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New Survey: Greatest Succession Game Show Hosts

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Sonic Whammy:

--- Quote from: JakeT on August 29, 2020, 11:06:10 PM ---Is "succession" the word you meant to use?

--- End quote ---
I'll admit that I had a hard time coming up with a term here. I didn't want to simply say "new" host, and "transitional" sounded temporary. Successional was the best word I found in asking around. But I'm open to something if someone has a better suggestion.

But to clarify the point of the survey. We've done the "who's the greatest host ever" time and again, and the same names of yesteryear will always come up, as well they should. And a large reason for those hosts having their iconic status is that they've become so identified with the show that is usually just as heralded. "(Insert show here) is (insert host here)'s show."

But many of these heralded franchises had someone who came along at some point later in the show's history that left significant impacts as well, some so good that it even if you say "He's never be as good as (insert host here) was", you still think he's an excellent host of that show.

So the question is: Who over the history of the genre has done the best job of stepping into the shoes of the legends?

Mike Tennant:
What if the same person qualifies for two different shows? I'm thinking in particular of Bob Barker on both Truth or Consequences and The Price Is Right, but I'm sure there are other examples. Do I list the person twice or just once?

gromit82:
I've submitted my ballot. Some of my choices actually are the hosts most closely associated with their shows, but they are eligible because they weren't the first hosts of those shows.

Chelsea Thrasher:
The game show version of wins above replacement.  I am SO in.

Without going into detail about who I voted for, things I considered, along with a generic example of each:

Popularity and longevity of the replacement host's version of the show vs. the preceding version.  Alex Trebek's Jeopardy run is closing in on 40 years, replacing Art Fleming whose three runs lasted 11, 1, and 0.5 years.

Host's own contributions to the game and to the show.  You need a sample size of one episode each to see how fundamentally different Password Plus w/ Tom Kennedy ca. 1982 is from Super Password w/ Bert Convy ca. 1984, beyond just fixing the format or building a new set.   

Since the ballot also requires the show name, I considered each individual succession (ie a new team) to be eligible for a separate ballot. The aforementioned Tom Kennedy would be eligible for separate listings for Password Plus and his nighttime version of The Price is Right.

A host that departs then returns is eligible for the return.  Monty Hall on the 1990 run of Let's Make a Deal comes to mind immediately.

Temporary hosts and pilot-only hosts were not considered.  Richard Kline does not get compared to Robin Ward (one of Kline's TTTT90 pilots aired instead of the premiere on the east coast), nor does Trebek get compared to fill-in host Mark Goodson from later in the same run.   Robin Ward -> Gordon Elliott -> Lynn Swann -> Alex Trebek -> John O'Hurley.

Entire canon of the genre in it's broadest view (anything with a game element) was at least considered.  Dating Game has had multiple host changes; so has The Mole. Not always for the better. 

Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour was considered part of the succession order for both series.  This changes nothing for Match Game; John Davidson succeeds Jon Bauman.

In cases where two concurrent runs of the show with different hosts aired, the second host to debut was considered the successor.  If the shows debuted in the same broadcast week, they were considered simultaneous successors to the first host.  Dennis James and Bob Barker both succeeded Bill Cullen; Bill Rafferty was compared to Bob Eubanks.  "Who was the last person viewers saw host this show before this person?"

chargeradiocom:
Fun idea.

Question: I assume situations where a new series was given a different name & fairly significant overhaul, but kept the same basic game idea and is generally considered in the same lineage as its predecessor, are eligible (i.e., Tomarken as successor for Second Chance/Press Your Luck, or Convy for He Said, She Said/Tattletales)?

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