Author Topic: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...  (Read 7518 times)

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Offline Wayoshi

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S5x... the show's stabilized into something decent now, I guess...

Offline ooboh

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2023, 02:00:51 PM »
Wonder if this is cleanup of the old studio? Hit Me as well?

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/props/-hit-me-card-game-from-the-price-is-right-cbs-tv-1972-1980-/a/7318-89807.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115

On a semi-unrelated note, what I wouldn’t give to have the old Jeopardy! lecterns in my house.

Back on topic, I wonder if there are any old set pieces involving eggcrate displays that will be up for auction.

Offline MSTieScott

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2023, 02:05:25 PM »
The Hit Me listing is odd. The description says those playing cards depicted in the photo are fixed to the sign for display. Which seems like it would lessen the value of the set piece, but also, those aren't the authentic cards. Not only are the dimensions wrong, but the depicted cards are too rounded, and the design on the backs wasn't printed that close to the edge.

I know for a fact that when the producers gave away that Hit Me piece, they gave away the full deck of cards (because if I had known they were going to do that, I would have asked for the cards). Did the auction company scan the cards, print out six new ones at different dimensions, and attach them to the board -- perhaps intending to auction off the real deck at some future date? It's strange.

This isn't a clearing out of Television City, as that Hit Me piece was taken off the lot in 2008. Which makes me now wonder whether Poker Game and Joker will be showing up in the near future.
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Offline MSTieScott

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2023, 02:08:52 PM »
Oh, wait a minute... did they stick the Joker cards on the Hit Me board? I bet that's what that is.

Back on topic, I wonder if there are any old set pieces involving eggcrate displays that will be up for auction.

Unlikely. Before set pieces are discarded, any functioning electronic displays are removed so Television City can use them again. It's the reason I could never steal the Check-Out calculator even though I really really wanted to.
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Offline plinkostick1

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2023, 08:01:09 PM »

Offline PatrickRox80

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2023, 08:14:09 PM »
So all this time we thought it was mysteriously destroyed. No surprise, given the gaslighting that Mike Richards was capable of.

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2023, 08:19:36 PM »
Makes one wonder what other past props weren't actually destroyed.  Nonetheless, it's nice to see the sign again (even within an auction)
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Offline sayingsorry

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2023, 09:33:52 PM »
So all this time we thought it was mysteriously destroyed. No surprise, given the gaslighting that Mike Richards was capable of.

Since this post screams I hate Mike, what gaslighting did he do to make you think it was mysteriously destroyed and not given away?


Offline gamesurf

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2023, 12:24:17 AM »
Since this post screams I hate Mike, what gaslighting did he do to make you think it was mysteriously destroyed and not given away?

According to Rich DiPirro and Bente, the sign existed in the warehouse when Rich D. was developing his Plinko reveal, and was removed from the warehouse before he could implement it. We know this wasn't the only time Rich D. had differences with Mike over directing & staging (Rat Race) and we know that Rich D. left the show midseason seemingly against his wishes. Not too difficult to connect those dots.

Rich D. believed at the time that it was destroyed from a "second-hand source". Obviously, all these years later, we now know that the source was wrong and the sign was not destroyed and instead given away, but the notion wasn't exactly something somebody baselessly pulled out of their butt either.

First, Guint asked "does the old sign still exist".  The answer is, sadly, no.

In my plan for the Plinko opening, the original sign did play a part in the new reveal of the game.  In fact, I asked Bente if it was still around and if so where.  I was told that, at that time, it did exist in our storage warehouse.  I asked her to pull it from storage and bring it down to the stage so we could look at it, see what shape it was in, and if we could clean her up so I could demonstrate my new idea to the producers.

To my surprise, I was told that when "management" found out I wanted the sign, it was ordered to be destoryed to "make room in the storage area".  With that, the Plinko sign was reportedly trashed.  This is second hand information, but it seems the sign existed when I asked for it, but was destroyed with the knowledge I wanted to put it back on the air. 

I did ultimately implement the rest of my vision for the reveal, but without the sign.  It is what you see on the air now. 

What's the missing part?  In my re-imagining of the open, as I took the wide shot, and as the Race Drop started to fly away, the turntable would have spun.  On it would be a restored version of the original Pinko sign prop.  As it turned to camera, the blinds would have flipped from Plinko to $50,000.  To me this would have been so dramatic as the entire set would have transformed and opened up to Plinko.   During the game, behind Drew as he deposited the chips after they fell, we would have seen the sign with the Plinko logo turned back out to camera.  So that's what might have been.

This moment represented my very first, huge disappointment at the show in so many ways.  But, as a fan, most important was that a historic prop was senselessly destroyed (when it could have just as early ended up in Bob Boden's famous game show museum).

Ten Grand for the Plinko sign is too rich for my blood... anyone open to taking up a collection? We can each put in $1,000 and cut it into ten pieces!

too soon?
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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2023, 01:30:19 AM »
^ That’s from a separate source unrelated to this auction. I’d have to double CHECK but I believe they have more items they’re going to eventually list.
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Offline priceguy

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2023, 03:55:02 AM »
The stuff in this auction is unbelievable! In addition to the Price/game show stuff, there's the Carson "Tonight Show" and Letterman "Late Night" sets. Now if I could just win the lottery for once...:oldlol:

Offline CJBojangles

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Re: Apparently the Plinko sign still exists...
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2023, 08:14:40 AM »
Can anyone comment on the authenticity of these Credit Card credit cards? The rest of the items aren’t much to write home about, but if those are legit, along with a real Barker Dollar, that’s worth a hundred bucks IMO!

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/props/set-of-game-show-set-pieces-price-is-right-college-pendant-christmas-stockings-4-bob-barker-silver-dollar-and-oversize-c/a/7318-89808.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115