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Just looking through the thread of "newscasters as game show hosts" got me thinking.The consensus I have read as far as Wally Bruner's WML? hosting skill is that he did an acceptable job and got better as he went along. My question: If Bruner had not been considered or was unavailable..Who would have been a good replacement for John Charles Daly?
Tim Lones
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Just about anybody on the normal side of Chuck Barris. More to the point, somebody who could have fun with a simple game, banter with the panelists (Bruner's weak point), know when to put the contestant right with his yes/no answers, and conduct reasonably good interviews (while, in the case of the Bruner version, being fit enough to participate in demonstrations). Actually, I think Robert Earle of GE College Bowl might have done pretty well (and was Password off CBS by that time? Would Ludden have been available?)
And here's a weird thought ... what if they had "promoted" Bennett Cerf to host?
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It's unlikely they would've gotten Bennett to host. Bennett Cerf was showing signs of age when WML returned, and I don't believe he appeared regularly. He was still in good form as a panelist, but surely a younger man would've been prefered to host.
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[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Jan 15 2005, 02:07 PM\']Just about anybody on the normal side of Chuck Barris. More to the point, somebody who could have fun with a simple game, banter with the panelists (Bruner's weak point), know when to put the contestant right with his yes/no answers, and conduct reasonably good interviews (while, in the case of the Bruner version, being fit enough to participate in demonstrations). Actually, I think Robert Earle of GE College Bowl might have done pretty well (and was Password off CBS by that time? Would Ludden have been available?)
And here's a weird thought ... what if they had "promoted" Bennett Cerf to host?
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I'm not sure where Earle was in his teaching career at the time (he was a professor at Cornell when I was there from 1980-1984). If he was a full professor at the time, I doubt he could have done that, College Bowl, and five episodes a week of WML?.
I had thought of Ludden as well, but he and Betty White had moved to California the year before and I doubt he'd want to commute back.
My first thought would have been Garry Moore -- in fact, WML? might have been better suited to him than To Tell the Truth. Gene Rayburn could have done it as well.
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I liked Wally on WML? and he even got me to watch his home improvement show. I'm also a Larry Blyden and John Charles Daly fan so just about any ep of WML? is a great viewing experience for me. As far as people in NY without a gig in 68 who might have been available, I guess Bud Collyer could have done it for one year, Jack Narz would have been good, Robert Q, Bill Leyden, etc.
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I'd definitely go with Robert Q. (though he was quite tough to work with, according to most backstage accounts)... after doing panel show time on "The Name's the Same" and some relief stints on TTTT, I think he'd have been well-suited for the show.
I don't think Allen Ludden wouldn't have done as well on WML?, though-- you can see from watching him that he wasn't a particularly good listener at times, and I think WML? really requires that.
-Kevin
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Jan 15 2005, 10:18 PM\']I'm not sure where Earle was in his teaching career at the time (he was a professor at Cornell when I was there from 1980-1984). If he was a full professor at the time, I doubt he could have done that, College Bowl, and five episodes a week of WML?.
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Robert Earle did have a hosting gig in the 70's - an educational show called "Your Future Is Now." I don't remember how often or where it aired.
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[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jan 16 2005, 05:20 AM\'][quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Jan 15 2005, 10:18 PM\']I'm not sure where Earle was in his teaching career at the time (he was a professor at Cornell when I was there from 1980-1984). If he was a full professor at the time, I doubt he could have done that, College Bowl, and five episodes a week of WML?.
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Robert Earle did have a hosting gig in the 70's - an educational show called "Your Future Is Now." I don't remember how often or where it aired.
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Norton Simon tried to get him back to game shows in the mid 70s with that "King of the Hill" pilot on the trading circuit.
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Was John Charles Daly ever considered to host the revival?
-Joe R.
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I liked Wally on WML? and he even got me to watch his home improvement show.
In fact, he returned to WML during the Blyden era as a Mystery Guest, and took the op to plug his Wally's Workshop book, a tie-in from said show.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'Jan 16 2005, 09:39 PM\']Was John Charles Daly ever considered to host the revival?
-Joe R.
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At the end of CBS WML? in 1967, Daly was Hired at Voice Of America In Washington where he was for several years. I had heard he wasnt overly fond of the revival and the somewhat "looser" atmosphere and, as he was getting up in age, I would suspect he didnt want the long days associated with 5 shows a day taping.
Tim Lones
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[quote name=\'Tim L\' date=\'Jan 16 2005, 11:07 PM\'][quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'Jan 16 2005, 09:39 PM\']Was John Charles Daly ever considered to host the revival?
-Joe R.
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At the end of CBS WML? in 1967, Daly was Hired at Voice Of America In Washington where he was for several years. I had heard he wasnt overly fond of the revival and the somewhat "looser" atmosphere and, as he was getting up in age, I would suspect he didnt want the long days associated with 5 shows a day taping.
Tim Lones
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John did come back to co-host the 25th anniversary special on ABC, which pretty much ignored the syndicated years. I thought that was somewhat odd, but maybe they didn't want to promote a show that might have been airing on the competition. We'll soon be nearing the 30th anniversary of the 25th anniversary special.
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In fact, he returned to WML during the Blyden era as a Mystery Guest, and took the op to plug his Wally's Workshop book, a tie-in from said show.
And oddly enough, Larry Blyden was a Mystery Guest during the Bruner era!
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Surprised no one has mentioned my man Bill. The best there was had panel experience, was still in NYC and could easily have worked his schedule around Eye Guess. TTTT was just a year later, so it would seem Goodson didn't hold any grudges when it came to Bill working for Bob Stewart. Plus, I know Bill was seriously considered to host the syndicated revival of TPIR just a couple years later. (Which was supposed to be the important one, remember? The daytime version with that Truth or Consequences guy was almost an afterthought.)
There would have been obstacles, since the syndicated version of WML? had a lot more physical demonstrations, but nothing that couldn't have been overcome.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jan 17 2005, 01:26 PM\']Surprised no one has mentioned my man Bill. The best there was had panel experience, was still in NYC and could easily have worked his schedule around Eye Guess. TTTT was just a year later, so it would seem Goodson didn't hold any grudges when it came to Bill working for Bob Stewart. Plus, I know Bill was seriously considered to host the syndicated revival of TPIR just a couple years later. (Which was supposed to be the important one, remember? The daytime version with that Truth or Consequences guy was almost an afterthought.)
There would have been obstacles, since the syndicated version of WML? had a lot more physical demonstrations, but nothing that couldn't have been overcome.
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Actually, Bill Cullen was one of the first ones I thought of as host. I think he would have shied away from the demonstrations for ther most part, perhaps the more strenuous ones at least
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Of course, Bill would be great, that probably goes without saying. Veering from WML, but still in the realm of panel shows, before IGAS came back in 72, G-T took out a trade ad announcing that Art Linkletter had been tapped as host, I don't know what happened between that announcement and the launch, but Steve was back for the syndie, as we all know. Sure would like to see Bill's IGAS '76. I was only able to see glimpses of it during commercial breaks on "Happy Days." (We only had one TV at the time and the majority wanted to see da Fonz.)
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At the risk of having a certain car following me with it's lights off next time I drive through East Lansing, I can't quite see Bill at the helm of WML, even in a slightly looser format. John Daly could be a bit of a prig behind that smile, unlike Bill. With a glittering panel of urbane folks with active egos, someone had to be able to keep things in control. John could and would assert himself firmly if someone was out of line, verbally slicing any ham into small chunks if needed. Just my opinion, but with a show that has both an image of decorum and celebrities who might forget their parts and disrupt the game by going for extra attention, the host better have a stiletto behind his grin. Even Blyden seemed like a guy you wouldn't want to cross. Bill is a pal, and it will be hard for him to stay out of pixie mode. His "anything for fun" personality could pull attention away from the contestant and the panel. As a panelist, that minute of sparkle during his turn is always fun to watch. This could be one of the few shows that might not work for him.
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Gil Fates decided to focus on the original series for the 25th anniversary special to keep the emphasis on the many famous people who appeared on that version. It wasn't to slight the revamped version, but to put on what people hadn't seen since the original airings.
And there is the story that during a runthrough, when some techs or stagehands were being a little too loud in backstage chatter, Blyden stopped the runthrough and shouted, "If what you are doing is more important than what we are doing out here, please share it with us!" Yeah, he had that ability to cut off an ego.
And remember, Daly got at the studio every Sunday night after 10 and left at 11:05 for Toots Shor's. Even if he didn't have the VOA gig, he wouldn't want to get caught up in a strip five-in-a-day schedule.