The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Bob Zager on July 14, 2010, 05:59:28 PM
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I don't recall which thread I'd seen it at, so my apologies to the person who orignally mentioned EW's list!
Here are links to two pictures I personally found interesting:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_17,00.html (http://\"http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_17,00.html\")
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_19,00.html (http://\"http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_19,00.html\")
The first one is from the NBC days of LMAD, and you'll notice that some of the contestants brought signs, and wore unusual hats, but no zany costumes were worn yet!
The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James! You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts!
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[quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James! You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]
IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.
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I was kind of surprised to see Deal Or No Deal, Singled Out, and Love Connection on the list. And good to see Dennis James get a bit of love -- man hardly gets the recognition he deserves, IMHO.
On the subject of rarities, this picture with Ray Combs was used for Family Feud:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_2,00.html (http://\"http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_2,00.html\")
The logo on the Face-Off Podium looks a bit like the one seen on the survey board in the original pilot (right before Dawson is introduced).
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'244151\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 06:40 PM\']And good to see Dennis James get a bit of love -- man hardly gets the recognition he deserves, IMHO.[/quote]
Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244175\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 01:02 AM\']Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.[/quote]
He seemed much more genuine and human on TPIR than Barkertron in the same era.
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[quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'244148\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James! You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]
IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.
[/quote]
Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today. As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it. This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.
When having holiday time off from school, I'd watched the daytime version, and the Melody Roulette wheel DID use money amounts by that time!
You're right about contestants selecting a spot, and winning money when that spot came up on a spin. For the record, after the money wheel was implemented, the daytime version had TWO $100 spots, the nighttime TWO $200 spots, and on each version each contestant had his/her name placed on one of those repeating spots.
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[quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244191\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 10:41 AM\'][quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'244148\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James! You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]
IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.
[/quote]
Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today. As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it. This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.
When having holiday time off from school, I'd watched the daytime version, and the Melody Roulette wheel DID use money amounts by that time!
You're right about contestants selecting a spot, and winning money when that spot came up on a spin. For the record, after the money wheel was implemented, the daytime version had TWO $100 spots, the nighttime TWO $200 spots, and on each version each contestant had his/her name placed on one of those repeating spots.
[/quote]
Not to mention the James version being the only NTT with returning champions.
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Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today. As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it. This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.
I think with most once-weekly syndicated shows from that era, most of them were probably taped before the season ever began (since they usually did only between 26-39 episodes). I guess stations in the bigger cities (like New York) probably got them closer to production order(?)
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[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'244184\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 09:14 AM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244175\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 01:02 AM\']Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.[/quote]
He seemed much more genuine and human on TPIR than Barkertron in the same era.
[/quote]
I agree, I have a positive opinion of James as a host, the little bit I've seen. I would love to see him on NTT from that era. He was a welcome change from Barker, a different style.
As an aside, seeing that NTT pic from 1974, I think that the NTT sets got worse during that decade, not better. The 1974 set is pretty neat. Was not a fan of the disco set.
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I thought Dennis treated the contestants better and consequently made it a more enjoyable show.
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[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'244206\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 02:28 PM\']I have a positive opinion of James as a host, the little bit I've seen. I would love to see him on NTT from that era.[/quote]
FOX's The Late Show, during its waning days with Ross Shafer hosting, had a game show special that included a clip from James' Tune (lasting about 10 seconds). I remembered that clip when I heard that Matt Ottinger found an episode aired 12/26/74 (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=19675&view=findpost&p=236138\") earlier this year.
[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'244206\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 02:28 PM\']As an aside, I think that the NTT sets got worse during that decade, not better. The 1974 set is pretty neat. Was not a fan of the disco set.[/quote]
I agree, although the $100,000 sign that rose from the floor was cool.
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I have always found Dennis James's attitude professional and spirited.
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[quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'244232\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 04:42 PM\']I have always found Dennis James's attitude professional and spirited.[/quote]
I found his explanation of the Grocery Game painful. (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa_VzERfOSw&fmt=34\")
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244236\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 08:13 PM\']I found his explanation of the Grocery Game painful. (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa_VzERfOSw&fmt=34\")[/quote]
Maybe he's a little long-winded since that was from James' 6th episode. As time went on, did he get better? I was in diapers when Barker replaced him on the nighttime show.
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[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'244245\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 10:06 PM\']Maybe he's a little long-winded since that was from James' 6th episode. As time went on, did he get better? I was in diapers when Barker replaced him on the nighttime show.[/quote]
Yes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHeRezSgOw...feature=related (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHeRezSgOw&feature=related\")
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[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'244246\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 09:32 PM\'][quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'244245\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 10:06 PM\']Maybe he's a little long-winded since that was from James' 6th episode. As time went on, did he get better? I was in diapers when Barker replaced him on the nighttime show.[/quote]
Yes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHeRezSgOw...feature=related (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHeRezSgOw&feature=related\")
[/quote]
And he even hugs the contestants. Barker was a pompous ass compared to James.
Fixed that for myself.
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I think Chris passed along some information long ago that Dennis had problems memorizing the various games on TPiR, which caused no end of frustration for the production staff. He may have gotten better as they went along, but it's also likely all of Dennis' shows each season were taped over a couple of weeks, which probably didn't help.
I actually saw Dennis more often than Barker the first few years (since CBS's TPiR aired in time slots that prevented me from watching the show except during vacations -- WNBC aired James' TPiR Saturday evenings at 7:30), and I preferred him to Bob. I've said here before I always thought Barker was condescending with the contestants (admittedly, with some reason), and while Dennis James occasionally had to spell things out for a clueless contestant, I never felt as if he thought they were stupid.
Didn't the 1977 NBC daytime version of Name That Tune have returning champions?
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' post=\'244264\' date=\'Jul 16 2010, 09:33 AM\']I think Chris passed along some information long ago that Dennis had problems memorizing the various games on TPiR, which caused no end of frustration for the production staff. He may have gotten better as they went along, but it's also likely all of Dennis' shows each season were taped over a couple of weeks, which probably didn't help.
I actually saw Dennis more often than Barker the first few years (since CBS's TPiR aired in time slots that prevented me from watching the show except during vacations -- WNBC aired James' TPiR Saturday evenings at 7:30), and I preferred him to Bob. I've said here before I always thought Barker was condescending with the contestants (admittedly, with some reason), and while Dennis James occasionally had to spell things out for a clueless contestant, I never felt as if he thought they were stupid.
Didn't the 1977 NBC daytime version of Name That Tune have returning champions?[/quote]
As on the nighttime version, only if they win the Golden Medley. The James version had them return win or lose; and winning a certain number of days won a car.
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[quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'244269\' date=\'Jul 16 2010, 09:29 AM\'][quote name=\'calliaume\' post=\'244264\' date=\'Jul 16 2010, 09:33 AM\']Didn't the 1977 NBC daytime version of Name That Tune have returning champions?[/quote]
As on the nighttime version, only if they win the Golden Medley. The James version had them return win or lose; and winning a certain number of days won a car.
[/quote]
Come to think of it, I think the 1974 NBC edition had some ridiculously low prize for winning the Golden Medley ($2,000?), so returning champions wasn't a big deal.
I wonder if Lin Bolen ever took a serious look at the prize budgets on her shows around that era. High Rollers and Celebrity Sweepstakes were giving away piles of money, but the other shows (Name That Tune, Winning Streak, Hollywood Squares, Jackpot, Jeopardy) could probably get by on $15,000/week.
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He seemed much more genuine and human on TPIR than Barkertron in the same era.
Well put. I once put this to Roger the D. and he was taken aback by it. He asked why I felt that way and "human" was one of the words I used in my answer.
Dennis knew the games but sometimes tripped up, nearly revealing a One Bid price after an overbid or turning over the wrong price in Grocery Game. I'm told Frank Wayne used to scream at him and clearly he and Goodson didn't feel he was as capable as they had hoped. Barker was stiff and mechanical but didn't make mistakes so he got the nighttime show.
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' post=\'244270\' date=\'Jul 16 2010, 11:55 AM\']Come to think of it, I think the 1974 NBC edition had some ridiculously low prize for winning the Golden Medley ($2000?), so returning champions wasn't a big deal.
I wonder if Lin Bolen ever took a serious look at the prize budgets on her shows around that era. High Rollers and Celebrity Sweepstakes were giving away piles of money, but the other shows (Name That Tune, Winning Streak, Hollywood Squares, Jackpot, Jeopardy) could probably get by on $15,000/week.[/quote]
$200 a song, $2000 for a win. But the $2000 was actual cash, whereas the nighttime show's top prize was $15,000 in prizes, so there's taxes to think about. Also, as per Wiki, by the end of the run, the GR was five songs, and a car was won for four wins, but like the nightshift, you had to win the GR to return.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244236\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 05:13 PM\'][quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'244232\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 04:42 PM\']I have always found Dennis James's attitude professional and spirited.[/quote]I found his explanation of the Grocery Game painful. (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa_VzERfOSw&fmt=34\")[/quote]This reminds me of the crew of guys that I'd hang out with during high school. After lunch, we'd go to the library and play a board or card game until the end of the period. And one of our number would do that sort of out loud walkthrough of the rules, to make sure that he knew what he was doing. Almost every turn it was like that.
It felt like Dennis was trying to make sure that HE knew the rules, instead of explaining them to the contestant.
"Your goal is to 'buy' between $6.75 and seven dollars worth of the groceries here. Choose a product and however many of it you want. You can continue doing that until you run out of stuff, go over $7, or reach the goal. If you reach the goal, you win."
It should be that simple. Instead, it was a verbal enema.