The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Dbacksfan12 on June 27, 2004, 10:04:08 PM
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I have heard varying rumors on how Bob Stewart was as a person; ranging from "nice guy" to a punk. Does anyone have some "insider information" on this topic; and for those that don't; what are your thoughts on him?
[My impression of him from other sites is that he's a jerk; and a cheap one to boot]
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If you judge people by the company they keep, Bill Cullen, Larry Blyden, Dick Clark and Geoff Edwards are pretty good company. I have to give him props for starting his own company, he probably could have stayed with Goodson if he weren't as ambitious.
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Is it me or was Bob Stewart possessed over shows were you had to construct a sentance one word at a time ? I think it was the basis of at least 5 or 6 shows (Conuting pilots)
-Joe R.
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[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 10:31 PM\'] Is it me or was Bob Stewart possessed over shows were you had to construct a sentance one word at a time ? I think it was the basis of at least 5 or 6 shows (Conuting pilots) [/quote]
Especially if you drag the pilots out, it's easy to see that Bob Stewart as an independent producer kept going back to the same small handful of ideas over and over. There were some pretty original ideas -- including some wildly creative misfires -- from the late sixties through the mid seventies, but most of his later efforts were rehashes of earlier efforts, and usually poorer variations at that.
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I don't doubt that his first big success being Password had some effect on his later GS formats, either . . .
As for cheapness, I've heard it said more than once that Stewart kept both eyes and a few cameras peeled watching his shows' budgets, but that's much more likely to be the mark of a smart TV producer than a miser.
(This is my first trip around these parts in almost three months. Just got too busy for a while, I guess. *waves hi*)
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He certainly learned how to recycle ideas from G-T (Password, Snap Judgment, Get The Message, Match Game, Family Feud, Missing Links, etc, etc), but when he recycled his own, they rarely had the class. At least G-T had a way of framing ideas so you didn't feel you were watching a direct rip-off (such as Play Your Hunch being the panel-less To Tell The Truth). Bob wore a good idea into the ground. Pyramid, Eye Guess and Chain Reaction were among his best - Jackpot, Personality, The Face Is Familiar and Shoot For The Stars weren't bad - but brother, you sure got the "I've seen this before" feeling when you watched about anything else. The closest I feel he came to a moderately good spin-off was Pass The Buck, despite its flaws. I often wonder how he got nets to green-light pilots that were so obviously re-heats of past shows? Thank God that Jackpot ripoff with the bar room shuffleboard randomizer wasn't picked up! That might have driven game shows off the nets a decade early.
Grousing aside, I do like the fact he enjoyed word games, especially plays on words. It does show a cleverness and intelligence.
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[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 09:04 PM\']I have heard varying rumors on how Bob Stewart was as a person. (stuff snipped) [My impression of him from other sites is that he's a jerk; and a cheap one to boot]
[/quote]
As far as him being cheap...well, I think someone who I know reads these posts might have a story to tell about a funny comment a certain celebrity poet made about Bob's frugality.
Brendan
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[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 06:04 PM\'] I have heard varying rumors on how Bob Stewart was as a person; ranging from "nice guy" to a punk. Does anyone have some "insider information" on this topic; and for those that don't; what are your thoughts on him? [/quote]
Bob (and his son Sande) are extremely bright, and can sometimes become frustrated when an employee doesn't "get it". Producing TV is a very stressful, high-stakes business. Have either of the Stewarts ever lost their temper and yelled... hell yes. Almost all producers have/do; some have made it a lifestyle. The only exception from my personal experience is Roger Dobkowitz at "Price". While he suffers his share of frustrations, I've NEVER seen or heard of him losing his temper.
My knowledge of and experiences with the Stewarts is if you make an occasional error, fess-up, apologize and life goes on. Just read the credits through the decades and you'll see the loyalty they have for people who work well with them.
These days, Bob is a sweetheart and a bunch of fun to talk with about the old days. After a New York childhood on the set with his dad overtly encouraging him to learn the business, Sande had high expectations to live up to. He is far more mellow these days than he has ever been. But his wickedly sharp and often biting sense of humor is intact, and I love it! Nobody has the mechanics of hosting down cold like Sande. He kicks ass as a runthrough host, and I've seen him coach hosts with incredible insight into what works when, and why.
As a producer, Sande learned from one of the best, and is one of the very few who can shoot live to tape with virtually no stops. There are fewer producers and directors with each passing day who are capable of that. More and more, the concept of "live TV" continues to become more of a story old-timers tell than a current reality. With Sande and his first mate Bruce Burmester at the helm we've sailed through 5 episodes before lunch! But then, that schedule of 10 a day was their regular routine with Dick Clark on Pyramid. NOBODY can crank like that.
Of course as a family operation, the budget was/is always watched closely - I bet most of us would do the same. I would. I think it's just good business.
Creativity? Bob invented Password and "Price". That would be enough for me! Remember, he was one guy while the Goodson operation was home to many creative folks over the years. Both have liberally recycled ideas, and both have had some real clunkers.
Might others who have worked with these guys have entirely different opinions? Sure. These are just my observations from experience and from hearing stories.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 11:34 PM\'] Bob wore a good idea into the ground. Pyramid, Eye Guess and Chain Reaction were among his best - Jackpot, Personality, The Face Is Familiar and Shoot For The Stars weren't bad - but brother, you sure got the "I've seen this before" feeling when you watched about anything else. The closest I feel he came to a moderately good spin-off was Pass The Buck, despite its flaws.
[/quote]
I think one can say that Three On A Match was one of Bob Stewart's best as well. The game was steered a lot by the decisions of the contestants, it was easy to play (straight TRUE/FALSE questions), and Bill Cullen kept the game upbeat.
Another concept I liked about some Stewart shows (Pass the Buck, Jackpot,...) was that losing contestants could stay on for several games until the end of the week or until someone won the big prize.
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Another pilot of Bob Stewart's that I thought was really pretty good was Twisters. An imaginative twist on a fill-in-the-blank concept. The air-hockey table was a little different in selecting a number, but the show seemed solid and different enough that it didn't seem like "the same thing rehashed." And Bob Stewart sure knew how to create exciting bonus rounds.
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[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 09:34 PM\'] Thank God that Jackpot ripoff with the bar room shuffleboard randomizer wasn't picked up! That might have driven game shows off the nets a decade early.
[/quote]
Four posts later...
[quote name=\'"isucgv\' date=\' Jun 28 2004, 07:50 AM"\']Another pilot of Bob Stewart's that I thought was really pretty good was Twisters. An imaginative twist on a fill-in-the-blank concept. The air-hockey table was a little different in selecting a number, but the show seemed solid and different enough that it didn't seem like "the same thing rehashed." [/quote]
This, my friends, is the Game Show Forum for ya. How funny. :)
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[quote name=\'pyrfan\' date=\'Jun 27 2004, 11:02 PM\']As far as him being cheap...well, I think someone who I know reads these posts might have a story to tell about a funny comment a certain celebrity poet made about Bob's frugality.[/quote]
You remember that???
One day when Chain Reaction was taping, during the lunch break Nipsey Russell came over to the NBC rehearsal hall where we (Password Plus) were having our catered lunch. Of course Nipsey was welcome, but in explaining why he wasn't eating with the Chain Reaction crew he offered, "They couldn't slice the weenie small enough".
We had fish that day and I accused Bobby Sherman of talking out of his bass.
AFAIK Bob Stewart didn't use celebrity coordinators. Instead, Anne Marie Schmidt would place a call to Imie Camelli (they were buddies from their TPIR days back in New York) and pick Imie's brain for celebrities we had used on the air or had auditioned recently. Take a look here http://userdata.acd.net/ottinger/Cullen/shows/chain.html (http://\"http://userdata.acd.net/ottinger/Cullen/shows/chain.html\") and see how many Password Plus alumni you recognize.
As for his temperament, I got the impression that Stewart pere was charming when a show wasn't going on and a bit of a screamer during showtime. Bill Cullen said he used to sit at his podium and count the number of times he would storm into the studio. I once witnessed him in an NBC control room repeatedly shouting "cuckoo" into a headset. Yes, it was during game play -- he hadn't gone "cuckoo" on us.
You may find it hard to believe but the networks actively sought him out for new shows because they knew he was prolific. So what if it was a rehash of some word-association game which had been done before? Imagine: networks hiring people to seek out ideas for daytime game shows. How quaint.
I always thought Shoot for the Stars and whatever the hell its remake was called, was a good game, but daytime audiences didn't agree with me.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 08:54 AM\'] I always thought Shoot for the Stars and whatever the hell its remake was called, was a good game, but daytime audiences didn't agree with me. [/quote]
I dug Shoot For The Stars quite a bit, actually. When they took away the board and the stars and called it Double Talk I didn't like it so much. But the original is something I wouldn't mind seeing again.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:54 AM\']
One day when Chain Reaction was taping, during the lunch break Nipsey Russell came over to the NBC rehearsal hall where we (Password Plus) were having our catered lunch. Of course Nipsey was welcome, but in explaining why he wasn't eating with the Chain Reaction crew he offered, "They couldn't slice the weenie small enough".
[/quote]
There was an article in "Variety" during the first half of 1980 that listed the budgets of all the NBC game shows on the air at that time. I don't recall the exact numbers, but I do remember reading that "Chain Reaction" had the lowest budget of all the NBC shows.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:08 AM\'] When they took away the board and the stars and called it Double Talk I didn't like it so much. [/quote]
With all due respect to all two of Henry Polic II's fans, the host wasn't exactly a help either (now watch as I get inundated with tons of support for one of WEBSTER's lesser lights ;-) ).
Doug
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:41 AM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:08 AM\'] When they took away the board and the stars and called it Double Talk I didn't like it so much. [/quote]
With all due respect to all two of Henry Polic II's fans, the host wasn't exactly a help either (now watch as I get inundated with tons of support for one of WEBSTER's lesser lights ;-) ).
Doug [/quote]
Do you remember what show replaced "Double Talk" on the ABC daytime sked???? WEBSTER!!, so at least Henry kept the timeslot.
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It just goes to show a good concept doesn't need a lot of glitz. Chain Reaction is little more than vertical Password, and the Password set was very spartan, too. Remember the time Password was introduced on I've Got A Secret and how dinky the players desk was..and they used it in the show's early days? They just picked it up and brought it on stage. What a hoot!
I was trying to stay in the middle on Three On A Match - ok game, simple play, and Cullen was the shining star in that one. I agree Bob had some good ideas...I just wished they weren't such obvious re-hashes. There has to be a bit more of a hook in a format if it's built on familiar ground. About 3 episodes of the Jackpot takeoff with the Hollywood theme and I was done. Riddlers wasn't a bad re-do in that the game became a race between teams instead of individuals playing, so I could have gone with that (even debated on making a Riddlers "home game"), but I think Dave Letterman would have burned out or tired the audience too quickly as the host. A Mike Darow-type would have been fine.
By the way..maybe Riddlers could have put two celebs on each team, sandwiched between three civilians? Put some laughs and glitz on both teams?
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There was an article in "Variety" during the first half of 1980 that listed the budgets of all the NBC game shows on the air at that time.
We must find that article!
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It must be stated that when Bob Stewart came to G-T, supposedly the company was at a creative low. The biggest new G-T series of the late 50s-early 60s--"TTTT," "TPIR" and "Password"--were all his creations and each one was innovative--the first play-along panel show, the first game show where anyone could participate and not worry about getting hit with a pie in the face and the celeb game that broke up the panels. He helped keep the company going and set the tone for the post-quiz scandal game show.
Needless to say, I don't blame him for wanting to leave the G-T fold--he probably didn't want Mark Goodson taking credit for everything he did. He was lucky enough to come up with "Pyramid," which was the smash hit that made the rest of his career possible.
And for me "Pyramid" and his G-T hits are more than enough to ensure his place in the pantheon of game show producers.
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..maybe one of the experts here can clear something up for me. After reading Monty Hall's book some time back, Hall claims he invented the root games that became Password and Match Game. He supposedly submitted the ideas to GT and when they did not respond right away, Hall went on to other things. After reading about the coming of Password in the trades, he called Bob Stewart, who told this story - when Hall didn't follow up on the proposals, they were given to Stewart for refinement. He polished the game into the Password we know. When Stewart suggested to Goodson that Hall be cut in, the reply was, "Freud was around long before Monty Hall." I know Stewart gets credit for Password, but if Hall's story is true, I would only want to give Stewart credit for refining a format already in the halls (sorry) at GT, vs. walking in with it, as some claim. I'm all for giving credit to Bob for developing some great formats, but I tend to want to give Bob refinement instead of invention credit for Password. Anyone with the straight dope out there?
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[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 03:07 PM\'] ..maybe one of the experts here can clear something up for me. After reading Monty Hall's book some time back, Hall claims he invented the root games that became Password and Match Game. He supposedly submitted the ideas to GT and when they did not respond right away, Hall went on to other things. After reading about the coming of Password in the trades, he called Bob Stewart, who told this story - when Hall didn't follow up on the proposals, they were given to Stewart for refinement. He polished the game into the Password we know. When Stewart suggested to Goodson that Hall be cut in, the reply was, "Freud was around long before Monty Hall." I know Stewart gets credit for Password, but if Hall's story is true, I would only want to give Stewart credit for refining a format already in the halls (sorry) at GT, vs. walking in with it, as some claim. I'm all for giving credit to Bob for developing some great formats, but I tend to want to give Bob refinement instead of invention credit for Password. Anyone with the straight dope out there? [/quote]
I have that book as well, though it is in a box somewhere with a bunch of other paperbacks. IIRC, Monty got the idea from someone else (Nat Ligerman, I think?) and then gave it to Stewart. Since Monty was able to sell NBC on "Your First Impression," which was a modification of the idea and was a two-and-a-half-year success, he let bygones be bygones.
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Nat Ligerman may have come up with the original idea of a word-association game on TV and brought it to Monty who brought it to Bob Stewart who brought it to Goodson, but according to the account in the book "The Box", the game that debuted on CBS with Allen Ludden was a completely different game from the one Bob Stewart was originally working with.
Give Bob Stewart credit for TPIR, based on a game called "Auctioneer".
Give Bob Stewart credit for TTTT, which resulted in a lawsuit from John Guedel Productions.
Give Frank Wayne credit for The Match Game as it came to be known and loved on NBC.
All of these shows had derivatives at one time or another, with varying degrees of success:
TPIR -> Say When!
TTTT -> Play Your Hunch
Password -> Snap Judgement (and Pyramid, a B.S. show)
Match Game -> Family Feud
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On the subject of people taking credit for one format or another, there's an interesting and surprising listing on the TV Tome page forWhat's My Line? (http://\"http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-5501\") that credits one Hal Schaffel for coming up with the show's original idea. That's not a name I'm familiar with, and Mr. Schaffel's glowing biography from which that credit comes appears to have been written by a family member. Anybody know this guy?
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 04:25 PM\'] (and Pyramid, a B.S. show) [/quote]
Hey! (gasp) How dare you say such a thing about Pyramid! Unless of course, you're talking about the current version. :-)
(end sarcasm, because I know someone is going to think I really thought Chris was putting down Pyramid)
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Since Family Feud was born from the Audience Match from MG, could you also say that the survey portion of Card Sharks was derived from the Feud?
Travis
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[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:55 PM\'] Since Family Feud was born from the Audience Match from MG, could you also say that the survey portion of Card Sharks was derived from the Feud? [/quote]
Not really. FF questions involve a list of several answers. CS questions consist of a question which can only be answered one way or another (generally yes/no), with contestants estimating the percentage of respondents who answered a certain way.
Glad you remember when CS had polling questions!
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 07:33 PM\'] On the subject of people taking credit for one format or another, there's an interesting and surprising listing on the TV Tome page forWhat's My Line? (http://\"http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-5501\") that credits one Hal Schaffel for coming up with the show's original idea. That's not a name I'm familiar with, and Mr. Schaffel's glowing biography from which that credit comes appears to have been written by a family member. Anybody know this guy? [/quote]
I don't have Gil Fates' book at my fingertips, but Bob Bach has alway been regarded as the creator of record, and Goodson supposedly rewarded him with lifelong employment as long as he didn't destroy the illusion that M.G. created it.
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Concerning FF/CS
I understand why one might think the two weren't actually related. However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:21 AM\'] However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
Your logic makes no sense to imply CS was spun off from FF.
Card Sharks and Gambit both used playing cards. Is Card Sharks a spin off of Gambit? No.
High Rollers and Winner Takes All both had jump in questions. Is High Rollers a spin off? No.
Price is Right and Hollywood Squares both have studio audiences in the same studio. Is Hollywood Squares a spin off? No.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 09:21 AM\'] However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
It leads me to believe that someone noticed 100 was a nice, round number.
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I enjoyed almost all of the games from Bob Stewart; good or bad. Pyramid obviously is the best of the bunch, with Chain Reaction and Jackpot behind that in terms of longevity on television.
Here's an interesting thought: Bob Stewart Productions was the last game show production company to vacate from New York and move to Los Angeles. It was a slow transistion however, as in 1980 "Pyramid" was still produced in New York, and "Chain Reaction" was produced in Burbank. By 1982, the company exclusively operated from Hollywood.
I don't have the exact count with me; I would have to research and add it up; but Bill Cullen does hold the record for the most Stewart game shows hosted (right off the top of my head he had hosted eight). Geoff Edwards hosted around three. Between the two, Geoff and Bill has appeared on almost every Bob Stewart celebrity-based game show that aired during the '70s, either as a host or celebrity player. If you look at an earlier post regarding Jackpot, check out the story on how Bob and Geoff sat down one day when Jackpot dropped the riddle format to general knowledge questions, and realize that the series was in trouble.
Great company... while it did spin off so many word games from Password, Bob Stewart did come up with some innovative ideas and most of them worked.
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[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:38 AM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 09:21 AM\'] However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
It leads me to believe that someone noticed 100 was a nice, round number.[/quote]
Not to mention that a number out of 100 is also a percentage, which is easy for people to understand.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 06:21 AM\'] I understand why one might think the two weren't actually related. However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
And you were just told, by someone who worked at G/T during the appropriate time period, that that was not the case. Shall we hire skywriters?
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:21 AM\']Concerning FF/CS
I understand why one might think the two weren't actually related. However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF.[/quote]
And considering that Chester Feldman first threw out the whole "polls of 100 people" idea as a guest star spot with Lynn Redgrave on the last network "IGAS" in 1967, that's further proof that "CS" didn't spin off of "Feud."
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 09:40 AM\'] [quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:21 AM\']Concerning FF/CS
I understand why one might think the two weren't actually related. However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF.[/quote]
And considering that Chester Feldman first threw out the whole "polls of 100 people" idea as a guest star spot with Lynn Redgrave on the last network "IGAS" in 1967, that's further proof that "CS" didn't spin off of "Feud." [/quote]
Imagine how CS would be different if Chester ended up doing that IGAS spot with "polls of 37 people"...
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White the topic of Bob Stewart is pretty hot...here is an e-mail that I had gotten from a former BSP employee.
"I worked for Bob and Sande (Bob's son, who eventually took over the business) off and on for about 6 years. I worked on Double Talk, Sports on Tap, the Pyramids, and several pilots that never went anywhere. Bob was an amazing man to work for. He could be like your father one minute and an evil dictator the next. Sometimes during tapings he would come storming out of the booth and spew hellfire at someone who had done something wrong making everyone in the audience very nervous."
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[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:38 AM\'] [quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:21 AM\'] However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
Your logic makes no sense to imply CS was spun off from FF.
Card Sharks and Gambit both used playing cards. Is Card Sharks a spin off of Gambit? No.
High Rollers and Winner Takes All both had jump in questions. Is High Rollers a spin off? No.
Price is Right and Hollywood Squares both have studio audiences in the same studio. Is Hollywood Squares a spin off? No. [/quote]
Well, seems several of you have taken shots of me. But this post deserves several pot shots for its' absolute stupidity.
Card Sharks and Gambit are by different producers. It can't be a spin-off.
TPIR and Hollywood Squares: again, different producers (outside of MGHSH). And completely different unrelated games.
Nice try, Matt. You may now go to the TTD '90 room. I'll remember to lock the door.
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Heavens..between Rich Kline's alleged profane outbursts, Bob Stewart's hellfire storms and Dawson's hissy fits, no wonder it's hard to get live audiences for game shows. Sounds like sitting in on some game shows could be classified as hazardous duty... :-)
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 04:44 PM\'] [quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:38 AM\'] [quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:21 AM\'] However, both shows used 100 people, which leads me to believe CS was actually a spin-off of FF. [/quote]
Your logic makes no sense to imply CS was spun off from FF.
Card Sharks and Gambit both used playing cards. Is Card Sharks a spin off of Gambit? No.
High Rollers and Winner Takes All both had jump in questions. Is High Rollers a spin off? No.
Price is Right and Hollywood Squares both have studio audiences in the same studio. Is Hollywood Squares a spin off? No. [/quote]
Well, seems several of you have taken shots of me. But this post deserves several pot shots for its' absolute stupidity.
Card Sharks and Gambit are by different producers. It can't be a spin-off.
TPIR and Hollywood Squares: again, different producers (outside of MGHSH). And completely different unrelated games.
Nice try, Matt. You may now go to the TTD '90 room. I'll remember to lock the door. [/quote]
Congratulations. You've totally missed the point. Matt was trying -- and quite well, I thought -- to show that just because two shows have similar elements, it doesn't mean that one is a spin-off of the other.
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Well, he sure as hell missed it a lot further. At least I'm not so stupid as to have suggested Card Sharks and Gambit were related. If the other poster had half a brain (.....does he have a brain?.....), he would have been able to make his point without looking totally idiotic.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 07:52 PM\'] Well, he sure as hell missed it a lot further. At least I'm not so stupid as to have suggested Card Sharks and Gambit were related. If the other poster had half a brain (.....does he have a brain?.....), he would have been able to make his point without looking totally idiotic. [/quote]
Number one : be very careful what you insinuate with my brain capacity and "stupidity". I'd be willing to bet safely I have more friends here than you do.
Number two : You did miss the complete idea of my post. It wasn't that difficult to figure it out , since others got it perfectly.
Of course the shows I listed WERE NOT spinoffs. Re-read my post and you'll see that I said they weren't.
My point, mister, is this : just because two shows come from the same company and use polls based on one hundred people DOES NOT make them spinoffs of any kind. Yes/No public opinion polls and Survey polls made by Goodson/Todman staff were both counted up to 100 people, and THAT was the only common thread between the two.
Matt.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:52 PM\'] Well, he sure as hell missed it a lot further. At least I'm not so stupid as to have suggested Card Sharks and Gambit were related. [/quote]
Show us where Matt suggested that Card Sharks and Gambit were related. He said they WEREN'T.
If the other poster had half a brain (.....does he have a brain?.....), he would have been able to make his point without looking totally idiotic.
Matt does not look the least bit idiotic. You're the one who's still refusing to get the point, and you look even worse when you attribute comments to him that he never made.
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[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 03:53 PM\'] Heavens..between Rich Kline's alleged profane outbursts, Bob Stewart's hellfire storms and Dawson's hissy fits, no wonder it's hard to get live audiences for game shows. Sounds like sitting in on some game shows could be classified as hazardous duty... :-) [/quote]
Maybe the Surgeon General should issue a warning that states:
"Sitting in a game show studio may be hazzardous to your health"
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[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 05:06 AM\'] [quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 03:53 PM\'] Heavens..between Rich Kline's alleged profane outbursts, Bob Stewart's hellfire storms and Dawson's hissy fits, no wonder it's hard to get live audiences for game shows. Sounds like sitting in on some game shows could be classified as hazardous duty... :-) [/quote]
Maybe the Surgeon General should issue a warning that states:
"Sitting in a game show studio may be hazzardous to your health" [/quote]
You sure about that? In my times in Hollywood at many game show tapings (about 30 or so), the most violent act I ever witnessed was Rip Taylor ripping off his toupee. That includes a bunch of weeks of "Pyramid", all weeks when Bob Stewart was present on the set.
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I'm sure I'm focusing on relatively random outbursts, just tongue-in-cheek. But it does concern me that you'd have 200-plus people in a good audience taking home bad impressions of shows, producers and talent when issues aren't dealt with in a way that doesn't expose the audience to it. When there was a goofup at the one major taping I saw, the host and producers huddled around the podium and worked out a solution quietly. I'm sure the audience - who came to have fun - appreciated it.
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[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 03:53 PM\']Heavens..between Rich Kline's alleged profane outbursts, Bob Stewart's hellfire storms and Dawson's hissy fits, no wonder it's hard to get live audiences for game shows. Sounds like sitting in on some game shows could be classified as hazardous duty... :-)[/quote]
Not to mention, in a related category, Eric Leiber's spats with Chuck Woolery over interview treatment on "Love Connection."
But I have the feeling that Robair is probably the most correct here--the stormy argument is probably more the exception than the rule in game show tapings--and I have the feeling that Kline didn't turn on the studio PA when he was cursing like a sailor--but the crew hearing it was enough to file a union grievance.
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Did that happen on the set of Win Lose or Draw out of curiosity?
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 02:30 PM\']Did that happen on the set of Win Lose or Draw out of curiosity?[/quote]
It was "Bullseye" when it was taped at NBC. Supposedly, the show was thrown out of NBC and Kline banned from the building for the incident--which doesn't explain how Kline was able to call "Hot Potato" a few years later at NBC, unless he wasn't in the booth and Dan Diana was doing the actual directing, but they contractually had to use his name (and that sounds very fishy to me).
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[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 06:59 AM\'] In my times in Hollywood at many game show tapings (about 30 or so), the most violent act I ever witnessed was Rip Taylor ripping off his toupee. [/quote]
You were in the SP audience when Rip ripped off the toupee? I'm impressed. (Or did he do that on more than one occasion and I just missed it?)
Doug
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 10:26 AM\'] Not to mention, in a related category, Eric Leiber's spats with Chuck Woolery over interview treatment on "Love Connection." [/quote]
From the well over 1,000 episodes of TV I've worked I can tell you that it's rare to have the big blow-up that holds our fascination in this thread in front of an audience. As I said near the top, the pressure and stakes are high and that makes for screaming matches in offices and control rooms. Sometimes the best "show" is on the PL headsets.
But there is one producer who is legendary in town for regular outbursts when and where he sees fit without much regard to being overheard by the audience or staffers/crew. As his name has already been invoked, yes, Eric Leiber is "da man". During Chuck Woolery's Group W talk show he fired several segment producers right on the set during commercial breaks when the preceeding interview didn't work well. And he did it all in easy earshot of the audience. Trying to divert attention and keep the atmosphere light while the the foul language was reverberating through Tribune Stage 9 was one of the tougher warm-up experiences I remember.
One more anecdote on topic. The first time I saw a well known host frustrated to anger while standing on set with the audience present was memorable. There was a series of unexpectedly lengthy technical delays during which the host would have preferred to step off-stage but was asked several times by the director to stay on his mark expecting that the problem would be resolved "any second". The host felt it made him look bad to stand there, and he was not in the mood to join me and do some audience Q&A which would have been the usual option in such a situation.
When the director finally declared that he was ready, the host felt it was appropriate to show his strength by now making the director wait for him! He called me over to his podium, covered his mike, and engaged in a whispered conversation with me. We just stood there chit-chatting about nothing in particular for about 2 minutes while everyone now waited for him. He finally said. "OK Randy, that was probably enough to make my point. Let's get back to work".
There is often quite a bit of drama backstage and in the booth at your favorite shows, but these kinds of things playing out in front of an audience is rare.
Randy
tvrandywest
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And of course there's the word from David Hammett that when some of the new neon squares burned out during a taping of PYL, Peter cursed like a sailor during the delay and ended up leaving the studio with Rod to go get lunch, causing the taping to be delayed until the next day. Bottom line: Everyone's not going to get along with their co-workers everyday. Such is life.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 04:02 PM\'] [quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 10:26 AM\']
.One more anecdote on topic. The first time I saw a well known host frustrated to anger while standing on set with the audience present was memorable. There was a series of unexpectedly lengthy technical delays during which the host would have preferred to step off-stage but was asked several times by the director to stay on his mark expecting that the problem would be resolved "any second". The host felt it made him look bad to stand there, and he was not in the mood to join me and do some audience Q&A which would have been the usual option in such a situation.
When the director finally declared that he was ready, the host felt it was appropriate to show his strength by now making the director wait for him! He called me over to his podium, covered his mike, and engaged in a whispered conversation with me. We just stood there chit-chatting about nothing in particular for about 2 minutes while everyone now waited for him. He finally said. "OK Randy, that was probably enough to make my point. Let's get back to work".
There is often quite a bit of drama backstage and in the booth at your favorite shows, but these kinds of things playing out in front of an audience is rare.
Randy
tvrandywest [/quote]
Out of curiosity Randy, what show and host was this?
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 10:48 PM\'] Out of curiosity Randy, what show and host was this? [/quote]
Adam, I suspect that Randy would have shared those bits of information if he'd felt free to do so. Unfortunately there's this little matter of, oh, being able to continue working. :-)
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Point taken
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 09:51 PM\'] Point taken [/quote]
Well just take into account who we know Randy's worked with: Chuck Woolery, Wink Martindale, Ryan Seacrest, Todd Newton, David Ruprecht, Bob Barker, George Gray, and Anne Robinson. That should you help you out. A little. ;)
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 06:59 PM\'] Well just take into account who we know Randy's worked with: Chuck Woolery, Wink Martindale, Ryan Seacrest, Todd Newton, David Ruprecht, Bob Barker, George Gray, and Anne Robinson... [/quote]
... and Dick Clark, Pat Finn, Alan Thicke, Ray Combs, Mark Wahlberg, Maury Povich, Gary Collins, Marc Summers, Pat Bullard, Jerry Springer, Charles Nelson Reilly, Ron Maestri, Wil Shriner, Rosie O'Donnell, Mark Goodman, Fred Willard...
Did you think I was gonna make it easy? ;-p
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 11:44 PM\'] [quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 06:59 PM\'] Well just take into account who we know Randy's worked with: Chuck Woolery, Wink Martindale, Ryan Seacrest, Todd Newton, David Ruprecht, Bob Barker, George Gray, and Anne Robinson... [/quote]
... and Dick Clark, Pat Finn, Alan Thicke, Ray Combs, Mark Wahlberg, Maury Povich, Gary Collins, Marc Summers, Pat Bullard, Jerry Springer, Charles Nelson Reilly, Ron Maestri, Wil Shriner, Rosie O'Donnell, Mark Goodman, Fred Willard...
Did you think I was gonna make it easy? ;-p
Randy
tvrandywest.com [/quote]
I never would have guessed Ron Maestri. He seemed so mild-mannered on the air.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jul 1 2004, 12:01 AM\']
I never would have guessed Ron Maestri. He seemed so mild-mannered on the air. [/quote]
Damn! My money was on Jerry Springer.
To have a director or producer blow up on the set of one of his shows, it could mean chairs flying, obscenities, and audience members getting so far out of control, they would have to have on-camera security to keep things in check!!
I'm glad that Jerry has kept the integrity of wholesome, family entertainment alive for so many years. :-p
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[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Jul 1 2004, 08:41 AM\'] To have a director or producer blow up on the set of one of his shows, it could mean chairs flying [/quote]
Only if it's Bill Shatner.
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After Randy's comments about chair-throwing, on-set-firing producers from Hades, I have to put in a good word for the anti-Lieber: the team of Ira Skutch and Bobby Sherman. Bobbby's talent for organization and Ira's superior people skills made for some of the smoothest-running game show units going, notably Match Game, Blockbusters I and Tattletales (with the help of Paul Alter). Talented chaps all; it was fun working with them.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 1 2004, 09:59 PM\'] After Randy's comments about chair-throwing, on-set-firing producers from Hades, I have to put in a good word for the anti-Lieber: the team of Ira Skutch and Bobby Sherman. Bobbby's talent for organization and Ira's superior people skills made for some of the smoothest-running game show units going, notably Match Game, Blockbusters I and Tattletales (with the help of Paul Alter). Talented chaps all; it was fun working with them. [/quote]
You know, it always seems odd to see people talk about what a friendly man Ira Skutch was. I've seen Brett and Richard yell at him so many times that I've gotten this image of him as this evil judge who takes pleasure in not giving people points. :-)
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 03:13 PM\'] You were in the SP audience when Rip ripped off the toupee? I'm impressed. (Or did he do that on more than one occasion and I just missed it?)
[/quote]
No, that was THE time.
"Epis-episcopalian!"
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You know, it always seems odd to see people talk about what a friendly man Ira Skutch was. I've seen Brett and Richard yell at him so many times that I've gotten this image of him as this evil judge who takes pleasure in not giving people points. :-)
Ira had to judge the game according to the rules and that may have resulted in some unpopular decisions. Kind of like being a moderator here ;-) Really, he was a nice guy.
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And of course there's the word from David Hammett that when some of the new neon squares burned out during a taping of PYL, Peter cursed like a sailor during the delay and ended up leaving the studio with Rod to go get lunch, causing the taping to be delayed until the next day.
I've heard this story before but still can't understand how it happened: if the new "neon" squares burned out, wouldn't it just have been the backstage slide projectors that burned out? I thought the "new colors" were still done with slide projectors - or did they have a different way of doing the board when they changed colors? I'm guessing this is the same incident where it's said "the screens blew"?
Anyone know?
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 2 2004, 08:31 AM\'] I've heard this story before but still can't understand how it happened: if the new "neon" squares burned out, wouldn't it just have been the backstage slide projectors that burned out? I thought the "new colors" were still done with slide projectors - or did they have a different way of doing the board when they changed colors? I'm guessing this is the same incident where it's said "the screens blew"?
[/quote]
When did they go to neon squares, and does anyone have pics?
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 2 2004, 02:07 PM\'] [quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 2 2004, 08:31 AM\'] I've heard this story before but still can't understand how it happened: if the new "neon" squares burned out, wouldn't it just have been the backstage slide projectors that burned out? I thought the "new colors" were still done with slide projectors - or did they have a different way of doing the board when they changed colors? I'm guessing this is the same incident where it's said "the screens blew"?
[/quote]
When did they go to neon squares, and does anyone have pics? [/quote]
They weren't actual "neon" slides [like the signs you see for beer at gas stations]; they just used colors that were vivider, such as a bright red for the $500 slide; as opposed to a shade of blue.
Brad Francini should have a couple of pictures from this era on his website.
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[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jul 2 2004, 03:22 PM\'] They weren't actual "neon" slides [like the signs you see for beer at gas stations]; they just used colors that were vivider, such as a bright red for the $500 slide; as opposed to a shade of blue.
Brad Francini should have a couple of pictures from this era on his website. [/quote]
Figured as much...thanks.