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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: wdm1219inpenna on August 24, 2025, 06:43:34 PM

Title: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: wdm1219inpenna on August 24, 2025, 06:43:34 PM
Not sure why but this crossed my mind earlier today.

I recall Dick Clark as a celebrity contestant on Bill Cullen's $25,000 Pyramid.

Chuck Woolery was a player on Scrabble one week during a game show host tournament.

Peter Marshall was the center square during a game show themed week on Bergeron's Hollywood Squares.

Tom Kennedy once played Password Plus while he was the actual host, and his brother Jack Narz was host for a puzzle (maybe more).

Bert Convy sometimes appeared with his wife on Tattletales whenever they used other rotating hosts.

Gene Rayburn once sat in Charles' seat during a Match Game question after Gene told Charles how tired he was and Charles had in jest made a complaint about Gene not coming down to the end of the row to see Charles' answer card.

Both Bill Cullen and Joe Garagiola served both as emcees and celebrity panelists on To Tell The Truth.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White were contestants on Wheel during April 1, 1997.

While never playing a full game, Bob Barker I know spun the big wheel for some contestants.

I'm sure there are other examples of this that are not coming to mind for me just now.  I'm curious to hear of other recollections as well.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: TLEberle on August 24, 2025, 06:51:24 PM
Meredith played on Celebrity Millionaire, as did Jimmy Kimmel. Regis took on a question for St. Regis.

Did Alex ever play Jeopardy on NBC?
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Stackertosh on August 24, 2025, 06:53:43 PM
McLean Stevenson hosted almost a whole episode of Match Game while Gene was in the panel.

Louie Anderson was on celebrity family feud

Bert Convy on Rayburn Match Game

Tom Bergeron on Nate Burleson version of Hollywood Squares

Cedric was on Celebrity Millionaire 

Dick Clark was on Donnymid
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on August 24, 2025, 07:08:41 PM
Did Alex ever play Jeopardy on NBC?

Yes!  It's noted in one of those infamous program cards NBC kept.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: WhammyPower on August 24, 2025, 07:25:00 PM
Mike Adamle suited up for an episode of American Gladiators against Dean Cain and John McGinley.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: BrandonFG on August 24, 2025, 07:37:08 PM
Tom Bergeron on Nate Burleson version of Hollywood Squares
He also sat in Rosie O'Donnell's square when she hosted a round during the first season.

Bill Cullen did a couple weeks of 80s Pyramid, and Dick recalled him hosting 70s 25K. I wanna say they talked about appearing on each other's versions in the 70s.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: BillCullen1 on August 24, 2025, 07:39:39 PM
I know Garry Moore traded seats with Peggy and Kitty on TTTT. Was Reege ever on Meredith's version of Millionaire? I think maybe Meredith was on and turned the tables on Reege when she was in the hot seat and asked him the questions.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: PYLdude on August 24, 2025, 07:52:40 PM
John Davidson did some center square work at least twice that I can remember when he was hosting.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: BillCullen1 on August 24, 2025, 07:58:04 PM
John Davidson did some center square work at least twice that I can remember when he was hosting.

Yes. once when Alf was hosting. I thought he did a better job of hosting than John.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: BrandonFG on August 24, 2025, 08:19:22 PM
Alex Trebek also appeared on Anderson's TTTT around 2018, and they talked about his hosting stint. Don't remember if they showed a clip.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Eric Paddon on August 24, 2025, 08:44:17 PM
Steve Allen was a guest panelist on IGAS in 1961 after he'd already subbed as host once (1952) and before he took over the host job in 1964.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: TLEberle on August 24, 2025, 09:29:46 PM
John Davidson did some center square work at least twice that I can remember when he was hosting.
I would bet a paycheck that at least once ALF was hosting (which I would say is a brilliant trade and better use of both talents) would Jm J. or Joan have hosted?

Did Alex ever play Jeopardy on NBC?
Yes!  It's noted in one of those infamous program cards NBC kept.
Just the person I wanted to hear from, and I love the idea of a network card catalog.

Would Alex have been reppin' for High Rollers or just there as a known quantity and brainy type?
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on August 24, 2025, 09:34:20 PM
Would Alex have been reppin' for High Rollers or just there as a known quantity and brainy type?

Believe it or not, it was The Wizard of Odds.  April of 1974.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: TLEberle on August 24, 2025, 09:39:13 PM
Wizard of Odds? Wasn't that show in enough jeopardy already?
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: ChrisLambert! on August 24, 2025, 10:13:36 PM
It feels like a good crossover idea since the show’s theme song is in the form of a question.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: SRIV94 on August 24, 2025, 11:28:00 PM
Wizard of Odds? Wasn't that show in enough jeopardy already?

Although to be fair, Trebek succeeded himself in the time slot when Odds got cancelled (at the end of June).  So at least his job security wasn't in doubt.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: rjaguar3 on August 25, 2025, 12:10:17 AM
Kirk Fogg play-tested the bonus round before each season of Legends of the Hidden Temple.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Chief-O on August 25, 2025, 12:10:29 AM
John Davidson did some center square work at least twice that I can remember when he was hosting.
I would bet a paycheck that at least once ALF was hosting (which I would say is a brilliant trade and better use of both talents) would Jm J. or Joan have hosted?

Joan hosted the other time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rmnEAcENhU
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Blanquepage on August 25, 2025, 07:21:20 AM
- Bert and Vicki on each other's versions of Win Lose or Draw
- Geoff tried the bonus game on the last episode of Shoot For the Stars and  hilariously blew it
- John Daly trying to fool the panel as MG on the last episode.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: SRIV94 on August 25, 2025, 08:39:39 AM
Allen Ludden played Password while Monty Hall hosted.  (And also another week where Betty White hosted.)
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Stackertosh on August 25, 2025, 08:40:10 AM
Tom Bergeron on Nate Burleson version of Hollywood Squares
He also sat in Rosie O'Donnell's square when she hosted a round during the first season.

Bill Cullen did a couple weeks of 80s Pyramid, and Dick recalled him hosting 70s 25K. I wanna say they talked about appearing on each other's versions in the 70s.

and he also sat in the center square while Whoopi hosted a round
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Bob Zager on August 25, 2025, 11:19:51 AM
Tom Kennedy at least once a year (IIRC), would play the original You Don't Say! while his real-life brother Jack Narz would pinch-hit for him as host!

I think he played the local version of YDS!, hosted by Clark Race, in the 1970s before hosting the ABC-TV revival in 1975.

Lyle Waggoner and (I think) Dick Gautier played with their significant others on It's Your Bet! before hosting

I also recall, when watching an original episode of TPIR, where Bill Cullen mentioned a word of thank you to Robert Q. Lewis, for subbing for Cullen the week before, while Cullen played the game that week.

Hugh Downs and Bob Clayton played a game of Concentration on its 10th Anniversary, while Norm Blumenthal (the show's producer) hosted!

Ed McMahon (then the show's host) and Johnny Carson played on Concentration on its 11th Anniversary, while Bob Clayton (announcer, soon-to-be host, again) hosted!

Bert Convy returned to play WLOD, hosted by Robb Weller, during its final week in syndication!  Would've seemed nice to also have former daytime host Vicki Lawrence that week, but unfortunately not!

That's all I can think of now.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: carlisle96 on August 25, 2025, 12:48:19 PM
September 1968: Gene Rayburn played Match Game and Ed McMahon hosted...Ed played Snap Judgment and Gene manned the podium.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: clemon79 on August 25, 2025, 01:53:26 PM
I would bet a paycheck that at least once ALF was hosting

Can confirm.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: PYLdude on August 25, 2025, 04:07:13 PM
John Davidson did some center square work at least twice that I can remember when he was hosting.
I would bet a paycheck that at least once ALF was hosting (which I would say is a brilliant trade and better use of both talents) would Jm J. or Joan have hosted?

ALF absolutely was one, and the other example I found was Joan hosting on April Fool’s Day.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on August 25, 2025, 04:15:44 PM
It feels like a good crossover idea since the show’s theme song is in the form of a question.
This was slyly played.

Germane to the question, Geoff Edwards would play the "home game" on Chain Reaction with the announcer.
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: Matt Ottinger on August 30, 2025, 08:46:42 AM
Ben Stein
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: whewfan on August 30, 2025, 11:38:05 AM
John Davidson Jr. also hosted while his father was center square for a Christmas episode. He did quite well.

Chuck Woolery played Scrabble while Marc Summers hosted. According to Marc, they wouldn't let him play because they thought he wasn't well known enough. Chuck said on WOF that he offered to play Wheel while another host hosted but they wouldn't let him.

Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak switched places for April Fools.

Bert Convy played Tattletales with his wife on a few occasions. Once for a full week with Gene Rayburn hosting, then another week with Bob Barker, Bobby Van, Jack Narz, Gene Rayburn, and Richard Dawson hosting. (I think this was actually two separate weeks, as Richard Dawson and Gene Rayburn were on two separate weeks and I believe Bobby Van was only on one of the two weeks. I'm too lazy to look it up.)
Title: Re: Hosts playing their own game
Post by: aaron sica on August 30, 2025, 07:33:37 PM
Matt, these were all mentioned earlier in the thread.