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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: calliaume on October 12, 2019, 03:53:49 PM

Title: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 12, 2019, 03:53:49 PM
It had to be done.  Please add your own.  This is not meant to endorse alcoholic consumption.

Take a sip if…
-   Jon says “You were right to agree/disagree.”
-   Gene looks bored.
-   Hollywood Squares is played differently than the original version.
-   A contestant on Match Game gives a really rotten answer.
-   A celebrity on Match Game gives a really rotten answer.
-   Something was bleeped on the original show.
-   Someone wears particularly 1980s fashion.

Take a gulp if…
-   Jon fails to move the game along (or one of the stars hogs the camera for more than 30 seconds).
-   You haven’t seen one of the celebrities in anything new this century (this does not apply if the celebrity died before 2000).
-   Something was bleeped for the current edition of the show that was permitted in the original.
-   Mother MacKenzie is particularly prominent.


Chug the drink if…
-   There’s a $30,000 win.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: BrandonFG on October 12, 2019, 05:11:52 PM
Sip if:
-Fred Travalena does an impersonation but it's nobody called on him
-Gene refers to something from the 70s version (mostly pertaining to the gameplay, not just someone like CNR on the panel)
-A question refers to something only relevant in 1983, and therefore you have to Google its meaning
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TLEberle on October 12, 2019, 05:56:01 PM
It had to be done.  Please add your own.  This is not meant to endorse alcoholic consumption.
Good, because playing this game regularly would visit irreversible violence upon our livers.

While there's not a whole lot to recommend in this series (golly that's damning with faint praise) it does look like everyone is trying to put together two different jigsaw puzzles and all of the pieces have been jumbled into a single box or trying to iron out the rules of a new sport during the first season without having practice games. (The fact that MGHSH probably had loads of them speaks to just how impossible it was going to be to square the circle in front of them.) I happened upon an episode of the nighttime Hollywood Squares from the late seventies where the first game went halfway without a single zinger or much of a reaction from the audience other than applause for each mark on the board. The Mother Teresa/Bo Derek question from Thursday was used as a $10,000 Pot o' Gold puzzler on Trivia Trap no more than two years later, so obviously it was worthy of inclusion in a show that was heavy on stuff you didn't know it would be worth knowing.  The HS questions I've seen have been interesting and the guests that some folks seem to loathe were at least funny if time consuming and scenery chewing. As I seem to wrap up things lots these days there were some people who got wealthy playing the game and people in the industry got work for a year, and it bailed one of the hosts out of financial stress for a bit.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Casey Buck on October 12, 2019, 06:20:30 PM
Take a gulp if…
-   Mother MacKenzie is particularly prominent.
You'll be in a stupor within 15 minutes. YEEE-HOOO!
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 12, 2019, 09:46:04 PM
As I seem to wrap up things lots these days there were some people who got wealthy playing the game and people in the industry got work for a year, and it bailed one of the hosts out of financial stress for a bit.
I forgot one:  Take a gulp if Jon does a Bowzer pose.

I don't disagree with you on this one.  There are a few "what the hell?" moments, but that wasn't uncommon on daytime games anywhere from the dawn of television to the early 2000s.

One of the challenges of this show was there were no vets for the stars to learn from (aside from Gene and Jon, and I'm not sure how much help they were).  On the 1970s versions of Squares and Match Game, there were always a few veteran celebrities - after awhile, you rarely had an episode where there was more than one celeb appearing for the first time.  On the week we just saw, by my count five celebrities had never done any type of panel show (Squares, Match Game, or anything similar) - that had to be a challenge.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: MikeK on October 12, 2019, 11:19:20 PM
1 gulp for every mention of Mr. Smith.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on October 12, 2019, 11:31:53 PM
I sat down three minutes ago with pizza in hand and turned on BUZZR.   I've already had three sips.  Thanks for that, Jon.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Sodboy13 on October 12, 2019, 11:40:21 PM
One of the challenges of this show was there were no vets for the stars to learn from (aside from Gene and Jon, and I'm not sure how much help they were).  On the 1970s versions of Squares and Match Game, there were always a few veteran celebrities - after awhile, you rarely had an episode where there was more than one celeb appearing for the first time.  On the week we just saw, by my count five celebrities had never done any type of panel show (Squares, Match Game, or anything similar) - that had to be a challenge.
Having watched the Arsenio-Travalena-etc. week in full, there was a marked difference from the Monday and Tuesday shows to Friday. You could tell how much more of the panel "got it," and everyone overall just appeared a lot more comfortable. You'd think there would have been some degree of prep for them to lessen that disparity.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: whewfan on October 13, 2019, 05:05:44 AM
As I watch more of these, I'm not sure if it's "Jon had trouble keeping the game moving" as much as it was "some celebs didn't know when to shut up" (or in the case of Arsenio and Fred, do their "schtick" when they haven't been chosen) or "some celebs mull too much over a question that really isn't that difficult to answer" (Edie McClurg). Even Gene contributed to the stalling a little, when Edie was practically doing a character monologue for one question. (He may have been doing it as a way to get her to get to the answer.)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Bryce L. on October 13, 2019, 06:12:37 AM
As I watch more of these, I'm not sure if it's "Jon had trouble keeping the game moving" as much as it was "some celebs didn't know when to shut up"
As host, isn't it Jon's job to keep the game moving, even if it means flat-out telling them "shut up" if they rambled on too long?
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 13, 2019, 07:09:15 AM
Add a half gulp if Jon starts talking like Bowzer.  Bonus sip if it's to Eddie Mekka. 
Sip every time Gene acts fake impressed when Jon says "later on I'll be hosting/handling Hollywood Squares." 
Seen a lot the second week, but a sip every time a celebrity's name plate turns on or off accidentally. 
Gulp every time Gene talks about a panelist's wardrobe.
Gulp every time Bauman talks about the show on Twitter.  Another half if he mentions that his was the only completely honest HS.  Another half if he goes back on defending the show that way by saying it didn't quite work. 
Gulp for every Liz Taylor fat joke question.  One sip per panelist who starts their response with a "Sorry Liz, but..." or "I love you Liz, but..." statement.
Gulp for every President Reagan question.  Extra sip if they get someone on the panel to do the Reagan voice.  Extra sip if it's Fred Travalena.
Sip per panelist who's only there because they were on a show on the NBC schedule. 
Sip per extra "Seat 4" type sexy actress/model on the panel.  (the first one is free as every MG panel had one.  Every one thereafter earns a sip). 
Take a sip when a Squares panelist does the polar opposite of schtick and just blurts out the answer.  Extra sip if it's Shannon Tweed or someone who had a ST attitude when this happens; you know, like, "The answer is X, go away" pretty much. 
Gulp every time the Head to Head or Audience Match answer(s) are hardcore eighties stuff.  (one ep. from week one, for instance, had Knight Rider and Flashdance as AM/H2H answers respectively) 
Gulp if Gene or Jon point out someone used to be a regular on the original MG and/or HS. 
Tap a keg if someone ever mentions Peter Marshall. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 13, 2019, 01:19:26 PM
Gulp every time Gene talks about a panelist's wardrobe.
Gene was less than subtle Friday about his disapproval of Lydia Cornell's angora sweater (I suspect she isn't happy about that choice in retrospect, either).

One thing I've noticed - since we know the taping schedule was different here than the 1970s Match Game (e.g. no dinner break with alcohol served), there's less silliness in the later in the week shows.  Does anybody know if there was a dinner break during the Saturday taping, which according to this thread ran from 3 to 9 PM?

http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,31342.135.html (http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,31342.135.html)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 13, 2019, 01:43:51 PM
Gulp for every Liz Taylor fat joke question.  One sip per panelist who starts their response with a "Sorry Liz, but..." or "I love you Liz, but..." statement.

What made those questions rather silly at that point was that Liz had lost all the weight and was looking her best again.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TimK2003 on October 13, 2019, 02:22:15 PM
A shot of Jack D. or Jim B. for each time Jon starts a HS question with, "You are a/an _________..  "
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TLEberle on October 13, 2019, 02:47:34 PM
As host, isn't it Jon's job to keep the game moving, even if it means flat-out telling them "shut up" if they rambled on too long?
While you are correct that the host is in fact the master of ceremonies being able to conduct business without coming off as rude is a skill that is developed and not just innate.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Neumms on October 13, 2019, 05:11:45 PM
Take a sip if…
-   Jon says “You were right to agree/disagree.”
-   Gene looks bored.
-   Hollywood Squares is played differently than the original version.

That’s not a drinking game, that’s binge drinking.

Worse than the stars vamping—only slightly worse than Fred Travalena vamping—is a star mulling over his serious answer to a multiple choice question. If you can’t be funny, pick one so we can all move on. Gene was as guilty as anyone. I don’t see how Bowzer could stop this. It needs to come from the producer, or the more likely solution, you edit it out.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Stackertosh on October 14, 2019, 07:03:27 AM
As I watch more of these, I'm not sure if it's "Jon had trouble keeping the game moving" as much as it was "some celebs didn't know when to shut up"
As host, isn't it Jon's job to keep the game moving, even if it means flat-out telling them "shut up" if they rambled on too long?

Peter Marshall was a pro at moving the game along on Hollywood Squares and Bob Eubanks when the contestants blabber too long on Card Sharks.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 14, 2019, 09:25:59 AM
And speaking of moving along...

Gulp if the audience starts a "How [X] is/was he/she/it?" chant without Gene necessarily encouraging it.  Half a one if Gene chastises them for it, or for not putting enough effort into it. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 14, 2019, 09:32:56 AM
Worse than the stars vamping—only slightly worse than Fred Travalena vamping—is a star mulling over his serious answer to a multiple choice question. If you can’t be funny, pick one so we can all move on. Gene was as guilty as anyone. I don’t see how Bowzer could stop this. It needs to come from the producer, or the more likely solution, you edit it out.
Merrill Heatter was quoted in Jefferson Graham's book as saying the original Squares had the same problem - "the stars were hogging the camera."  He watched two shows in a row and there were 11 questions in each show.  When he came back from a business trip, he announced to the staff they would be getting in 22 questions per show (either by moving things along or by editing) going forward.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 14, 2019, 12:40:53 PM
It had to be done.  Please add your own.  This is not meant to endorse alcoholic consumption.

Take a sip if…
-   Jon says “You were right to agree/disagree.”
-   Gene looks bored.
-   Hollywood Squares is played differently than the original version.
-   A contestant on Match Game gives a really rotten answer.
-   A celebrity on Match Game gives a really rotten answer.
-   Something was bleeped on the original show.<snip>

Have we seen any eps where Goodson/NBC did the bleeping and not Buzzr? 

Another sip if they pull the episode altogether (which supposedly is what happened to the premiere)
Sip for every Mr. T answer and/or question. 
Gulp if Charles Nelson Reilly appears on the episode, and acts more or less like his usual self when on Match Game, then much quieter when it's time for Hollywood Squares. 
Gulp when Jon uses the "Although Gene is the host of the Match Game, he has never seen any of the Hollywood Squares questions before, and I haven't seen any Match Game questions" spiel.  Probably works best for the first 1-2 weeks. 
Gulp if there's any other person or character that's the subject of a MG question, who has a distinct voice, and Gene asks someone on the panel to read the question in that voice.  Again, add a sip if it's Fred Travalena. (Just combine this with the Reagan entry eariler, I suppose)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: BrandonFG on October 14, 2019, 01:19:32 PM
Merrill Heatter was quoted in Jefferson Graham's book as saying the original Squares had the same problem - "the stars were hogging the camera."  He watched two shows in a row and there were 11 questions in each show.  When he came back from a business trip, he announced to the staff they would be getting in 22 questions per show (either by moving things along or by editing) going forward.
I wonder how much Buddy Hackett played into this? When I watched some of the nighttime episodes, his hamming it up for the camera got old quickly.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 14, 2019, 02:09:30 PM
Have we seen any eps where Goodson/NBC did the bleeping and not Buzzr? 
If memory serves, Sybil Danning gave an answer that was a little too explicit and had to be OOPSed out.  Her episodes won't run for a couple of months.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 14, 2019, 06:06:51 PM
Take a gulp when Jon talks about his childhood in Brooklyn when he gives an answer.  Or otherwise about being from New York.
Take one if he tells a Sha-Na-Na story. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 15, 2019, 10:56:19 PM
1 gulp for every mention of Mr. Smith.

Half gulp if Gene has to explain who Mr. Smith is.  Another half if he says what a nice/intelligent animal it was.

No wonder Leonard Frey appeared within 3-4 weeks of the run...it was the only place where people cared about Mr. Smith. 

Sip every time Jon or a panelist tries to answer the question using or making a joke based on the answer to the last question or so.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Trisscope on October 16, 2019, 11:06:10 PM
Take a gulp every time NBC gets referenced, whether it's a TV show that aired on it or a joke about the commissary.

/Seriously, how is it this pervasive?
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Mr. Armadillo on October 17, 2019, 12:50:48 AM
A shot of Jack D. or Jim B. for each time Jon starts a HS question with, "You are a/an _________..  "
Just don't take a shot at Jm J.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: whewfan on October 17, 2019, 05:10:51 AM
Merrill Heatter was quoted in Jefferson Graham's book as saying the original Squares had the same problem - "the stars were hogging the camera."  He watched two shows in a row and there were 11 questions in each show.  When he came back from a business trip, he announced to the staff they would be getting in 22 questions per show (either by moving things along or by editing) going forward.
I wonder how much Buddy Hackett played into this? When I watched some of the nighttime episodes, his hamming it up for the camera got old quickly.

Buddy did tend to talk out of turn a lot, and sometimes Peter did intervene and remind him that they have to keep things moving. Buddy also got in trouble for getting too many questions right. Even though the stars are never told the questions, only its subjects, Buddy did a fair amount of research and reading on the subjects because he wanted to get the answers right. He was noticeably absent during the end credits for one episode because he was talking to the producers about a question they got wrong, and insisted he was right. In any case, I don't think he made that many appearances after 1968. In Peter's book, he said that Buddy was at times irritable. One time Eva Gabor came on the show, and during a dinner break with the celebs, she brought her dog. Buddy hates dogs, and he chastised her for bringing her dog to the table. Buddy Hackett was also reportedly the only celeb Carol Burnett had on her show that Carol regretted having on, as he was very rude and difficult behind the scenes.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 17, 2019, 12:23:46 PM
Buddy also I think got himself blacklisted from Password because there are a couple night Passwords where he starts taunting the opposing team contestant and at least once I can see Allen getting very irritated or uncomfortable.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on October 17, 2019, 01:00:54 PM
Take a gulp every time NBC gets referenced, whether it's a TV show that aired on it or a joke about the commissary.

/Seriously, how is it this pervasive?

If you're asking why jokes about the commissary are pervasive, we have Johnny Carson to thank for that.  In today's fractured TV universe, it's impossible to overstate Carson's influence on popular culture. If he decided something was worth making jokes about, then everybody else did too.  Even if it was a simple workplace cafeteria that 99.99% of the country would never see.

/I once had lunch with David Ruprecht in the NBC commissary.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 17, 2019, 04:09:43 PM
Sip every time Jon refers to winnings as "Smacker(oo)s"
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on October 17, 2019, 05:06:09 PM
No wonder Leonard Frey appeared within 3-4 weeks of the run...it was the only place where people cared about Mr. Smith. 

Thank you!  I caught only the Super Match last night, for which the audience match was [BLANK] SMITH.  MISTER was the top answer, and for the life of me, all I could think of was the Jimmy Stewart movie, plus I had no idea why Leonard Frey got all excited when he hadn't been one of the three celebrities offering answers.  It all make SO much more sense now.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Neumms on October 17, 2019, 06:09:55 PM
/I once had lunch with David Ruprecht in the NBC commissary.

Just because I don’t get to bring this up as often as I’d like, I had lunch with Bob Newhart in the Paramount commissary. Game show related: Howie Mandel came up to the table and I shook his hand. I assume I’m not the cause of his OCD.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: PYLdude on October 17, 2019, 07:40:18 PM
Does 80s fashion include ugly sweater vests? If not, take one each time Jon wears one.

I've been to the ABC Lincoln Square commissary multiple times. Never actually ate there but that's where all their auditions take place.

I always trip going through the metal detector...why I don't know.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: MSTieScott on October 17, 2019, 07:41:22 PM
I caught only the Super Match last night, for which the audience match was [BLANK] SMITH.  MISTER was the top answer,

At which point I really started to wonder: How? Until two and a half weeks ago, I had no idea this television series ever existed, but in the fall of 1983, it was so at the forefront of the studio audience's mind that it was the most frequently given response. And it was a punchline that everybody understood during not just one, but multiple Match Game questions. How can a TV show be so unpopular that it was off the air in less than three months but so ubiquitous that these celebrities won't stop referencing it?
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: gamed121683 on October 17, 2019, 08:46:59 PM
Ah, Mr. Smith...The Hello, Larry of 1983 NBC. Then again, I believe all of NBC’s shows that debuted that fall failed to see the following season. The premise was lame, but I’m sure Tartikoff picked it up more for the pedigree that was behind the scenes (“They created Taxi, what could go wrong?”) or...maybe he liked talking furry characters. That might explain how we ended up with ALF three years later.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on October 18, 2019, 11:31:15 AM
I caught only the Super Match last night, for which the audience match was [BLANK] SMITH.  MISTER was the top answer,

At which point I really started to wonder: How? Until two and a half weeks ago, I had no idea this television series ever existed, but in the fall of 1983, it was so at the forefront of the studio audience's mind that it was the most frequently given response. And it was a punchline that everybody understood during not just one, but multiple Match Game questions. How can a TV show be so unpopular that it was off the air in less than three months but so ubiquitous that these celebrities won't stop referencing it?

Ryan Rinkerman posted on Facebook four examples in the fairly brief run of the series to date where the Super Match answer could be the name of a current NBC show. (The others were KNIGHT ___, REAL___ and ___ BLUES.)  Lo and behold, every single time, the top answer was, in fact, the NBC series.  Draw whatever conclusions you like.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 18, 2019, 12:09:00 PM
"We polled a recent studio audience of 100 desperate NBC programmers......."

"Mr. Smith" was a ratings clunker from the get-go.    Yanked after 13 weeks and finished 95th for the season.     And I'm pretty sure that even long after the cancellation the references continued.

What was really ironic though was that in the MG portion of the show a "Beat The Clock" question came up.    "He was so mean when he went on Beat the Clock and lost, he took a stick and beat the BLANK."   Six answer match with "host" and two answers referenced Bud Collyer but no one knew that a more recent former host was in the same room doing the announcing!
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 18, 2019, 12:38:53 PM
I caught only the Super Match last night, for which the audience match was [BLANK] SMITH.  MISTER was the top answer,

At which point I really started to wonder: How? Until two and a half weeks ago, I had no idea this television series ever existed, but in the fall of 1983, it was so at the forefront of the studio audience's mind that it was the most frequently given response. And it was a punchline that everybody understood during not just one, but multiple Match Game questions. How can a TV show be so unpopular that it was off the air in less than three months but so ubiquitous that these celebrities won't stop referencing it?

On his own page or another page?  I just went to and requested his page and saw no MG/HS posts.  Maybe he has to friend me first?

Ryan Rinkerman posted on Facebook four examples in the fairly brief run of the series to date where the Super Match answer could be the name of a current NBC show. (The others were KNIGHT ___, REAL___ and ___ BLUES.)  Lo and behold, every single time, the top answer was, in fact, the NBC series.  Draw whatever conclusions you like.

Is it on his FB or another FB page? 

EDIT: Just friended him and there is the post in question.  Yep, the REAL mashup of MG/HS was being a placeholder for Santa Barbara AND an infomercial for NBC.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: aaron sica on October 18, 2019, 01:34:12 PM
Yep, the REAL mashup of MG/HS was being a placeholder for Santa Barbara AND an infomercial for NBC.

Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me and said "Take Match Game and Hollywood Squares and tie them together for a 60-minute slot. We don't need a fancy set, just something to get us through until 'Santa Barbara' is ready."
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JakeT on October 18, 2019, 06:50:08 PM
What was really ironic though was that in the MG portion of the show a "Beat The Clock" question came up.    "He was so mean when he went on Beat the Clock and lost, he took a stick and beat the BLANK."   Six answer match with "host" and two answers referenced Bud Collyer but no one knew that a more recent former host was in the same room doing the announcing!

Is it really that ironic?  Keep in mind that Bud Collyer hosted BtC for 11 years on two different networks, both daytime and nighttime...Gene Wood only hosted for 2 years in syndication and it was likely unaired in a number of markets...

JakeT
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Adam Nedeff on October 18, 2019, 07:07:54 PM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JakeT on October 18, 2019, 07:43:18 PM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.

For me, the color scheme was just totally wonky...dark blue/yellow video wall, light blue/white celeb area and then those god-awful colors of the contestant/Super Match area...lack of continuity is putting it mildly...it's like someone said, "Remember the acid trip dream of the '68 TTTT set?  Let's come up with a combo that's even more vomit-inducing, yet modern..."

JakeT
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 18, 2019, 08:04:11 PM
Is it really that ironic?  Keep in mind that Bud Collyer hosted BtC for 11 years on two different networks, both daytime and nighttime...Gene Wood only hosted for 2 years in syndication and it was likely unaired in a number of markets...
JakeT

Well keep in mind that two of the people on stage appeared on BTC when Gene hosted it.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JakeT on October 18, 2019, 09:39:58 PM
Is it really that ironic?  Keep in mind that Bud Collyer hosted BtC for 11 years on two different networks, both daytime and nighttime...Gene Wood only hosted for 2 years in syndication and it was likely unaired in a number of markets...
JakeT

Well keep in mind that two of the people on stage appeared on BTC when Gene hosted it.

Then doesn't that lend further to the forgetability of his version?  If those who actually appeared on it didn't remember it, what is the likelihood of others to recall it?

JakeT
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 18, 2019, 09:57:38 PM
The very fact a former host of the show was on the set during that question and with the answers being given is something that I think is worth pointing out. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: PYLdude on October 18, 2019, 10:31:29 PM
The very fact a former host of the show was on the set during that question and with the answers being given is something that I think is worth pointing out. 

Who in 1983 is going to remember Gene Wood hosted any game show, much less Beat the Clock?
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JakeT on October 18, 2019, 10:36:43 PM
The very fact a former host of the show was on the set during that question and with the answers being given is something that I think is worth pointing out. 

Who in 1983 is going to remember Gene Wood hosted any game show, much less Beat the Clock?

Especially one taped in Canada and (his version) only syndicated for two years a decade before...

But it has now been pointed out...if only we could get into the Wayback machine and correct the injustice done at the time...

JakeT
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 18, 2019, 10:47:00 PM
What was really ironic though was that in the MG portion of the show a "Beat The Clock" question came up.    "He was so mean when he went on Beat the Clock and lost, he took a stick and beat the BLANK."   Six answer match with "host" and two answers referenced Bud Collyer but no one knew that a more recent former host was in the same room doing the announcing!

Is it really that ironic?  Keep in mind that Bud Collyer hosted BtC for 11 years on two different networks, both daytime and nighttime...Gene Wood only hosted for 2 years in syndication and it was likely unaired in a number of markets...

JakeT

I blame Alanis Morissette for forever warping the definition of that word...
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 18, 2019, 11:15:18 PM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.

For me, the color scheme was just totally wonky...dark blue/yellow video wall, light blue/white celeb area and then those god-awful colors of the contestant/Super Match area...lack of continuity is putting it mildly...it's like someone said, "Remember the acid trip dream of the '68 TTTT set?  Let's come up with a combo that's even more vomit-inducing, yet modern..."

JakeT

Think the contestant area(s) were once described as looking like some kid took his Legos and built them.   I'd say moreso with the Squares area, with its blocky podiums and primary colors.  Would it have helped if there were more grays as seen in what we know of the pilot's set?   Brings to mind the original HS set (gray contestants/host area, grid with a blue background), yet it might seem a bit colder.   

And while the HS panel through the magic of the TV cameras looked impressive for not really being a true grid/a tall structure, when it was just the MG panel was when its true dinky nature was exposed. 

As I assume the show was pre-empted for Thanksgiving, we are on to a new panel.  Yay, more Fred Travalena. 

Should I be impressed that my mom walked in and recognized Jon as Bowzer without his greaser look? 

Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on October 18, 2019, 11:32:21 PM
The very fact a former host of the show was on the set during that question and with the answers being given is something that I think is worth pointing out. 

Who in 1983 is going to remember Gene Wood hosted any game show, much less Beat the Clock?


I was 14 years old and even *I* knew then.   Sheesh, a simple observation sure brings out the jerk in a lot of people at this place (though with one person it's been constant for the 20 years I've had the misfortune of seeing his name at these forums).   Goodbye and good riddance to bad rubbish.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: aaron sica on October 19, 2019, 07:44:11 AM
As I assume the show was pre-empted for Thanksgiving, we are on to a new panel.  Yay, more Fred Travalena. 

In checking old newspaper archives, yes - Thanksgiving 1983's show was pre-empted for an NFL game. It did air the day after Thanksgiving - nothing was pre-empted then.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: aaron sica on October 19, 2019, 07:46:02 AM
I was 14 years old and even *I* knew then.   

At the time of MG/HS airing (I was 9), I know who he was *and* also would have gotten the Beat The Clock reference (my first recollection of that show was the Monty Hall version). Of course, you could make the case that what 9 year olds would know that...I don't think any of my friends were as into game shows as myself...:P
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 19, 2019, 01:07:06 PM
I was 14 years old and even *I* knew then.   

At the time of MG/HS airing (I was 9), I know who he was *and* also would have gotten the Beat The Clock reference (my first recollection of that show was the Monty Hall version). Of course, you could make the case that what 9 year olds would know that...I don't think any of my friends were as into game shows as myself...:P

Closest thing I knew of to BTC as a kid was Beat the Time from Sesame Street.  My earliest memories of the genre came from 1979-1980 (I was 2 going on 3).  Even so, don't recall my parents watching the Hall version (they did watch Whew! however, which was around for part of ANBTC's run of course)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TimK2003 on October 19, 2019, 01:29:36 PM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.

For me, the color scheme was just totally wonky...dark blue/yellow video wall, light blue/white celeb area and then those god-awful colors of the contestant/Super Match area...lack of continuity is putting it mildly...it's like someone said, "Remember the acid trip dream of the '68 TTTT set?  Let's come up with a combo that's even more vomit-inducing, yet modern..."

JakeT

When I see the HS contestant set, I keep thinking it was derived from a scaled-down prototype made out of Legos.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Mark McNeil on October 19, 2019, 11:42:55 PM

Ryan Rinkerman posted on Facebook four examples in the fairly brief run of the series to date where the Super Match answer could be the name of a current NBC show. (The others were KNIGHT ___, REAL___ and ___ BLUES.)  Lo and behold, every single time, the top answer was, in fact, the NBC series.  Draw whatever conclusions you like.

_____ BLUES. "Hill Street" or "Bay City"?  :)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: That Don Guy on October 20, 2019, 01:20:36 AM

Ryan Rinkerman posted on Facebook four examples in the fairly brief run of the series to date where the Super Match answer could be the name of a current NBC show. (The others were KNIGHT ___, REAL___ and ___ BLUES.)  Lo and behold, every single time, the top answer was, in fact, the NBC series.  Draw whatever conclusions you like.

_____ BLUES. "Hill Street" or "Bay City"?  :)

IIRC, one of the celebrities said "Bay City"; when it didn't show, Gene commented that it was probably still too new of a series.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Fedya on October 20, 2019, 09:05:34 AM
ST. LOUIS or MEMPHIS.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on October 21, 2019, 02:52:07 AM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.
For all the fuss we make about how cool the giant light wall is/was, it was criminally underused for what I assume they paid to build and operate it.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 21, 2019, 09:43:06 AM
Aside from the video wall, the set always seemed rather barren to me
What bothers me about the set is that there's NO continuity to it. If you found someone with no prior familiarity, and showed them a picture of the contestant area for Match Game, the contestant area for Hollywood Squares, the Super Match board, and the panel, I don't think that person would pick up that they were from the same show. It's kind of akin to the set of The Price is Right during Barker's final year, when the set was a bunch of different ideas implemented at different times, and they didn't belong together.
For all the fuss we make about how cool the giant light wall is/was, it was criminally underused for what I assume they paid to build and operate it.

I think it was used for as much as it could be used.  The opening?  Some in-game and commercial static graphics and animations?  Displaying Super Match values?  Check, check, and check.  Aside from different animations and such, can't think of much more they could have done.   Maybe display the champ's total at the end of the day?   Just variants on what they were doing already, really.

Now, another observation, and one that continues to show where Goodson's priorities really stood: despite also having the same bright, primary-or-near-primary colors, it seems like there was more effort put in the Match Game contestant area.  It looked okay to me as it was, but was probably the better of the two segments' sets, could even slide away not unlike spinning away the losing contestant in 1973-82.  Whereas the HS set just felt like it was in a partial crate, wheeled onto the set and plopped to the side. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on October 21, 2019, 01:25:57 PM
That’s my point. For all they paid for the giant wall, they could have just done static backdrops and graphics.

Even past the set not having pieces that looked like they came from the same show, the color schemes they used didn’t match at all. There’s a green and yellow set of podiums, a red, yellow and blue set of podiums, a gradient blue panel piece, nameplates with an orange border, and a shiny black floor. I’m not an interior designer, but it felt like the colors were chosen without any consideration to the theme as a whole.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 21, 2019, 02:15:03 PM
"[Mark] Goodson likes bright primary colors.  Thank God he likes green." - Jim Agazzi.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: BrandonFG on October 21, 2019, 02:29:13 PM
That’s my point. For all they paid for the giant wall, they could have just done static backdrops and graphics.

Even past the set not having pieces that looked like they came from the same show, the color schemes they used didn’t match at all. There’s a green and yellow set of podiums, a red, yellow and blue set of podiums, a gradient blue panel piece, nameplates with an orange border, and a shiny black floor. I’m not an interior designer, but it felt like the colors were chosen without any consideration to the theme as a whole.
I've been thinking this too. I'm sure it looked great in 1983, but you have a massive wall that was used for <10 of the 45 minutes of airtime, if that. I'm not counting the green and gold pattern used during the MG portion. Like you said, just have a static backdrop with that design, maybe with blue and gold to fit the color scheme. Put that on a turntable that rotates for the HS game.

The Super Match jackpot could've easily been displayed on an eggcrate tote like the 70s version.

/Dennis Roof had a much better design with Davidson's HS
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on October 21, 2019, 03:26:31 PM
That’s my point. For all they paid for the giant wall, they could have just done static backdrops and graphics.

Even past the set not having pieces that looked like they came from the same show, the color schemes they used didn’t match at all. There’s a green and yellow set of podiums, a red, yellow and blue set of podiums, a gradient blue panel piece, nameplates with an orange border, and a shiny black floor. I’m not an interior designer, but it felt like the colors were chosen without any consideration to the theme as a whole.

Yeah, it's kind of like a stage show rather than an actual TV production. 

I'd guess they felt it didn't matter when they got to HS, as you just mostly see the contestant area head-on, and the panel head-on.  But you know, Match Game...

Question: how often, on the Marshall version, did we see what was between the squares and the contestant/host area? 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Mike Tennant on October 21, 2019, 03:39:03 PM
MG and HS are comedy game shows, and as such, they should have bright, colorful sets. The dark set with the giant wall, while impressive, really belongs on a more serious show. I do still like the tier that slides in for HS. The contestant areas don't bother me, though it would probably be possible to make one suffice for both segments.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: BrandonFG on October 21, 2019, 05:01:54 PM
Question: how often, on the Marshall version, did we see what was between the squares and the contestant/host area?
I imagine never. You never even saw a wide shot of the set the way you did on subsequent versions. But, I believe that was due to staging; IIRC, the board directly faced the contestant area, as opposed to being about 90-degrees from Davidson and Bergeron.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on October 21, 2019, 06:16:48 PM
Question: how often, on the Marshall version, did we see what was between the squares and the contestant/host area?
I imagine never. You never even saw a wide shot of the set the way you did on subsequent versions. But, I believe that was due to staging; IIRC, the board directly faced the contestant area, as opposed to being about 90-degrees from Davidson and Bergeron.

There are pictures showing what it looked like (one is here), but they never showed it on the air.

https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/ (https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/)
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Neumms on October 22, 2019, 12:02:51 PM
There are pictures showing what it looked like (one is here), but they never showed it on the air.

https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/ (https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/)

Interesting panel. I assume this came between Wally Cox's death and Charley Weaver's, so in 1973 or '74. Paul Lynde was entrenched as a regular but must've been taking the week off.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: BrandonFG on October 22, 2019, 12:05:26 PM
Question: how often, on the Marshall version, did we see what was between the squares and the contestant/host area?
I imagine never. You never even saw a wide shot of the set the way you did on subsequent versions. But, I believe that was due to staging; IIRC, the board directly faced the contestant area, as opposed to being about 90-degrees from Davidson and Bergeron.

There are pictures showing what it looked like (one is here), but they never showed it on the air.

https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/ (https://eyesofageneration.com/ultra-rare-hollywood-squares-in-studio-shot-the-first-and-only-yesterday/)
My memory was off. Looks like the contestant area was 90 degrees from the big board in the Vegas season (https://news3lv.com/features/video-vault/gallery/video-vault-when-the-hollywood-squares-invaded-the-riviera#photo-3).
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: clemon79 on October 22, 2019, 01:05:06 PM
My memory was off. Looks like the contestant area was 90 degrees from the big board in the Vegas season (https://news3lv.com/features/video-vault/gallery/video-vault-when-the-hollywood-squares-invaded-the-riviera#photo-3).

Staging is gonna have to be a little different there, though, because it's being blocked as a Vegas stage show in addition to a TV taping.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TimK2003 on October 22, 2019, 02:46:27 PM
The only time I recall seeing the area between the host/contestant area and the grid was whenever they did a Storybook Squares with the stage-level entrances.

As far as MG/HS, They had static Christmas Tree graphics on the back wall around that time of year as I recall. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on November 18, 2019, 10:09:20 PM
Leave It To Beaver week exclusive: take a drink whenever someone tells one of the cast members to recite a line from the show.  When Richard Deacon gets mad at the audience booing him. 
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: TLEberle on November 18, 2019, 10:51:57 PM
Oh goody. I thought this was done. Silly me.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JohnXXVII on November 20, 2019, 01:04:22 AM
Re: MG/HS Hour, this would have been a better show with just one host. To go from the madcap energy of Gene to Jon, who's basically playing it straight and didn't really have Gene's comedic flair, back to Gene, is really jarring.

Also to have Jon on the Match Game panel every single day... they really could have used his seat for another rotating celebrity.

They also could have paid more respect to the historic format of Hollywood Squares, adding a secret square, etc.

All in all, NBC might have been better off just trying to revive Match Game with Gene in 1983. It might have worked. Here we are, 35 years later, and that's the main reason most people are watching these episodes anyway, the Match Game portion.

It's sort of sad that this was the last iteration of Gene Rayburn's Match Game; that really was his show.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Eric Paddon on November 20, 2019, 01:21:10 AM
Some type of cash jackpot for a "Secret Square" that was non-score money (much like the Cashword on Super Password) in the 2nd HSQ game might have worked.   That way there'd be some legitimate money stakes to play for in HSQ and make even the multiple-choice questions more interesting.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: JMFabiano on February 11, 2020, 10:37:38 PM
Have we seen any eps where Goodson/NBC did the bleeping and not Buzzr? 
If memory serves, Sybil Danning gave an answer that was a little too explicit and had to be OOPSed out.  Her episodes won't run for a couple of months.

Which just aired about a week ago indeed.  ("Ass" got OOPSed out)

More drinking....

...every time Gene says something was not a booable answer.

...if Jon goes to commercial saying they'll be back, you come back too.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Mr. Matté on February 11, 2020, 11:00:41 PM
More drinking....

...every time Gene says something was not a booable answer.

...if Jon goes to commercial saying they'll be back, you come back too.

If when Jon asks for the story of the champion, he plugs Meredith Vieira's current show.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Thunder on March 04, 2020, 10:29:36 PM
I had no idea who Bruce Baum was (or is), but I instantly hated him. A prop comic who forces his bad jokes into the action? Yuck.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Pyramid80 on March 05, 2020, 08:57:23 AM
I had no idea who Bruce Baum was (or is), but I instantly hated him. A prop comic who forces his bad jokes into the action? Yuck.
I remembered him being on Match Game 90 a good bit, but don’t remember him being this annoying.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: calliaume on March 05, 2020, 10:40:41 AM
I had no idea who Bruce Baum was (or is), but I instantly hated him. A prop comic who forces his bad jokes into the action? Yuck.
I remembered him being on Match Game 90 a good bit, but don’t remember him being this annoying.
Be thankful he didn't break out his costumed Babyman personna (which he used occasionally on Make Me Laugh).

Baum has also played up his resemblance to David Crosby at times. He probably didn't here, because some of the people wouldn't know who David Crosby was, and Crosby's life was a mess at the time.
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Mike Tennant on March 05, 2020, 12:55:26 PM
I happened to catch one of the Stan Freberg episodes this morning. During HS, when Marcia Wallace was picked, Bauman said, "Marcia!" and she replied, "Jon!" Then they did the "John! Marsha!" routine briefly. What I found interesting is that despite the fact that they gave Freberg the latitude to tell stories when it wasn't even his turn (at least these interruptions, unlike those of Bruce Baum, were actually funny), neither Freberg nor anyone else happened to mention that Freberg originated that shtick with a 1951 record titled, naturally, "John and Marsha." Anyone know if it was mentioned on other episodes during Freberg's week?
Title: Re: The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Drinking Game
Post by: Thunder on March 06, 2020, 10:07:00 PM
It only took one show for the producers to figure out it wasn't a good idea to have George Gobel slowly shuffle across the stage.