| Pioneers of Television: Game Shows Wednesday, July 30 at 8pm on Thirteen |
Cheesy theme music, flashing lights and hosts with smiles wider than the Grand Canyon are a given when it comes to our favorite game shows. Pioneers of Television: Game Shows highlights the genre’s early years.
Step back in time and see Merv Griffin, Monty Hall, Bob Eubanks, Phyllis Diller and other game show greats talk about the conception of show ideas and unforgettable moments onscreen.
Do you have a favorite game show, or a favorite game show moment? Have you actually competed on a game show? Did you scream and jump uncontrollably when Rod Roddy told you to “come on down?” on The Price is Right? Give Alex Trebek a question to his answer on Jeopardy? Meet your sweetheart on Love Connection? Make a deal with Monty Hall? Did you want to be, and actually become, a millionaire?
Share with us your favorite Vanna White outfits, Jeopardy categories, Richard Dawson one-liners, Hollywood Squares wrong responses and anything else that makes you hit the buzzer in the comments below.
My favorite game show? Joker’s Wild hosted by Jack Berry. My brothers and I would watch every day - pathetic, I know.
This probably doesn’t qualify as a “game show moment,” but is it possible for Alex Trebek to be a bigger snob? He has the answers on a card in front of him!
I watched Hollywood Sqaures all the time, the laughs that came from Peter Marshall and Paul Lyne were what made it work.
Wheel of Fortune has always been a favorite. I’m not sure if it’s their genes, plastic surgeons or make-up artists put Pat Sajak and Vanna White have looked pretty much the same for the past 20 years.
Thank god for game show network, because old episodes of the Match Game are sometimes the funniest thing on TV.
Some of my earliest memories are of watching Press Your Luck as soon as I got home from school.
I am not ashamed to admit that I am even smiling right now, thinking of The Match Game. Bawdy, naughty, and sophmoric, I loved it. Charles Nelson Riley, Richard Dawson and the wonderful Brett Summers. How do you top that? I don’t even remember the prizes. It was all about wit.
Have you guys seen the gameshow parody called Numberwang on BBC’s That Mitchell and Webb Look? It’s the best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjOZtWZ56lc
I was fortunate to work for Goodson/Todman and other game show producers. After viewing Mrs. Kennedy’s tour of the White House…I submitted an idea to Mark Goodson and Bob Stewart. It was to incorporate items of American History latched on to imp. dates of Americana. The contestants were to come the closest price the items were paid for ‘what back when’ to win trips, money and gifts. The Department of the Interior gave me permission to borrow these items from their museums. The segments on The Price Is Right became so popular that I had to inform the White House (President Kennedy) whenever they would be featured.
I have never met anyone who remembers “Sense or NonSense.”
It tested the five senses of various contestants; and was so interesting and so much fun. Must have been in the 1950s.
One of the game shows that I loved to watch as a child was” I’ve Got A Secret” I used to love to hear Garry Moore say ” Will the real ….please stand up”
My favorite moment was when I won on the daytime “To Tell the Truth” with Bud Collyer in the 1960s.
I remember as a child watching Strike It Rich, a daytime game show. A young girl wanted to win a bed because, as she said, her Mom had her “uncle” over frequently, and every time he came over, she was forced to sleep on the couch and her “uncle” would sleep with her mother. The punchline she added was “He isn’t really my uncle”. When said, the screen went blank - the early days of censorship!
I second the sentiment recognizing the GSN - I just wish they altered their lineup from day to day to accomodate more old shows. I’d love to watch an episode of Classic Concentration, or some other eighties show that I watched when playing hookey from school.
I’ve also been enjoying this summer’s Celebrity Family Fued and Price is Right in primetime. Though I must add that Drew Carey is not doing it for me. Bob Barker (and Rod Roddy for that matter) are sorely missed.
My favorite game show was the original Password with Alan Lunden. The New Password is fine but they can tone down the lights and the annoying music. I also enjoyed Split Second with Tom Kennedy.
I held PEGGY CASS speechless on “To Tell The Truth” and gained 2/3 of a vote from BILL CULLEN and Ms. CASS.
There is a rare 1954, and apparently only surviving half hour episode of “Sense and Nonsense” on the Internet Archive website. The IA is a non-profit internet library. Enjoy! My dad, Bob Kennedy, was the host.
Favorite game show? Double Dare, of course! I loved those physical challenges.