The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: carlisle96 on August 30, 2025, 07:29:57 PM
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Sorry if this as been covered earlier, but if someone finds the $25,000 in the first game, is another check hidden for the second game?
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Sorry if this as been covered earlier, but if someone finds the $25,000 in the first game, is another check hidden for the second game?
Yep.
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Sorry if this as been covered earlier, but if someone finds the $25,000 in the first game, is another check hidden for the second game?
Yep.
(https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/gameshows/images/d/d8/Emile.jpg)
Yes it is.
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This happened on a recently posted episode. I'm guessing they have the audience leave while the second check is placed. I wonder what they sacrifice to hide the second check, maybe a klunk, or a prize that's not part of the announced prizes offered on the show. Geoff told me for the 1980s run, that some boxes were duplicates, since there were 66 on that version. I wonder if they had duplicates also for this version.
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This happened on a recently posted episode. I'm guessing they have the audience leave while the second check is placed.
I would think they have a curtain they could use to hide the boxes from the audience while the second check is placed. Geoff said there has to be a top prize every time they play the game.
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My guess was always that there was a brief stopdown during which the packages were removed from the set, a new $25k check placed, and the packages brought back out.
Although a curtain makes more sense.
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This happened on a recently posted episode. I'm guessing they have the audience leave while the second check is placed. I wonder what they sacrifice to hide the second check, maybe a klunk, or a prize that's not part of the announced prizes offered on the show. Geoff told me for the 1980s run, that some boxes were duplicates, since there were 66 on that version. I wonder if they had duplicates also for this version.
no need to have them leave—pull a curtain or flat around that part of the stage and go to work. Also you would replace the check with the check and shuffle around whatever needs to happen.
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My guess was always that there was a brief stopdown during which the packages were removed from the set, a new $25k check placed, and the packages brought back out.
Although a curtain makes more sense.
But were there still 30 boxes in the second game? If the check was found in Box 18 in game one, the next contestant would likely not pick #18 in round two, so there might as well be just 29 boxes instead of 30...unless Geoff explains that the prizes are placed in the boxes randomly, meaning it could very well be in #18 again....and I think I opened up a box of worms with my original post.
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My guess was always that there was a brief stopdown during which the packages were removed from the set, a new $25k check placed, and the packages brought back out.
Although a curtain makes more sense.
But were there still 30 boxes in the second game? If the check was found in Box 18 in game one, the next contestant would likely not pick #18 in round two, so there might as well be just 29 boxes instead of 30...unless Geoff explains that the prizes are placed in the boxes randomly, meaning it could very well be in #18 again....and I think I opened up a box of worms with my original post.
No, if the check is found in the first round, the box it was in is eliminated for the second game, giving the second player one less box to choose from, which is the case for any game. Geoff had to memorize many bits as it was, adding on one more would be pushing it!
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It is possible that two $25,000 checks are placed simultaneously in different boxes. This changes the odds of picking the check but not by much.
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What if all the boxes are actually empty, then the selected box is filled during the commerial? Functionally the prod company defines and documents the contents for every box prior to the game, and confirm the right contents were loaded.
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What if all the boxes are actually empty, then the selected box is filled during the commerial? Functionally the prod company defines and documents the contents for every box prior to the game, and confirm the right contents were loaded.
This doesn't sound out of the question. Emile would have had to have placed the $25k prior to taping, but setting up the other 29 boxes after the selection would make sense from a production standpoint.
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It is possible that two $25,000 checks are placed simultaneously in different boxes. This changes the odds of picking the check but not by much.
I believe that is the most plausible theory.
Say if box 7 and box 8 both have a $25K check in them and no one picks them: I don't think Standards and Practices don't care if there is more than one box with the grand prize just as long as they reveal and show *either* box 7 or box 8 with the check at the end to prove there was *one* check in *one* box worth $25k. If in the first game the contestant chooses box 7, one check is revealed (win or lose), and thus box 8 will either have to be selected by the round 2 contestant, or that number and box will be revealed by Geoff and Emil and Geoff at the show's end.
I think the bigger concern is that if there were multiple boxes with the 52-day cruise at the start and the first was chosen in round one, they would need to replace the other box(es) that also had the cruise with a back-up prize or klunk. It would look more awkward if both the round one and round two chosen boxes were the same prize or klunk than if there were two $25,000 checks.
So by the end of the show, you either have one check in a box to reveal, or you've already shown that there was a $25k check available in both rounds and both contestants picked the "grand prize". Whether the contestant kept the box or took the initial cash is a moot point.
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But doesn't Johnny Jacobs say, "Hidden inside ONE of these boxes is a check for $25K"? If contestant #1 picks the box with the $25K check but you're the second contestant, well, that's just the luck of the draw.
If Plinko is played first on TPIR and is the only cash PG played that day, and you're the fifth contestant called to come on down, too bad, so sad. You don't get the chance to win $50K.
Besides, didn't Treasure Hunt offer other prizes worth more than $25K?
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Besides, didn't Treasure Hunt offer other prizes worth more than $25K?
No.
Also, everybody here is giving completely plausible theories for how the show worked, but am I crazy for saying that Geoff explained how the show when he was alive?
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But doesn't Johnny Jacobs say, "Hidden inside ONE of these boxes is a check for $25K"? If contestant #1 picks the box with the $25K check but you're the second contestant, well, that's just the luck of the draw.
He does, but there is verifiable proof that if the the first contestant picks the $25k box, win or lose, a second check is placed in a box for the second contestant.
What I dont remember offhand is if in the 80's reboot, once the progressive check (up to $50k) was found, if the amount automatically reverted to the base $25k whether it was won or given up. I suspect the progressive check remained if un-won and placed in a new box until it was actually won..
Besides, didn't Treasure Hunt offer other prizes worth more than $25K?
I had thought so when they were offering the Rolls Royce on the original 70's version, but the model up for grabs wasn't that expensive...yet.
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This happened on a recently posted episode. I'm guessing they have the audience leave while the second check is placed. I wonder what they sacrifice to hide the second check, maybe a klunk, or a prize that's not part of the announced prizes offered on the show. Geoff told me for the 1980s run, that some boxes were duplicates, since there were 66 on that version. I wonder if they had duplicates also for this version.
They wouldn't need to sacrifice anything. They would just select a number, and if it was not the same as the one where it was in the first game, they just move whatever was in the box with that number into the box with the first winning number.
If you look at the boxes, you will notice that the tags with the numbers can be switched from one box to another. This probably makes it easier to set up different shows rather than actually move props from one box to another. In this case, they probably would switch just about all of the numbers around, as if they swapped just the two boxes' numbers, it would be too easy for someone to remember the colors/pattern of the first $25,000 box.
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What I dont remember offhand is if in the 80's reboot, once the progressive check (up to $50k) was found, if the amount automatically reverted to the base $25k whether it was won or given up. I suspect the progressive check remained if un-won and placed in a new box until it was actually won..
In the episodes GSN ran, it stayed at $50,000 until won, then reset to $20,000. There was one episode where a contestant passed up the $50K, but it remained at that level until won a few shows later.
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Besides, didn't Treasure Hunt offer other prizes worth more than $25K?
No.
Also, everybody here is giving completely plausible theories for how the show worked, but am I crazy for saying that Geoff explained how the show when he was alive?
Where is his explanation?
There are other issues involving the movement of prizes behind the curtains. Suppose you have a pair of Porsches, a living-room ensemble and a speed boat and the contestant can pick any of them and you want the contestant to be able to run up and fondle her new toy. Studio time costs money so you can't afford to stop for a long time.
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Besides, didn't Treasure Hunt offer other prizes worth more than $25K?
No.
Also, everybody here is giving completely plausible theories for how the show worked, but am I crazy for saying that Geoff explained how the show when he was alive?
Where is his explanation?
Geoff, to my understanding, was an open book about this stuff on alt.tv.game-shows, and I believe Chuck Donegan's page about the show (https://illustriousgameshowpage.com/treasurehunt.html) cobbles together a lot of Geoff's explanations. Among other things, there was a 15-minute stopdown after a box was picked. Partly to give Geoff a briefing on the skit but also likely for the reason you pointed out--they needed the extra time to set up whatever prize was chosen. On both of Geoff's incarnations, the actual footprint of the prizes needed wasn't as big it would appear. A LOT of the boxes hid checks for smaller amounts (ranging $5,000 to $14,000) and the klunks were usually pretty small, physically speaking--a shopping cart, a pogo stick, a radio. Beyond that...let's say three cars, a couple of boats, a rack of fur coats, some vacation graphics, three rooms of furniture. If every box really was a unique prize/prize package, 30 boxes really needed about as much storage for the prizes as one taping day at The Price is Right. The 66-box version from 1981 would be tougher, but not impossible. It seems to me that version of the show had a number of prizes represented as photographs mounted on cards.
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If you look at the boxes, you will notice that the tags with the numbers can be switched from one box to another. This probably makes it easier to set up different shows rather than actually move props from one box to another. In this case, they probably would switch just about all of the numbers around, as if they swapped just the two boxes' numbers, it would be too easy for someone to remember the colors/pattern of the first $25,000 box.
But why would they need to switch anything? Mr. Autori picks the box for the big check, they’d need to replace the revealed boxes anyway, and nobody’s seen the others.
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Here is what we know.
As you know Wink & I was developing a new version.
I spoke to Mike Metzger. He told me all 30 boxes had a skit. Emile would place the check in a box removing the props.
No one knew where the check was.
A player picked a box. During the break they would take a 15 minute stop down & everyone went backstage.
They'd discuss the skit. "Geoff this is the one with the Genie box. We need Steve dressed as the Genie. We need the living room set." Etc etc.
Then they'd start the show.
Mike told me the first time anyone knew the check was in the box was when Geoff peeked inside. If the box was picked that had the check, the production still did the stop down & went over the skit that would have been in that box.
Question it all you want, but that's how Mike recalled it.
Hope that clears things up.
John
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Here is what we know.
As you know Wink & I was developing a new version.
I spoke to Mike Metzger. He told me all 30 boxes had a skit. Emile would place the check in a box removing the props.
No one knew where the check was.
A player picked a box. During the break they would take a 15 minute stop down & everyone went backstage.
They'd discuss the skit. "Geoff this is the one with the Genie box. We need Steve dressed as the Genie. We need the living room set." Etc etc.
Then they'd start the show.
Mike told me the first time anyone knew the check was in the box was when Geoff peeked inside. If the box was picked that had the check, the production still did the stop down & went over the skit that would have been in that box.
Question it all you want, but that's how Mike recalled it.
Hope that clears things up.
John
That's 100% Geoff's account, too.
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15 minutes are enough time to move a living-room set into place and place another $25,000 check if needed. They would have to close the curtains and conceal the gift boxes while all this is going on.
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Geoff Edwards explains that one box is removed from play, leaving 29 boxes for the second game, and that a check has been placed in one of the remaining boxes. This does not rule out that two checks could be placed in two different boxes at the beginning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLcxkPhFYnI
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There was never 2 checks in play at any one time.
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On both of Geoff's incarnations, the actual footprint of the prizes needed wasn't as big it would appear. A LOT of the boxes hid checks for smaller amounts (ranging $5,000 to $14,000) and the klunks were usually pretty small, physically speaking--a shopping cart, a pogo stick, a radio. Beyond that...let's say three cars, a couple of boats, a rack of fur coats, some vacation graphics, three rooms of furniture. If every box really was a unique prize/prize package, 30 boxes really needed about as much storage for the prizes as one taping day at The Price is Right.
There also seems to be a certain amount of repetition, within episodes and presumably across episodes. On the episode in this thread, one of the previewed prize packages is a Cadillac Coupe de Ville and his-and-hers golf clubs. The second contestant ends up with a Chevrolet Impala and the same golf clubs. And a bunch of the "it's a shopping cart, but here's a check for grocery money" type faux-klunk sketches are basically interchangeable with the version where they don't have the twist at the end.
In terms of the sheer volume of prizes on hand, I couldn't help but notice that over the course of the episode upthread they managed to have seven different cars on stage -- the aforementioned Cadillac and Impala, plus a Lincoln Continental, his-and-hers Jaguars and his-and-hers Vegas -- plus a room's worth of music equipment.
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In terms of the sheer volume of prizes on hand, I couldn't help but notice that over the course of the episode upthread they managed to have seven different cars on stage -- the aforementioned Cadillac and Impala, plus a Lincoln Continental, his-and-hers Jaguars and his-and-hers Vegas -- plus a room's worth of music equipment.
Perhaps they pulled what High Rollers later did: Pre-record many of the larger-modeled prizes in advance and just run random video on prizes they "could" win before the contestant chose a box.
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On both of Geoff's incarnations, the actual footprint of the prizes needed wasn't as big it would appear. A LOT of the boxes hid checks for smaller amounts (ranging $5,000 to $14,000) and the klunks were usually pretty small, physically speaking--a shopping cart, a pogo stick, a radio. Beyond that...let's say three cars, a couple of boats, a rack of fur coats, some vacation graphics, three rooms of furniture. If every box really was a unique prize/prize package, 30 boxes really needed about as much storage for the prizes as one taping day at The Price is Right.
There also seems to be a certain amount of repetition, within episodes and presumably across episodes. On the episode in this thread, one of the previewed prize packages is a Cadillac Coupe de Ville and his-and-hers golf clubs. The second contestant ends up with a Chevrolet Impala and the same golf clubs. And a bunch of the "it's a shopping cart, but here's a check for grocery money" type faux-klunk sketches are basically interchangeable with the version where they don't have the twist at the end.
In terms of the sheer volume of prizes on hand, I couldn't help but notice that over the course of the episode upthread they managed to have seven different cars on stage -- the aforementioned Cadillac and Impala, plus a Lincoln Continental, his-and-hers Jaguars and his-and-hers Vegas -- plus a room's worth of music equipment.
Did all of the 70s episodes tape at the Burbank Studios? If so. no question their soundstages would have accommodated a TPIR level of prizes.
Any insights on where the '81 revival was shot and what different physical limitations they may have had?
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A quick glance at the '81 credits shows Burbank Studios. Not sure about the 70s version.
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The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
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The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
I assume the Prospect lot?
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The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
I assume the Prospect lot?
Yes, judging from the crew names.
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A quick glance at the '81 credits shows Burbank Studios. Not sure about the 70s version.
The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
Pretty sure the 70s version moved to Burbank later in its run.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
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A quick glance at the '81 credits shows Burbank Studios. Not sure about the 70s version.
The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
Pretty sure the 70s version moved to Burbank later in its run.
Like other merchandise shows, they would need warehouse space to store prizes.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
From what I remember reading, Chuck only wanted female contestants because he feared a man would hit Geoff after getting "klunked". It's been at least 25 years since I saw that tho.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
From what I remember reading, Chuck only wanted female contestants because he feared a man would hit Geoff after getting "klunked". It's been at least 25 years since I saw that tho.
I figured it was because women showed more of their emotions. But if that's the reason, then so be it.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
From what I remember reading, Chuck only wanted female contestants because he feared a man would hit Geoff after getting "klunked". It's been at least 25 years since I saw that tho.
Sounds like an Internet myth. Did it ever happen on LMAD? Female contestants tend to be more emotional.
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A quick glance at the '81 credits shows Burbank Studios. Not sure about the 70s version.
The '70s version may have been shot at ABC.
Pretty sure the 70s version moved to Burbank later in its run.
Yep--believe starting in the 1975-76 season.
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Chuck Donegan's page (https://illustriousgameshowpage.com/treasurehunt.html) had the bit about the fear of Geoff getting hit. Geoff participated in that page -- perhaps the detail came from him. Chuck is still here to answer that, naturally.
Maxine Fabe's book says it was about logistics -- it was easier to set dozens of skits for one gender vs. both.
While any of this could be true, my hunch tells me they simply wanted female contestants only, and had lines ready for whoever asked them why. Sort of like the Double Dare producers when asked about "wasting" food (Marc Summers has suggested the "we only use stale-dated food" line was probably made up to get critics off their back.)
Pretty sure the 70s version moved to Burbank later in its run.
Yep--believe starting in the 1975-76 season.
My brain is telling me it's The Burbank Studios -- i.e. today's Warner Brothers, and not NBC Burbank (which, ahem, is now called The Burbank Studios). Is that right?
-Jason
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3000 W. Alameda, formerly NBC, is now known as The Burbank Studios.
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My brain is telling me it's The Burbank Studios -- i.e. today's Warner Brothers, and not NBC Burbank (which, ahem, is now called The Burbank Studios). Is that right?
Correct.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Still a myth. Why, then, would Monty pick males as contestants on LMAD? Gotta apply some common sense. Have you ever heard of a losing male contestant kicking any emcee on any show?
I think Geoff was making a joke, not stating gospel.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Still a myth. Why, then, would Monty pick males as contestants on LMAD? Gotta apply some common sense. Have you ever heard of a losing male contestant kicking any emcee on any show?
I think Geoff was making a joke, not stating gospel.
Monty picked his traders on the fly, which gave him more disgression. ISTR most of the time, when Monty chose a male trader, it was part of a husband and wife team.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
Geoff himself told me via ICQ chat that males were not chosen due to possible harm they could cause from getting klunked, so not an internet myth.
Still a myth. Why, then, would Monty pick males as contestants on LMAD? Gotta apply some common sense. Have you ever heard of a losing male contestant kicking any emcee on any show?
I think Geoff was making a joke, not stating gospel.
Consider the source (not Geoff).
Monty picked his traders on the fly, which gave him more disgression. ISTR most of the time, when Monty chose a male trader, it was part of a husband and wife team.
There's plenty of episodes out there where the male deals solo.
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I believe Geoff. The biggest difference between Let's Make a Deal and The New Treasure Hunt is the build up. The reveals on LMAD were immediate and the consequences were felt quickly afterwards. TNTH decided to do a comedic skit between the decision and the reveal which lasted several minutes, and if you think some men would not get angry after being led on that they won a big prize but ended up getting klunked, then in the 1970s, you were surrounded by some well adjusted men. Yes I know times have changed, but I'd believe it then.
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How many times has Barker or Drew been kicked or punched by a losing male TPIR contestant?
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How many times has Barker or Drew been kicked or punched by a losing male TPIR contestant?
How long is the build up from Barker or Drew?
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
The "how" is easy. They gave the 10 wrapped boxes to 10 females every half.
I now recall the Geoff's safety bit, but similar to BillCullen1, I just assumed Chuck wanted the emotion they figured females always exhibited. Unlike LMAD and Price who built their shows around the contestants, prizes and the games, there was no game to Treasure Hunt. It was just "pick-a-box." So, it relied on the prizes, skits, Geoff and crew's delivery of those skits and, most importantly, the reaction of the contestant. While the men on TPIR and LMAD would love a living room, dining room or a fur coat to give to their wives, they weren't always as expressive as the females that could win and use those items more. As was also stated, it also allowed them to tailor skits around women. Also, let's not pretend advertisers didn't still covet the housewife demographic back then. I bet they were awfully more likely to tune in if they constantly saw women participating and think, "I'm watching this because that could be me up there one day." It was a ploy and given it's Chuck Barris, I'm not surprised.
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How many times has Barker or Drew been kicked or punched by a losing male TPIR contestant?
How long is the build up from Barker or Drew?
Drew not so much, but Barker did that build up business (sans props) plenty of times.
The difference is I don't recall him doing it as much when the contestant lost, with Shell Game perhaps being the exception.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
The "how" is easy. They gave the 10 wrapped boxes to 10 females every half.
I now recall the Geoff's safety bit, but similar to BillCullen1, I just assumed Chuck wanted the emotion they figured females always exhibited. Unlike LMAD and Price who built their shows around the contestants, prizes and the games, there was no game to Treasure Hunt. It was just "pick-a-box." So, it relied on the prizes, skits, Geoff and crew's delivery of those skits and, most importantly, the reaction of the contestant. While the men on TPIR and LMAD would love a living room, dining room or a fur coat to give to their wives, they weren't always as expressive as the females that could win and use those items more. As was also stated, it also allowed them to tailor skits around women. Also, let's not pretend advertisers didn't still covet the housewife demographic back then. I bet they were awfully more likely to tune in if they constantly saw women participating and think, "I'm watching this because that could be me up there one day." It was a ploy and given it's Chuck Barris, I'm not surprised.
It seems pretty obvious that most '70s daytime game shows were primarily geared towards the housewife, which is one major reason why many of those shows featured mostly women contestants. Does anybody know who exactly the prime access "checkerboard" shows were geared at? The nighttime Let's Make a Deal and Price is Right sometimes did feature more men contestants than on the daytime version, but it was still the majority women. Since most of those shows were aired at 7:30 at night, you'd figure it would be an even split since men were home with their families at that time.
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Name That Tune seemed to be exclusively men against women.
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As far as nighttime, 2-player shows, Cross Wits was always Men vs Women. Barry BtB, Nighttime HSq and High Rollers were M vs W as well. Not sure of nighttime Celebrity Sweepstakes.
Not sure what the overall Female to Male ratio was after a full season of The $128K Question, or the 70s Liar's Club.
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Another Treasure Hunt question: how did they always wind up with female contestants when there were both genders in the "studio audience"?
The "how" is easy. They gave the 10 wrapped boxes to 10 females every half.
I now recall the Geoff's safety bit, but similar to BillCullen1, I just assumed Chuck wanted the emotion they figured females always exhibited. Unlike LMAD and Price who built their shows around the contestants, prizes and the games, there was no game to Treasure Hunt. It was just "pick-a-box." So, it relied on the prizes, skits, Geoff and crew's delivery of those skits and, most importantly, the reaction of the contestant. While the men on TPIR and LMAD would love a living room, dining room or a fur coat to give to their wives, they weren't always as expressive as the females that could win and use those items more. As was also stated, it also allowed them to tailor skits around women. Also, let's not pretend advertisers didn't still covet the housewife demographic back then. I bet they were awfully more likely to tune in if they constantly saw women participating and think, "I'm watching this because that could be me up there one day." It was a ploy and given it's Chuck Barris, I'm not surprised.
Geoff does state that they pre-select 10 members of the studio audience, presumably all women who receive the small boxes.
I assume the producers correctly felt they would get better reactions from women.
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As far as nighttime, 2-player shows, Cross Wits was always Men vs Women. Barry BtB, Nighttime HSq and High Rollers were M vs W as well. Not sure of nighttime Celebrity Sweepstakes.
Bear in mind that M v W was standard for daytime HSq too. However, by the time of the second run of HR, not all of the games were M v W.