The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Jimmy Owen on January 06, 2004, 09:05:05 PM
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CBET in Windsor is showing a profile on Alex Trebek at 7pm on Tuesday 1/13 on the "Life and Times" series. If you live in Canada or near the border in Detroit the show might be worth a look.
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An interview with him has also been running today on CTV NewsNet.
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Another tidbit regarding the Alex Trebek biography airing tomorrow (Tuesday) on CBC: let me quote from the Toronto Star's TV guide...
The hour is very good at examining all of his game-show opportunities, starting in 1967 with Strategy and continuing through Pick and Choose, Wizard of Odds, High Rollers, Double Dare, The $128,000 Question, Pitfall, Battlestars and onto Jeopardy!
Wow! Some game shows I didn't even know about! This should be good...
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[quote name=\'Blaq\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 05:35 PM\'] Another tidbit regarding the Alex Trebek biography airing tomorrow (Tuesday) on CBC: let me quote from the Toronto Star's TV guide...
The hour is very good at examining all of his game-show opportunities, starting in 1967 with Strategy and continuing through Pick and Choose, Wizard of Odds, High Rollers, Double Dare, The $128,000 Question, Pitfall, Battlestars and onto Jeopardy!
Wow! Some game shows I didn't even know about! This should be good... [/quote]
Strategy and PIck and Choose were probably Canuck-based shows, done before he hit US shores in 1973.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 07:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Blaq\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 05:35 PM\'] Another tidbit regarding the Alex Trebek biography airing tomorrow (Tuesday) on CBC: let me quote from the Toronto Star's TV guide...
The hour is very good at examining all of his game-show opportunities, starting in 1967 with Strategy and continuing through Pick and Choose, Wizard of Odds, High Rollers, Double Dare, The $128,000 Question, Pitfall, Battlestars and onto Jeopardy!
Wow! Some game shows I didn't even know about! This should be good... [/quote]
Strategy and PIck and Choose were probably Canuck-based shows, done before he hit US shores in 1973.[/quote]
From TV North:
Strategy
CBC
Game Show
First Broadcast: Monday, April 1, 1969, 2:00 p.m.
Final Year Broadcast: 1969
Running Time: 30 minutes
Host: Alex Trebek
Announcer: Jay Nelson
Assistant: Dee Miles
CBC's entry into the big-prize (major appliance) game-show sweepstakes. Program promotion says: "What makes Strategy different from other television game shows is the circle. It is painted in different colors to denote four separate zones. It is a maze, much like the snakes and ladders game of years ago." Contestants headed to the centre of the board as they answered questions and avoided booby-traps set by the opposition. Winners left the show after one victory. Miles presided over a map marking contestants' progrss and some of the booby traps.
The critics jeer: "...none of the four players yesterday stepped on [a booby trap]. We were all waiting for that...Poor host Alex Trebek, what's he ever done to inherit the TV roles he gets?" -- Roy Sheilds, Toronto Star
Pick and Choose must have been either local to Ottawa or Toronto, since it's not in the book. Strategy came on right after CBC started broadcasting in color, hence the emphasis on the color.
--Mike
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Speaking of local stints, we shouldn't forget his stint in the late-1960s as Toronto host of "Reach For The Top", CBC's version of "It's Academic".
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Speaking of local stints, we shouldn't forget his stint in the late-1960s as Toronto host of "Reach For The Top", CBC's version of "It's Academic".
And while not a GS, Trebek also did a Bandstand-type show up north called Music Hop, where he was billed as "Ali Trebek".
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'rugrats1\' date=\'Jan 13 2004, 12:42 AM\']Speaking of local stints, we shouldn't forget his stint in the late-1960s as Toronto host of "Reach For The Top", CBC's version of "It's Academic".[/quote]
And the inspiration for the "SCTV" "Night School Hi-Q" sketch, with Eugene Levy playing "Alex Trebel" and stone trippin', boo.
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Hey, I remember Alex saying he was a trashman in Cincinnati before he got his start in TV. Shows that everyone starts off as "Joe Average" like the rest of us.
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[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jan 13 2004, 11:58 AM\']
Speaking of local stints, we shouldn't forget his stint in the late-1960s as Toronto host of "Reach For The Top", CBC's version of "It's Academic".
And while not a GS, Trebek also did a Bandstand-type show up north called Music Hop, where he was billed as "Ali Trebek".
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby") [/quote]
He hosted some Canuck-based ice skating show called "Stars on Ice" circa the second run of HR era.
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I saw the show tonight and they did have very brief clips of "Music Hop," "Reach For the Top" and "Stars on Ice." Some clips as well from "High Rollers" (in a tux, so it must have been a syndie ep) courtesy of MGM and "Battlestars." The other shows were represented with still photos or in the case of "$128,000 Question" a shot of the set (courtesy Paramount) and then stills. Alex has the NSF check from "Pitfall" hanging on the wall. Much of the second half of the show focused on J! and his home life. Interesting show.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jan 13 2004, 09:38 PM\'] I saw the show tonight and they did have very brief clips of "Music Hop," "Reach For the Top" and "Stars on Ice." Some clips as well from "High Rollers" (in a tux, so it must have been a syndie ep) courtesy of MGM and "Battlestars." [/quote]
I guess the Syndie Trebek HR and Battlestars do exist. Doubt they will ever be seen, though :/
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I saw the Trebek bio on CBC as well (via satellite) -- very interesting, especially the past clips.
Alex has the NSF check from "Pitfall" hanging on the wall.
Of course, some of us know the story behind it. But Alex put it best by mentioning that he still has hard feelings toward the producers of Pitfall, saying that they were liars, and it was the worst time of his life.
Since Pitfall and the 1980 Let's Make A Deal come from the same production company, I wonder if Monty Hall harbored those same feelings.
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[quote name=\'rugrats1\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 12:34 AM\']
Of course, some of us know the story behind it. But Alex put it best by mentioning that he still has hard feelings toward the producers of Pitfall, saying that they were liars, and it was the worst time of his life.
Since Pitfall and the 1980 Let's Make A Deal come from the same production company, I wonder if Monty Hall harbored those same feelings. [/quote]
Didn't Hatos-Hall co-produce LMAD80 though? If so, I think Hatos-Hall saw to it that prizes and money were awarded and staff were paid to the best of their ability.
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Pick and Choose must have been either local to Ottawa or Toronto, since it's not in the book. Strategy came on right after CBC started broadcasting in color, hence the emphasis on the color.
Actually, CBC started broadcasting "Hockey Night in Canada" in color as early as 1966, although they probably didn't start colorcasting in daytime until later. Unfortunatly, most of those hockey games only exist today in B&W kinescope. I don't think CBC has very much color footage still around since before about 1970.
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I saw the show tonight and they did have very brief clips of "Music Hop," "Reach For the Top" and "Stars on Ice." Some clips as well from "High Rollers" (in a tux, so it must have been a syndie ep) courtesy of MGM and "Battlestars." The other shows were represented with still photos or in the case of "$128,000 Question" a shot of the set (courtesy Paramount) and then stills.
Yeah, I noticed that too. It makes me think there are still tapes out there of the original "High Rollers". "Battlestars" we're all pretty sure still exists, but because they didn't show any footage of "Strategy", you'd have to assume that it's probably no longer around. They also showed a breif still of "Wizard of Odds" - I know the pilot is said to have sucked, but I vaguely remember the actual show, and I thought it was kind of neat. Too bad we didn't have one in the trade curcuit.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 10:15 AM\'] It makes me think there are still tapes out there of the original "High Rollers". [/quote]
Ever since they found all those Hollywood Squares, just about anything is on the table, but a brief clip really just tells us that a brief clip exists. It's a huge leap of faith to think that significant numbers of episodes might still be around based on that.
And yeah, Wizard of Odds is one of the few Holy Grails of 70s game shows that haven't shown up yet. I'd love to see one as well.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 07:15 AM\'] They also showed a breif still of "Wizard of Odds" [/quote]
Was it the same still that is in EOTVGS v2, with a LOUD suited and fro'd Alex standing in front of the Big Wheel?
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 11:53 AM\'] [quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 07:15 AM\'] They also showed a breif still of "Wizard of Odds" [/quote]
Was it the same still that is in EOTVGS v2, with a LOUD suited and fro'd Alex standing in front of the Big Wheel? [/quote]
Yes. A couple of other stills as well with the same suit. Fred Wostbrock got a credit.
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Didn't Hatos-Hall co-produce LMAD80 though? If so, I think Hatos-Hall saw to it that prizes and money were awarded and staff were paid to the best of their ability.
It was indeed a joint venture between H-H and Catalena...and considering the latter was still in the black financially at that time, I don't think there were ever any probs w/contestants not recieving winnings.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 11:58 AM\']
And yeah, Wizard of Odds is one of the few Holy Grails of 70s game shows that haven't shown up yet. I'd love to see one as well. [/quote]
Wasn't it reported that GSN does have the Wizard pilot, but never aired it? I seem to remember hearing something to that effect awhile back.
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[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Jan 14 2004, 07:57 PM\']
Wasn't it reported that GSN does have the Wizard pilot, but never aired it? I seem to remember hearing something to that effect awhile back. [/quote]
Yes, they have it as it was done in association with Columbia Pictures. An Alex interview on Larry King Live a few years back showed a clip from said pilot.
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For those who did not see this program, it will hopefully be out on video soon, because I've just seen other "Life and Times" shows for sale on line at:
CBC Shop Online (http://\"http://www.cbcshop.ca\") http://www.cbcshop.ca (http://\"http://www.cbcshop.ca\")