Author Topic: April 1959 (Merv Griffin guest hosts)  (Read 12670 times)

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Offline Ccook

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April 1959 (Merv Griffin guest hosts)
« on: September 30, 2011, 11:45:55 PM »
Merv Griffin, then host of NBC's "Play Your Hunch," fills in for Bill Cullen in this installment...

Merv comes out to loud applause and tells of a bonus winner, E.D. Edwards, whose bonus was to be locked in a hotel until he completes writing 100 original poems. Mr. Edwards finished his task, and Merv shows a copy of Mr. Edwards' published works which would be sold starting the next morning in the book department at Stern's department store. 100 copies were printed and each selling for $1. Once all 100 copies are sold, Mr. Edwards will receive $1000.
 
The bargain hunters:
* - Harriet Marks, from Savannah GA, is the returning champ, having won $8649 the previous week.

* - Kenneth Campbell is a student from Buffalo N Y.

* - Joan Lewis is a dental assistant from Loma Linda CA.

* - Richard Bunting is a samesman from Pocomoke MD.

All contestants receive a year's supply of Dove soap (from Lever Bros., the evening's primary sponsor).

First item up for bids: A sailboat. The Silhouette Mk. III, imported from England. Price authority: Silhouette Marine, New York.

Mrs. Marks opens:
(*--frozen bid; last bid buzzer follows bid in bold)

- - MARKS - - - - CAMPBELL - - - - -LEWIS - - - -BUNTING - -
................1000 ............1200 ...........1250 ............1300
................2500 ............2600 .........* 2800 ..........* 1300
.............* 2801 ..........* 2825
(Of note, none of the four bidding games in this telecast had minimum bid requirements, thus Mrs. Marks pulling the $1 over the previous top bid.)

Actual retail value: $2062, with Mr. Bunting the winner. (From the beginning to around 1960, the phrase was "actual retail value.")
 
Next item: A complete modern library of 306 unabridged classic books with bookcase. price authority: Random House, New York.

Mr. Campbell opens and it's a one-bid item:

- - MARKS - - - - CAMPBELL - - - - -LEWIS - - - -BUNTING - -
....................... ............* 375 .........* 280 .............* 400
...............* 401

Actual retail value: $504.90, with Mrs. Marks the winner and she hit the bonus bell. She wins an RCA tape recorder with stereo sound and tape cartridges. The tape is played, and it's the voice of Don Pardo saying some scrambled words. Those words are displayed thusly on a board of ten flipcard displays:
1 PIRT OT SPARI
2 BUMCERCU
3 GINFORE RAC
4 BOMORED TES
5 THO TRAWE GAB
6 GILVIN MORO TES
7 ROLOC VT TES
8 HOES CALE
9 A DOUTHNAS RALDOLS
10 RUF TOCA
Mrs. Marks makes three selections, and the word unscrambled tells the bonus prizes she wins. She selects 9, 5 and 3. No. 9 unscrambled is A THOUSAND DOLLARS. Number 5 unscrambled is HOT WATER BAG (one of the three gag prizes). Number 5 is FOREIGN CAR. (The others: 1 - TRIP TO PARIS, 2 - CUCUMBER, 4 - BEDROOM SET, 6 - LIVING ROOM SET, 7 - COLOR TV SET, 8 - SHOE LACE, and 10 - FUR COAT.)

The winner of the gift showcase is announced. The items and their prices:
Rambler station wagon - $2993.50
Polaroid Camera Kit - $136.95
Puritron - $39.95
Humidor - $79.50
First Flight Golf Clubs - $275
Ring - $1100
Rambler sedan - $2699.50

Total price of the showcase: $7324.40. Three people sent in postcards with the exact price. In accordance with the rules, a bid-off was held and the three submitted telegrams with their bid for one of the items in the showcase, namely the ring. All three overbid. They were then to send in bids for the humidor. The closest bid without going over and the winner of the showcase is Mrs. B. W. Goss from Bryson City, N C.

Next item: A complete home laundry with washer and dryer and a cabinet ironer. Comes with a wood and plexiglass wall unit. Price authorities: Montgomery Ward, Chicago IL; and Engler Millwork, Jersey City.

Mrs. Lewis starts:

- - MARKS - - - - CAMPBELL - - - - -LEWIS - - - -BUNTING - -
................. ................ ..................300 ...............400
.............500 ..............600 ..............700 ...............900
...........1000 ...........* 600 ..........* 1001 ..........* 1200
.........* 1000

Actual retail value: $999.77 with Mr, Campbell the winner. And he hit the bonus bell.
He wins sheets, linens, pillow cases, towels and blankets from Sterns, and The Price Is Right will pony up for his home cleaning bills for a year.
(Ouchie...Mrs. Marks was over by a mere 23 cents.)

Final item: A cruise for a family of four to England on the S.S. United States. The cruise sets sail on April 14, 1960 and returns May 10, 1960. Price authority: U.S. Lines Co., New York. Bidding on the cruise at its luxury package price.

Mr. Bunting starts with the opening asked to be at least $1000:

- - MARKS - - - - CAMPBELL - - - - -LEWIS - - - -BUNTING - -
..................... ..................... ................. ..............1000
................1500 .............1600 ..........1700 ..............1900
................2000 .............2050 ..........5900 ...........* 1900
.............* 6100 ..........* 2050 .......* 6200 ...........* 1900
.............* 6225

(Mrs. Marks and Mrs. Lewis seemed to be a bit frazzled as twice they tried to make bids below a higher number, which you can't do unless it's the first go-round of bidding in a game and in which case it is automatically frozen. Of note, the audience went up in gales of applause when Mr. Campbell froze at $2050.)

Actual retail value: $5196, with Mr. Campbell the winner.

Final totals:
- - MARKS - - - - CAMPBELL - - - - -LEWIS - - - -BUNTING - -
...............3563 ..............8390 ......................0 ................2062

Mr. Campbell wins the championship and will return to defend next week. Mrs. Marks leaves with a two-week total of $12,202. Mrs. Lewis receives a 17-inch RCA black-and-white portable TV.

Before signing off, Merv tells us that Bill Cullen returns from vacation next week.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2011, 11:51:50 PM by Ccook »
"No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately."
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Offline themarkpike

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Re: April 1959 (Merv Griffin guest hosts)
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2012, 11:55:01 PM »
My grandmother is Harriet Marks. She is 86 and I just read this out loud to her and she is thrilled. We also just found footage on YouTube of the previous weeks show! How were you able to recap this episode? Do you have footage of it? Thanks so much for bringing her this joy. Not many people believe her these days when she says she was on the show with Merv Griffin in 1959.

Offline Ccook

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Re: April 1959 (Merv Griffin guest hosts)
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2012, 09:37:04 AM »
I have the episode on tape (also transferred to video). If you'd like a copy for your grandmother, PM me with an address to send it.
"No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately."
--Michel de Montaigne