The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: J.R. on June 28, 2004, 07:55:51 PM
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These are borne of pure curisoity:
1: When did Mike Reilly appear on "Jeopardy!" and how much did he win ? (I know he was a 5-time undefeated champion)
2: Do any of his "J!" apperances exist on tape ?
3: Is he still alive and did he do any form of media after the raging success of "Monopoly" ?
4: Seriously, how on earth did he get the Monopoly gig anyway ?
Thanks !
-Joe R.
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Merv often took chances with first time hosts. Art Fleming, Bill Mazer, Chuck Woolery, Pat Sajak, Rolf B, Amazing Jonathan, Mike. Sometimes it works.
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[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 04:55 PM\'] 4: Seriously, how on earth did he get the Monopoly gig anyway ?
[/quote]
The way I heard the story, he was called in to help as a test contestant with run throughs, and Merv was hosting. After they played a while, Merv said "I wanna play. Michael, why don't you and I switch places for fun." And apparently he was good, and Merv decided he was the man for the gig.
Now, maybe that's apocryphal, but that's the way I heard it.
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Speaking of which, whatever happened to Peter Tomarken and "Monopoly" anyway? IIRC, he was the King brothers' choice and hosted the pilot (and from what Brian posted awhile back, did a decent job), but what happened between pilot and series?
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 09:52 PM\'] Speaking of which, whatever happened to Peter Tomarken and "Monopoly" anyway? IIRC, he was the King brothers' choice and hosted the pilot (and from what Brian posted awhile back, did a decent job), but what happened between pilot and series?
Tyshaun [/quote]
Peter Tomarken, IIRC was set to be the host in syndication. Stations were smart, didn't buy the show, and Peter [declined or was replaced] the hosting role.
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[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:05 PM\'] [quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 09:52 PM\'] Speaking of which, whatever happened to Peter Tomarken and "Monopoly" anyway? IIRC, he was the King brothers' choice and hosted the pilot (and from what Brian posted awhile back, did a decent job), but what happened between pilot and series?
Tyshaun [/quote]
Peter Tomarken, IIRC was set to be the host in syndication. Stations were smart, didn't buy the show, and Peter [declined or was replaced] the hosting role. [/quote]
True, but that was my question. Did he quit or was he fired? And yes, I have heard the pilot overall sucked, with some midget playing Uncle Pennybags.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:10 PM\'] And yes, I have heard the pilot overall sucked, with some midget playing Uncle Pennybags.
[/quote]
Now you've piqued my curiosity. Can you (or anyone else) expound some more on that?
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Mike Reilly was indeed a contestant, not only for run-throughs, but on the Monopoly pilot that Peter hosted.
I don't know what happened between the pilot and the series, but one clue may have been in the fact that the pilot was shot for five-a-week syndication purposes. Someone at ABC may not have liked Tomarken or might have been told they didn't like Tomarken because the focus groups didn't like him.
In fact, this scenario seems plausible, if not based in fact: the typical self-appointed outspoken "leader" of a focus group expressed her disinterest in Tomarken as a host, said as a matter of hyperbole, "That contestant could host that show better!", and suddenly the ABC executives behind the two-way mirror, mutter, nod, and run with it. Voila. A star is born.
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[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 10:15 PM\'] Mike Reilly was indeed a contestant, not only for run-throughs, but on the Monopoly pilot that Peter hosted.
I don't know what happened between the pilot and the series, but one clue may have been in the fact that the pilot was shot for five-a-week syndication purposes. Someone at ABC may not have liked Tomarken or might have been told they didn't like Tomarken because the focus groups didn't like him.
In fact, this scenario seems plausible, if not based in fact: the typical self-appointed outspoken "leader" of a focus group expressed her disinterest in Tomarken as a host, said as a matter of hyperbole, "That contestant could host that show better!", and suddenly the ABC executives behind the two-way mirror, mutter, nod, and run with it. Voila. A star is born. [/quote]
I sort of wonder if the animocity between ABC and Tomarken (if there is any to begin with) has anything to do with Bargain Hunters, and Peter's true thoughts about that game show. hehe...
Reilly did a pretty good job I thought. Instead of going after a veteran host who was not working at the time (e.g. Perry, Lange, Martindale, Edwards), take a chance on a newcomer, like Griffin has done in the past with Woolery and Sajak.
I don't know about you, but I liked the format. When I heard that Monopoly was going to be turned into a game show, my one thought was, "something Reg Grundy Productions would pull off like they did with Scrabble".
Of course that wasn't the case.
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That's actually a good point. Peter did have a falling out with Merill Heatter over Bargain Hunters, maybe that carried over to ABC as well. That could lead to another question: Which host has gone on record as saying they hated a show they hosted? I do know that Geoff Edwards said he thought "Hollywood's Talking" stunk, and Bob Eubanks said he thought "Trivia Trap" and "Dream House" were doomed to fail. Are there any others?
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 11:00 AM\'] That's actually a good point. Peter did have a falling out with Merill Heatter over Bargain Hunters, maybe that carried over to ABC as well. That could lead to another question: Which host has gone on record as saying they hated a show they hosted? I do know that Geoff Edwards said he thought "Hollywood's Talking" stunk, and Bob Eubanks said he thought "Trivia Trap" and "Dream House" were doomed to fail. Are there any others? [/quote]
Gene Rayburn called Break the Bank '85 "an unfortunate experience" and also criticized MG/HS...
http://www.chris-lambert.com/MG/Conv.html (http://\"http://www.chris-lambert.com/MG/Conv.html\")
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Tyshaun1, I was told that Patty Maloney wore the costume of Rich Uncle Pennybags in the Monopoly pilot. Never having seen the pilot, though, I wasn't aware that Mike Reilly was one of the contestants before he became the host.
Given the fact that Patty was once a guest on Merv's talk show and worked on the animated Little Rascals series, I thought she would have been the ideal host for a children's version of Jeopardy!. For some reason unknown to me, Columbia-TriStar wouldn't have her.
Patty's Forgotten Work (http://\"http://web.itctel.com/arlateo/PattyMaloney/Forgotten.html\")
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Given the fact that Patty was once a guest on Merv's talk show and worked on the animated Little Rascals series, I thought she would have been the ideal host for a children's version of Jeopardy!. For some reason unknown to me, Columbia-TriStar wouldn't have her.
I think it takes more than just a single talk show appearance and some obscure VO work to make a good host...besides, most kids' game shows feature young guys that are often barely into their 20s as host, as was the case w/Bob Bergen, who wound up hosting Jep!.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 28 2004, 11:10 PM\'] And yes, I have heard the pilot overall sucked, with some midget playing Uncle Pennybags.
Tyshaun [/quote]
When the idea of the midget didn't make it to show, do you think the midget was....
...a little ticked?
;)
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 10:00 AM\'] Bob Eubanks said he thought "Trivia Trap" and "Dream House" were doomed to fail. Are there any others?
[/quote]
EUbanks mentioned DIamond Head Game being "a turkey" once on 80s Card Sharks.
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[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 11:47 AM\'] I think it takes more than just a single talk show appearance and some obscure VO work to make a good host...besides, most kids' game shows feature young guys that are often barely into their 20s as host, as was the case w/Bob Bergen, who wound up hosting Jep!. [/quote]
Isn't Bergen doing obscure VO work now? Like VO5 commercials?
You see, it works both ways in this cruel town we call Tinsel.
And I think we've answered our question about the thread. Nobody knows where the hell Mike Reilly is because we're not talking about him anymore.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 05:51 PM\'] EUbanks mentioned DIamond Head Game being "a turkey" once on 80s Card Sharks. [/quote]
Once in an interview Eubanks said he didn't feel like a game show host because he had to wear aloha shirts and leis. And his hair was awful, he once said. The weather was no bargain and he also mentioned that more than once the weather was uncooperative.
I think that'll all be "in the book, Bob".
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And yes, I have heard the pilot overall sucked, with some midget playing Uncle Pennybags.
According to a brief snippet in TVGuide in 1990, this was one main reason the show didn't sell for syndication.
Bob Eubanks said he thought "Trivia Trap" and "Dream House" were doomed to fail.
I'm sure it was on GSN's old "Game TV" that they brought this up once. I remember Charlie O'Donnell talking about "Trivia Trap". He said that in the beginning, Bob was crazy about the show and thought it played well. One day he brought Charlie down to the studio to watch, and Charlie told him he didn't think it was going to do very well. Maybe after that Bob began to realize it wasn't a good game.
I think the main problem with "Dream House" was that the front game took too long.
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Jraygor: I have Mike Reilly's only Jeopardy appearance on tape(11/27/89):
Final Jeopardy Category: State Capitals
Clue: Genoa, Italy gave this State Capital a 20' statue which was put
in front of City Hall
Results: Lisa Guay (4x champ;$38K): What is Columbus, OH?
2,300 + 2,300 = $4,600
Steve Robinson: What is Albany, NY?
5,500 - 2,600 = $2,900
Michael Reilly: What is Albany?
4,000 - 4,000 = $0
Lisa Guay becomes a 5x winner with $42,600; gets eliminated in
quarterfinals of 90' TOC....
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I thought Mike did a good job on "Monopoly." Maybe it was ahead of its time. A revival with celebrities just playing the game for three hours on cable TV might be a viable show these days. RE: "Trivia Trap," Charlie O didn't even identify himself at the end of the show as is MG custom. As far as "Diamond Head," hangin' with Jane Nelson couldn't be that bad, unless she and Ed Fishman were already hooked up.
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[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 06:01 PM\'][quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 11:47 AM\'] I think it takes more than just a single talk show appearance and some obscure VO work to make a good host...besides, most kids' game shows feature young guys that are often barely into their 20s as host, as was the case w/Bob Bergen, who wound up hosting Jep!. [/quote]
Isn't Bergen doing obscure VO work now? Like VO5 commercials?
[/quote]
And is Bergen still the Disney Channel's main voice-over? (I admit that I don't watch it nowadays, so I wouldn't know off the bat, although Allyce Beasley's the Playhouse Disney block V/O.) He did the V/O for fX in their early "TV Made Fresh Daily" days and when Anne Sweeney left there for Disney, seemed to go with her.
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I think Bergen's doing the voice of Porky Pig; supposedly he did voiceovers
in "Looney Tunes - The Movie" last year....
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[quote name=\'rmfromfla\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 09:27 PM\'] I think Bergen's doing the voice of Porky Pig; supposedly he did voiceovers
in "Looney Tunes - The Movie" last year.... [/quote]
Bob Bergen IS Porky Pig. The one and only. Nobody else is ever called to do The Pig. (In much the same way, former "Couch Potatoes" sidekick and message-board fiend Joe Alaskey has a raft of former Blanc characters at his command, including Tweety, Sylvester, Daffy and Yosemite Sam.) Bergen did the voice in "Looney Tunes: Back In Action" which was a fine movie if you like those old toons and Jenna Elfman, not necessarily in that order.
I think Bergen did a rather fine job on JEP!, sort of different from his cartoon roles (he's been doing Porky since about 1991).
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And Bergen's other friend of his, David Sidoni was also born on March 8, but he's only 6 years younger than him, in fact he and Bergen both joining the March 8 birthday club along with their friends who were also born March 8 of their birthyears. And Sidoni did a very good hosting fashion on Wheel 2000(JEP!'s sister show) while married to Karen, but what's Karen's last name that Mr. Sidoni was married to? and did he work with Mr. Bergen when both him and Bergen went to Disney? and who plays The Animated Lucy on Wheel 2000?
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 07:03 PM\'] And Bergen's other friend of his, David Sidoni was also born on March 8, but he's only 6 years younger than him, in fact he and Bergen both joining the March 8 birthday club along with their friends who were also born March 8 of their birthyears. And Sidoni did a very good hosting fashion on Wheel 2000(JEP!'s sister show) while married to Karen, but what's Karen's last name that Mr. Sidoni was married to? and did he work with Mr. Bergen when both him and Bergen went to Disney? and who plays The Animated Lucy on Wheel 2000? [/quote]
Huh?
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[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 05:09 PM\'][quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 07:03 PM\'] And Bergen's other friend of his, David Sidoni was also born on March 8, but he's only 6 years younger than him, in fact he and Bergen both joining the March 8 birthday club along with their friends who were also born March 8 of their birthyears. And Sidoni did a very good hosting fashion on Wheel 2000(JEP!'s sister show) while married to Karen, but what's Karen's last name that Mr. Sidoni was married to? and did he work with Mr. Bergen when both him and Bergen went to Disney? and who plays The Animated Lucy on Wheel 2000? [/quote]
Huh?[/quote]
It's stream of unconsciousness.
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[quote name=\'irismason42\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 07:03 PM\'] And Sidoni did a very good hosting fashion on Wheel 2000(JEP!'s sister show) while married to Karen, but what's Karen's last name that Mr. Sidoni was married to? [/quote]
Going way out on a limb here, but considering she married David Sidoni, maybe Karen's last name is...uh...Sidoni?
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The voice of the animated Lucy on Wheel 2000 was Tamika Ray.
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[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 05:19 PM\'] Bob Bergen IS Porky Pig. [/quote]
Wait a minute. I thought Mel Blanc did the Looney Tunes voices.
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[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Jul 9 2004, 11:55 AM\'] [quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 05:19 PM\'] Bob Bergen IS Porky Pig. [/quote]
Wait a minute. I thought Mel Blanc did the Looney Tunes voices. [/quote]
Dave said "is," not "was." Mel Blanc did the voices until he passed away in 1989. Bob Bergen is the current voice of Porky Pig.
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[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Jul 9 2004, 08:55 AM\'] [quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 05:19 PM\'] Bob Bergen IS Porky Pig. [/quote]
Wait a minute. I thought Mel Blanc did the Looney Tunes voices. [/quote]
This just in: Two days hence will mark the 15th anniversary of his passing.
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[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 06:19 PM\'] ... (In much the same way, former "Couch Potatoes" sidekick and message-board fiend Joe Alaskey has a raft of former Blanc characters at his command, including Tweety, Sylvester, Daffy and Yosemite Sam.) Bergen did the voice in "Looney Tunes: Back In Action" ... [/quote]
Was Alaskey the voice of Daffy in Back in Action? I do recall Dee Bradley Baker (ObGS: Olmec) played the Daffster in Space Jam. Before that, Jeff Bergman was the first to succeed Blanc as the voice of Bugs, Daffy, et al. (Another ObGS: This distinction earned him a spot on TTTT90.)