The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: tvrandywest on August 24, 2004, 09:30:56 PM
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Part time game show host Regis Philbin just stole the crown for most hours on television (network and local both count) from Hugh Downs. I never thought anyone would ever surpass all of Downs' years of the Today Show, Tonight Show, Concentration, etc.
I've heard that Carson is now perhaps third on the list, but where is the WGMC in all of this? Over 5,000 hours of TPiR added to Barker's total on Truth or Consequences should make for a tidy total. Any info? Lord knows they could always use another excuse for a primetime special ;-)
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 08:30 PM\'] Lord knows they could always use another excuse for a primetime special ;-) [/quote]
I can envision it now...
"Here it comes! From the Bob Barker Studio in Hollywood! Television's most exciting week of fantastic prizes! It's the record-breaking Get Bob The Record Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular!"
And they STILL won't be able to give away the million.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 09:30 PM\'] I've heard that Carson is now perhaps third on the list, but where is the WGMC in all of this? Over 5,000 hours of TPiR added to Barker's total on Truth or Consequences should make for a tidy total. Any info? Lord knows they could always use another excuse for a primetime special ;-) [/quote]
I know I already whined about this in another thread, but it's an interesting topic to me.
Bob's not really close to the numbers that Regis and Downs claim. Even with about eighteen seasons of Truth or Consequences, that's only around 2,250 hours. Add that to no more than 6,000 TPIR hours and you're barely halfway to Regis' claim.
Hey, this guy (http://\"http://www.johncremeans.com/\") has more TV hours logged than Barker, and he's MY age!
Carson's got to be up there, though even with thirty years of Tonight to his credit, he was down to three-hour work weeks for the last decade or so. Network morning hosts log a ton of hours every week. Joan Lunden did daytime about as long as anybody, though Katie Couric shows no sign of stopping and she often puts in fifteen hours a week with the added Today hour each day.
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Bob was on some other game shows quite a bit though. He was on the 70's MG, as well as Tattletales. I don't know if that adds a whole lot though.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 09:27 PM\'] Bob was on some other game shows quite a bit though. He was on the 70's MG, as well as Tattletales. I don't know if that adds a whole lot though. [/quote]
You fail to see the point AGAIN. So he made a couple of appearances as host of "Tattletales" or whatever. That whole hour will make a HUGE dent in Regis' stat column.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 10:27 PM\'] Bob was on some other game shows quite a bit though. He was on the 70's MG, as well as Tattletales. I don't know if that adds a whole lot though. [/quote]
I know thinking isn't the first thing that occurs to you before you post, but if you did, you'd realize that one week of guest appearances adds a whopping 2.5 hours to the total. When we're talking about thousands and thousands of hours, guest appearances are all but insignificant.
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True, but he was on MG a number of times.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 09:35 PM\'] True, but he was on MG a number of times. [/quote]
OK. What in the world are you smoking?
but if you did, you'd realize that one week of guest appearances adds a whopping 2.5 hours to the total.
AFAIK, he appeared on MG 3 times, maybe 4. 4 weeks of appearances is TEN HOURS. And before you ask, his appearances on CNN don't add much substance either.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 09:35 PM\'] True, but he was on MG a number of times. [/quote]
Before you lay your head down to sleep tonight, you need to thank the dear Lord that I don't have the keys to the Isolation Booth.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 10:35 PM\'] True, but he was on MG a number of times. [/quote]
Somebody else make the noise, I don't have it in me anymore tonight.
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 07:35 PM\'] True, but he was on MG a number of times. [/quote]
Wow! 12 hours!
Gawd, you just don't get it! The freakin' MODERATORS are ridiculing you now! TAKE A HINT.
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Hugh Downs (http://\"http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/29258.htm\"), while congratulating Regis, apparently thinks the whole thing's bunk anyway.
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[quote name=\'drmusic_99\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 10:30 PM\'] Hugh Downs (http://\"http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/29258.htm\"), while congratulating Regis, apparently thinks the whole thing's bunk anyway. [/quote]
What about Hugh's former assistant Paola Diva....um, I mean Barbara Walters? She did Today for about the same # of years, 20/20 for the about the same # of years, anchored the evening news for a couple, did various specials and continues a few days a week on "The View" (which I realize no one here has ever watched due to loyalty to TPIR.)
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 12:08 AM\'] What about Hugh's former assistant Paola Diva....um, I mean Barbara Walters? She did Today for about the same # of years, 20/20 for the about the same # of years, anchored the evening news for a couple, did various specials and continues a few days a week on "The View" (which I realize no one here has ever watched due to loyalty to TPIR.) [/quote]
Hugh apparently gets credit for the years he spent with Jack Paar, and that was back when the show went on forever. Still, Babs actually did Today a lot longer than Hugh did, and she's been adding hours every week while Hugh is basking in the Arizona sun. That again makes me wonder who's keeping score, and whether that person has actually considered all the possibilities.
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Also, I think if you add the actual on camera time instead of logging hours that a person was "on" tv you would have a different leader.
For instance, although Katie Couric is on the "Today" Show and it runs for three hours daily-Katie Couric's not on camera a full three hours.
Taking that scenario in account, Regis' on camera time is far below others.
Besides its quality as opposed to quantity that counts to me.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 09:25 PM\']
Bob's not really close to the numbers that Regis and Downs claim. Even with about eighteen seasons of Truth or Consequences, that's only around 2,250 hours. Add that to no more than 6,000 TPIR hours and you're barely halfway to Regis' claim.
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How many hours do you think Cullen logged(including his decade-plus stint as a regular IGAS panelist and almost decade as a TTTT panelist, and his non-GS radio and TV work if you want). Would it be as much as the 8000-9000 hours Barker has logged?
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 09:10 AM\'] How many hours do you think Cullen logged(including his decade-plus stint as a regular IGAS panelist and almost decade as a TTTT panelist, and his non-GS radio and TV work if you want). Would it be as much as the 8000-9000 hours Barker has logged? [/quote]
Well, I wouldn't count his radio work in this discussion anyway. But no, Bill's contributions to television, vast as they were, happened a half hour at a time. Even though he often had two or three shows going at the same time, he still couldn't hope to rack up the hours that people with 60, 90 and 120 minute shows have logged. My guess is the 6000 hour range for Bill, and even that might be way too generous.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Aug 24 2004, 11:15 PM\']
Hugh apparently gets credit for the years he spent with Jack Paar, and that was back when the show went on forever. [/quote]
Wasn't Paar's show, like, two hours long? It astounds me that people would stay up that long. I remember the 90-minute Carson show, but being a mere pup at the time I never made it to the end.
Can anyone offer a brief chronology of Downs' career? Which show came first? Was he doing "Today," "Tonight" and "Concentration" all at once? That sounds crazy.
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He started in Chicago, working on "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" and the soap "Hawkins Falls" as announcer, I believe. To New York for "Your Show of Shows" He then worked with Arlene Francis on her NBC daytime shows. Tonight with Jack Parr from late 50's until Carson. "Concentration" 58-69. "Today" 62-71. 20/20 78-2000. Not generally included in the totals is his work on Barbara Walters syndicated "Not For Women Only," PBS's "Over Easy" and "Live from Lincoln Center."
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Thanks. I suppose it would have been "Kukla, Fran, Ollie and Hugh." He must have been the Neil Young of his era.
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 01:38 PM\']Thanks. I suppose it would have been "Kukla, Fran, Ollie and Hugh."[/quote]
No, that's "Cuckoo, Friend, Ollie, and You."
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Just a quick question concerning Regis' record. Are they counting the infomercials he has done over time as well, and how many times they have aired across the country, and the globe maybe? Just wondering
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I don't count infomercials for anything other than a useless genre of TV. I don't think they would either. Look at it this way, how are they going to possibly count every single time an infomercial is played on every local station on the US, or the world even!?!??
Geez, I second everyone else, please put a little thought in before you post!
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No need to snipe, was just wondering. I didn't think they would either, but I was just making sure.
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[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 02:50 PM\'] Geez, I second everyone else, please put a little thought in before you post! [/quote]
How about you think before insulting someone? I'm sure you wouldn't like it happening to you. Infomercials are a part of TV, and it was a valid question.
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Besides, I'm sure if we counted infomercials, either Carleton Sheets or Ron Popeil would beat Regis.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 04:41 PM\'] Besides, I'm sure if we counted infomercials, either Carleton Sheets or Ron Popeil would beat Regis. [/quote]
Not to mention infomercials would probably blow someone's hours off the chart. With the number of commercial U.S. stations, plus the amount they set aside for infomercials, yeah....That's a LOT of airtime.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 03:41 PM\'] Besides, I'm sure if we counted infomercials, either Carleton Sheets or Ron Popeil would beat Regis. [/quote]
Who is Carleton Sheets?
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Adam's question made sense, but I think counting infomercials would be a bit more difficult, considering how often they're aired and re-aired, and the number of stations, like Aaron said. How would you know when Ronco is airing a new infomercial or not?
Of course, if infomercials WERE to be counted, I think Peter Tomarken and Jim Caldwell could sneak into the Top 5. ;-)
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[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 04:16 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 03:41 PM\'] Besides, I'm sure if we counted infomercials, either Carleton Sheets or Ron Popeil would beat Regis. [/quote]
Who is Carleton Sheets?[/quote]
Real estate hustler and infomercial star. That's all you need to know.
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OK, I apologize, but my statement about the infomercials still stands.
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 04:43 PM\'] [quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 04:16 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 03:41 PM\'] Besides, I'm sure if we counted infomercials, either Carleton Sheets or Ron Popeil would beat Regis. [/quote]
Who is Carleton Sheets?[/quote]
Real estate hustler and infomercial star. That's all you need to know. [/quote]
Obgameshow: Peter Marshall and, in one of his very last TV gigs, Art Fleming, hosted some early infomercials(circa late 80s) featuring Sheets and his supposed get rich quick real estate home course.
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[quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 03:40 PM\'] [quote name=\'NicholasM79\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 02:50 PM\'] Geez, I second everyone else, please put a little thought in before you post! [/quote]
How about you think before insulting someone? I'm sure you wouldn't like it happening to you. Infomercials are a part of TV, and it was a valid question. [/quote]
Ah, so we find out who adamjk's bowling buddy is. Maybe if your friend had an ounce of common sense, people wouldn't be so hard on him. Nick, you had nothing to apologize for.
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Actually, I agree with Brandon that Adam asked a valid question for a change. Moreover, I'm not sure why it would be so difficult to count infomercials. If Alex Trebek hosts a specific episode of Jeopardy! that airs on two hundred different stations at various times, we don't say that he hosted for one hundred hours. (Yes, I know it's not exactly two hundred stations. Be quiet, Zach & Co.) However, I do agree that infomercials are, well, the creme de la crap of television -- so I don't know that I'd want to count them.
It's been a long time since I've watched any significant portion of an infomercial -- am I missing something?
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[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Aug 25 2004, 06:42 PM\']
It's been a long time since I've watched any significant portion of an infomercial -- am I missing something? [/quote]
Unless you like the smell of evaporating brain cells, then, no.
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I can put an end to this infomercial question fairly quickly. If reruns of ANY sort counted, then the all-time champ would be someone like Lucille Ball. Regis (or anyone else) probably gets credit for the real time of the infomercial itself, not for every single time the same silly thing airs. Still, like guest appearances on game shows, it can't possibly add more than a few hours to his total.