the original. The set was pretty neat though! Similar to every other gameshow, I would have to factor in one’s era and the particular decade.
Just my opinion, but while I loved the “original” version, I did enjoy the newer one. Unlike (1990s) TTD; speaking of which, recently I’ve settled with the analogy of TTD : Jeopardy :: TJW : WOF. Seemed like there was more care, respect, and strategy with TTD whereas TJW was more luck-based
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That cheap awful single sliding lever on Joker’s Wild was really bad. And I found the format even more convoluted than the eventual aired version. Pat was fine with what he had to work with, which wasn’t much.
And the less said about that Deal or No Deal clip the better.
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That cheap awful single sliding lever on Joker’s Wild was really bad. And I found the format even more convoluted than the eventual aired version. Pat was fine with what he had to work with, which wasn’t much.
I actually liked it. Was a pretty exciting format IMO. I woulda offered some extra game cash for the Joker's Jackpot though vs. punish a contestant for going for it that way (and perhaps added a stake as well, wherein if they missed any of the 5, they lost control of the slots to the 2nd place contestant (or in Round 2, just lost control in general), and also found a way to offer anyone who got passed a spin, the chance to take what was on the board (at a fixed rate time wise), or spin again. Woulda added a little bit of strategy to things there, especially at game's end, with just $10 on the board and the eventual winner only needing $10 to win the game. If he had the option, surely he'd have taken the $10 vs spin again and allow a shot for his opponent to pull closer on a miss, since you couldn't get any lower than that.
Other than those two things though (and the addition of a devil in bonus round just for tension), I thought it was solid.
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Honestly that feels even more convoluted. As it was, it was way more complex than it
Needed to be and missed the entire concept of a slot machine: matching things being worth more.
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If I remember right was there an Jokers Wild where they had the topics on the wheels hosted by Pat Finn?
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If I remember right was there an Jokers Wild where they had the topics on the wheels hosted by Pat Finn?
Yes there was, in 2nd format. Still using definitions but with categories all the same.
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As you could tell, the clock during non-Joker rounds was pretty much pointless since nobody successfully completed a category before time expired (although it happened with the Joker in the series with the limit reduced to 15 seconds). I found Opponents Choice a nice compromise to the passed spin windows, although I wouldn't have minded the Devil to have appeared instead on the front game as the "lose a turn" reel, especially for round 2.
That said, I prefer this bonus round to the greenlit version, with a different letter for each word (and no annoying "First definition..."), as well as a $5000 cash prize that beats the lowly $500 one, with a car a great grand prize for getting all three Jokers.
Since TJW '90 was my first version of the franchise growing up, I actually enjoyed this. Thanks again Wink!
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Here's the Trivial Pursuit pilot from 1993. It's also Randy West's first game show announcing gig.
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While it's not part of Wink's vault, the pilot for It Had To Be You, whch turned into He Said, She Said, which then turned into Tattletales, is now on YouTube.
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I'd honestly say like Monopoly, the pilot for Trivial Pursuit was better than the actual series. To create multiple wedges for Daily Double-style Bonus Questions, a speedround that provides exciting finishes, as well as returning champs, and a set with a floor that resembles the actual gameboard, its too bad this show is just a footnoote in Wink's as well as being almost better known for Family Channel interactive games and Playbreaks. I like the tension in the bonus round where the clock tone gradually gets more dramatic as time counts down, and of course if this went to national syndication, we'd get the budget we have here instead of those cheap $100 Bonus Questions. This show was being pitched as early as 1987, and the only thing I would have added were to have different categories in each round like the series did, as well as the penalty for a blank guess be half of the value of the question, with the exception of the Bonus Questions.
It Had To Be You plays pretty similarly to He Said She Said, but I would have liked a buzzer system, and also feel that its unfair to the couple who gave the word to be penalized as much as the couple who guesses incorrectly just because they may have rung in a bit too slow. There's still the mini-cat fights though which helped to make Tattletales a fun watch.
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Tomorrow at 2pm Wink will be posting ABC’s pilot or Deal or No Deal.
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Yikes. That was cringeworthy.
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I did like the preliminary game.
Patrick Kielty was an odd choice for host. He was just bland imo, no click with the models or contestants. They should of went with a comedian to host the show.
I see why ABC passed on this. The Nbc version was better.
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Wink has been teasing this on Facebook for a while.
Whew! is coming to Buzzr in September.
https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/70s-game-show-whew-to-air-on-retro-network-buzzr.html?utm_campaign=vulture&utm_medium=s1&utm_source=tw&fbclid=IwAR3CyYoeGDJxogYcBq4am3LOdOY_TFwTECWao3hXT-Yr2PH_NmIcepJczC0
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Wink has been teasing this on Facebook for a while.
Whew! is coming to Buzzr in September.
https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/70s-game-show-whew-to-air-on-retro-network-buzzr.html?utm_campaign=vulture&utm_medium=s1&utm_source=tw&fbclid=IwAR3CyYoeGDJxogYcBq4am3LOdOY_TFwTECWao3hXT-Yr2PH_NmIcepJczC0
I've been recording this on my IPTV app on my nVidia Shield every day with IPTV Extreme Pro. (I subscribe to an IPTV service called Eternal TV. It's not exactly legal.) Eagerly awaiting for them to air Randy's two episodes. I think Randy, Carrie Fedura, and Steve LeBlang were the best contestants the show ever had.
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Today, Wink uploaded Merv Griffin's Buzzword pilot from 1986. This was pitched to NBC Daytime, but it didn't sell. However, the theme music to this pilot was later used on Wheel of Fortune for prizes, such as new cars in the bonus round, until the mid 1990s. An updated version of this music was used as the theme for Merv Griffin's Crosswords in 2007.
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Oof that was rough
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Wink has just posted the second pilot of Big Spenders from 1974, hosted by Pat Harrington. Imagine if the team that later gave us Press Your Luck tried their take at TPIR, with a game that's a weird revival of the Cullen Era mixed with some added strategy regarding a bankroll along with a "hot potato" element of not being the first to go over the ARP, along with a bonus round that's similar to Most Expensive.
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I think I was among the firrst to see this pilot and somehow Pat Harrington sounds like a combo of or something in between the voice of Joe Garagiola and Bill Rafferty.
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That was also painful
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I think I was among the firrst to see this pilot and somehow Pat Harrington sounds like a combo of or something in between the voice of Joe Garagiola and Bill Rafferty.
I felt like Pat reminded me of someone, too, but this isn't it. The best I can come up with is Monty Hall crossed with a sleazy used car salesman, but I still feel like he's trying to come off as someone else and I can't quite put my finger on it.
To his credit, Pat's energy seemed to be the only thing keeping such a dated (even for then) and dull format afloat.
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To celebrate Jay Wolpert's life, Wink uploaded this unsold pilot Pie in the Sky, which Jay produced. Bob Goen hosts, while Rod Roddy announces. You'll notice the questions asked are written like the bloopers on Whew!
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here's the pilot to Play the Percentages (with Geoff Edwards) that just finished premiering prior to me posting this link
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Bob Hilton 1990 LMAD pilot
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wanted to share this yesterday, but the site was down all day...
anyway, here's a Safecrackers game that had nothing to do with TPIR
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Yikes. Rough stuff.
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Bob Hilton 1990 LMAD pilot
Wow. I never saw the Hilton LMaD but that pilot sure is a trip and I’m stunned it made it to air. It had “bad idea” written all over it.
I knew it was going to be something when the models were dancing on stage before Bob came out, then Bob came out to a litany of family friendly Disney characters including Roger Rabbit(?!), then everyone continued to dance behind him. It was an assault on the senses. Then it continues as the announcer just screams his way through the program and the models just seem way too hyper.
Bob seemed affable enough and not the least of the problems of the pilot. If the pilot represented the series at all, I’m sure Bob was a scapegoat when ratings were in the tank and I can see why not even bringing Hall back saved the show.
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another thing to note: same level of visual punnery as modern-day Wayne Brady LMAD (imo)
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(posted after editing period has passed) another one is about to happen: (watch party/premiere in 8 minutes or so from when i post this)
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Theme music from “Safecrackers” sounds mighty familiar...during the late 70s/early 80s, it was the theme from KPHO-TV's late-night umbrella title “Movietime”. Before that, fellow local station KTVK (then ABC) used it in an evening news promo.
Anyone know the title and/or composer?
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Strike A Match is the better of the last two pilots, thanks to the faster-paced gameplay as well as the interesting strategy used for the final bonus round. Given that it's a Merv Griffin production, it uses one of Wheel's prize cues as the theme, as well as the then-current style of name tags used. But by having various elements of concentration, category recall, and planning ahead as the new words appear after each question, along with a mid-show bonus round provides a lot more show than Safecrackers, which drags on two much with the celebrity questions regarding the individual word. It almost feels like a cool cousin to Split Second.
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Theme music from “Safecrackers” sounds mighty familiar...during the late 70s/early 80s, it was the theme from KPHO-TV's late-night umbrella title “Movietime”. Before that, fellow local station KTVK (then ABC) used it in an evening news promo.
Anyone know the title and/or composer?
Just in: the theme is adapted from the intro to Neil Diamond’s “Crunchy Granola Suite”.
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Bob Hilton 1990 LMAD pilot
Personally, I didn't think this pilot was that bad. The same basic elements of gameplay are there: Take the item or sure thing we're showing you, or take the unknown. Nothing I could see with the execution showed a disaster waiting to happen.
I just think that it was a bad time slot and there was just general dis-interest in the show. And while I think Bob Hilton certainly did a good job hosting, I just think that longtime viewers who might have otherwise watched just weren't going to take to anyone other than Monty Hall. For them, he was still "America's Top Trader" and "TV's Big Dealer."
Brian
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and we got another one for the month
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Wow. I never saw the Hilton LMaD but that pilot sure is a trip and I’m stunned it made it to air. It had “bad idea” written all over it.
I knew it was going to be something when the models were dancing on stage before Bob came out, then Bob came out to a litany of family friendly Disney characters including Roger Rabbit(?!), then everyone continued to dance behind him. It was an assault on the senses. Then it continues as the announcer just screams his way through the program and the models just seem way too hyper.
Bob seemed affable enough and not the least of the problems of the pilot. If the pilot represented the series at all, I’m sure Bob was a scapegoat when ratings were in the tank and I can see why not even bringing Hall back saved the show.
I agree about Dean Miuccio's performance as the announcer. He screams his way through the program, which I'd don't remember him doing during the actual series. Jay Stewart or Wendell Niles would have been rolling in their graves over Dean's style, they would have not liked it.
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I agree about Dean Miuccio's performance as the announcer. He screams his way through the program, which I'd don't remember him doing during the actual series. Jay Stewart or Wendell Niles would have been rolling in their graves over Dean's style, they would have not liked it.
I suspect that, once the series was picked up by NBC, someone had a talk with Miuccio about his skills and performance in the pilot and asked him to tone it down.
Brian
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fun fact: they used the set for extra games that wasn't for the show as televised for people in the Florida Disney/MGM park as shown here
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and despite this show's title, it's not Pyramid (heck, the description wink's team put made fun of that coincidence)
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Two more pilots Wink shared recently. First, a 1982 pilot starring Chuck Woolery and produced by Mark Maxwell-Smith from 1982 called Let's Get Personal.
Then, our old friend Bob Hilton with a 1977 pilot of The New Truth Or Consequences.
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a little over 7 years after the one with Peter Tomarken was posted, the Whammy! pilot featuring eventual-series host Todd Newton is posted (yet to have "premiered" on YT when i posted the link)
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here's another one i didn't know was a thing
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1979 pilot of Caught in the Act with Jack Clark. I liked this a lot, being fully invested in it the entire time. Seeing "a used car" as a prize was definitely a shocker as most, if not all, other game shows offered new cars. My respect for Jack Clark as a host has grown greatly after seeing this pilot.
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1979 pilot of Caught in the Act with Jack Clark. I liked this a lot, being fully invested in it the entire time. Seeing "a used car" as a prize was definitely a shocker as most, if not all, other game shows offered new cars. My respect for Jack Clark as a host has grown greatly after seeing this pilot.
Interesting about the used car prize, since it was Wink’s “High Rollers” that also offered a used car as a prize, that in the “Smilin’ Wink’s Car Lot” game.
Truth be told, I think the winner of such a prize would’ve won the cash in the amount of the average value of a good used vehicle (ie two or three years old via reputable pricing guides, good reviews (maybe per Consumer Reports), and average miles) rather than an actual used car. But that’s just my sense.
Other prizes were interesting and seem inspired by the quickie deals at the end of every “Let’s Make a Deal” episode (eg “Show me a paycheck stub and I’ll match it, up to $500!” “If you can provide me a copy of your phone bill, I’ll multiply the current balance owed tines six, meaning your bill is paid for six months!” And so on.)
Brian
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and now, something I can't even explain (the "quickie" format of the video doesn't help, mind you)
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when Dick Clark was taping this one, he asked Bob Stewart (who produced this) "Why aren't we just redoing the Pyramid?"
then it ends up we'd get "The New $25,000 Pyramid" soon after this pilot was pitched and didn't get picked up
(edited to add that in the premiere/watch party chat, Wink's account teased an uncut version of this to come later after a question about illegal clues happen in said chat)
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Very interesting word game. The front game reminds me a bit of Pass the Buck, Caught in the Act, and Talk About. The structure of the celebrities and contestants, and how they switch is very Pyramid-esque, too It was interesting to see the teams stretch their minds for what are the most obvious clues related to the subject. Overall, the front game sounds a bit wonky on paper, but it works out in practice. It's like a game of Hot Potato (not the Barry & Enright one) or musical chairs.
The bonus round is interesting in how there's an element of skill involved in leaving enough time left for the other person to guess the subjects at each monitor. The neon zeros determining the winnings also gave me Chain Reaction vibes. Also, trying to guess the subject requires some degree of ESP; you have to consider what your partner would have said in order to clear each subject. This is a much better execution of the Fast Bucks bonus round from Pass the Buck or the bonus round from Caught in the Act, as it doesn't seem arbitrary.
Overall, this wasn't bad, but could have used some work. However, I'm glad we supposedly got what's arguably the best era of Pyramid as a result of this pilot.
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Yikes.
That is a good reminder that creating something great doesn't mean you also didn't come up with duds.
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This looks like a fun game show, and the theme gives me those Chain Reaction/Super Train vibes. Too much neon usage though.
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The neon zeros determining the winnings also gave me Chain Reaction vibes.
It came across not just that, but also like The Moneymaze w/Nick Clooney-- find the one before you find any zeroes (else, you win nothing; the one determines how much you get).
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another one from the long list of shows Bob Goen hosted a pilot for that didn't get picked up (or was short lived if it did)
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another one from the long list of shows Bob Goen hosted a pilot for that didn't get picked up (or was short lived if it did)
You are mostly right here as Fast Friends was indeed picked up but not Stateside, as a look at the UK Game Shows website (http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Fast_Friends) shows that there was a short-lived adaptation from BBC One that aired in 1991.
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funnily enough, Bob Goen mentioned that in the intro on that video
and here's an episode of the UK one, as a sample
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Here's the $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime Pilot
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a couple hours after the video in the post above me, this shows up
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Wink uploaded two office run-throughs of Body Talk before it reached the pilot stage in 1990. The first one features eventual host Vicki Lawrence and was closer to the format of the pilot that Buzzr first aired about eight years ago. The second one is more interesting: A year after his version of Now You See It wrapped up, Chuck Henry hosts a run-through, with a rather truncated format compared to Vicki's.
These videos provide an insight about how a host can bring different styles to the same format and the results can be quite stark. I felt Vicki was able to cut loose and be herself more in a pretty casual game, while Chuck played it straight with more traditional game show hosting and moved things along like a good facilitator. It's like the comparison I once heard about the hosting styles of Bob Barker and Tom Kennedy on The Price is Right: One was hosting 300 people at a party, while the other was hosting 300 people at a game show.
Vicki Lawrence's run-through:
Chuck Henry's run-through:
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Suit Yourself Pilot with Jim Peck
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and now, something I can't even explain (the "quickie" format of the video doesn't help, mind you)
update to THIS post in particular, the full thing's been posted now (don't mind it being labeled as "SURPRISE!" at the time i made this post and dropped the link)
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Dear lord, what on earth was that mess?
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Oh dear.
Carnival is some unearthly mix of Let's Make a Deal, Truth or Consequences, and a bad acid trip.
Little wonder it never got picked up.
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and the LMAD comparisons carry extra weight: it was Hatos-Hall
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Here's a pilot of Fortune Hunters
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Case #1,397 on why adding celebrities to a successful game show doesn't work. Made the normally fast-paced Joker's Wild DRAG!!!:
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and you thought the Pat Finn and Snoop Dogg formats were at a snails pace...
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In fairness, none of the Barry and Enright shows were exactly fast paced.
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I can see this working better in a self-contained, once-a-week syndicated version of the show.
This format, with Jack asking the questions, seems to work better than the 1968 and 1970 pilots. The joke coming from an answer rather than being written within the question is smoother and has a better payoff. The celebrities also weren't that closely associated with their category much, unlike the previous attempts. Marty Ingles seemingly came the closest, since he starred in a dirty movie with Linda Lovelace the following year.
They did go with this format for one week in January 1974. I'm assuming the categories still changed every game since it would get old fast seeing the same five all week... even if they were associated with particular celebrities.
But like I said, this could have worked pretty well as a once-a-week show, but with some slight changes: Either go back to the regular amounts ($50-$100-$200) and play two games with two different sets of contestants, or keep it as is with just the same two contestants in the half hour... and maybe have an audience game if there's time leftover after a quick maingame. I've always liked the Jokers and Devils bonus game over the Money Wheels, especially when it contained four prizes with the last one usually being a car. Since no returning champions on the nighttime, the bonus game should have three nice prizes (Full Kitchen-Fur Coat-Luxurious Cruise) and then a mid-range car.
It could've been an interesting alternative format to the daytime show, but ultimately not needed for the show's legacy. Whether or not it would have been a ratings hit, I don't know; but it was still a fun half hour that I never found myself bored during.
This was such a treat to see, especially because I've been on a Joker's Wild kick lately. And I've always preferred the CBS run over the syndicated run. Not that I don't enjoy all versions... they all have some merit. I think this is the only episode circulating that falls between Summer 1973 and May 1974.
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In fairness, none of the Barry and Enright shows were exactly fast paced.
Really? I thought The Joker's Wild with Barry or Jim Pick hosting went pretty fast. Before the audience game was added they often got in three full games and bonus rounds in one episode. Probably a reason why they felt they could add an audience portion, there was still enough time to get about two full games in.
Now, when Bill Cullen took over for Jack THAT'S when the show's pace really slowed down.
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Well, obviously Monty was going for a new daily syndicated show with this one, which is why he ended Let's Make a Deal. Yet ANOTHER Hollywood Squares derivative!
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Case #1,397 on why adding celebrities to a successful game show doesn't work. Made the normally fast-paced Joker's Wild DRAG!!!:
What a STRANGE panel. There's some who look like they wandered onto the wrong set and got sat down so as not to ruin a take. Robert Reed was such a bizarro choice for a game show panelist because he's well known for seeing his talent as "above it all" and he definitely seems like he'd rather be somewhere else. I think the most interesting thing for me is that Pat Buttram maintained his disheveled old cowboy stchick so faithfully (see Haney, Mr.) that I was caught off guard seeing him all cleaned up with combed hair and a real suit! I will say he must have been going through it as Green Acres had only been off the air two years but he looked like he'd aged 20.
Well, obviously Monty was going for a new daily syndicated show with this one, which is why he ended Let's Make a Deal. Yet ANOTHER Hollywood Squares derivative!
Boy that got off to a strange start. Watch Pat forget to pick up his ball and you can see Jack Klugman absolutely losing his mind trying to get Pat to pick it up. As a dyed in the wool Golden Girls and Mama's Family fan, Rue McClanahan was a neat panelist to see...but I think there's a reason she didn't really do the game show circuit.
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Sure, Cullen was slower, no doubt. But by slow in general, I mean the entire flow. I get the gimmick, and hell, Joker was my childhood favorite show. But the spin, pause to decide, frequent exposition by the host, question, etc. wasn’t exactly a breakneck pace. They got a few games in on average because the winning threshold wasn’t all that high, and some games just ended ultra quickly with big spins or the triple Joker instant win. TTD and Bullseye games took longer with their gimmicks but the pace of questioning wasn’t all that much faster (especially the center box on TTD 😉).
The formula with the slightly altered packaging worked for them, and more power to them. They had nice, successful runs. I look more to a show like Jeopardy as being fast paced with typically 60 questions a show excluding final.
Turing Joker into Hollywood Squares with a slot machine certainly made it even slower, but more like a regular steady walk a leisurely stroll. It was certainly interesting to see it.
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Well, obviously Monty was going for a new daily syndicated show with this one, which is why he ended Let's Make a Deal. Yet ANOTHER Hollywood Squares derivative!
Had the show actually made it to air, would it have been re-titled “Shoot the Works”?
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Here's the other Monty Hall pilot from 1976, Talking Pictures, which, IMO, was the far better game, and far better presented as well, w/the movie marquee puzzle board, the widening windows in front of the stars, and the overall old-time movie theater setup, among other things (I also liked the format of trying to solve a movie title puzzle, and how the players got the letters [guess which star said something, and where that star was on the board]).
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While this has been circulating, here's a higher-quality version of the Fun House pilot (hosted by JD Roth)
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this showed up out of nowhere