The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Jimmy Owen on June 19, 2005, 01:12:18 PM

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: Jimmy Owen on June 19, 2005, 01:12:18 PM

What a great first-time host.  Who knew TV's Tarzan would be such a great match on a music game show.  I wonder why he didn't get serious game show offers later.  Was it the Bert Parks backlash?

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: clemon79 on June 19, 2005, 02:11:14 PM

I didn't DESPISE Face The Music, but at the same time it was never close to being my favorite game show, either. I thought Ron was a competent host, but he often relied too much on crutches when he was running the game. ("What have you got, Player X?" comes immediately to mind.)

My apathy for the show, though, did come much more from the format than the host. Musically I'm pretty picky, and music game shows that play stuff outside of my area of interest (which was most of FTM's material) don't do much for me. If it wasn't for the great Tom Kennedy I wouldn't have really given a damn about Name That Tune, and I HATED the Lange version.

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: Don Howard on June 19, 2005, 02:52:30 PM

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 19 2005, 01:11 PM\']If it wasn't for the great Tom Kennedy I wouldn't have really given a damn about Name That Tune, and I HATED the Lange version.

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Wonder why Tom wasn't considered for the 1984 version. Tom said he wasn't even asked. He told me this directly at Mecca last summer which makes it the most reliable source possible (unless you don't trust me).

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: whewfan on June 19, 2005, 03:33:22 PM

I always liked FTM. The concept of identifying a song with a famous person, place, or whatever was pretty clever. FTM is definitely a game show you can do a "drinking game" to...

1 drink when
A contestant rings in with "I'VE GOT IT!"
Lisa sings
The lights where Ron enters are either out of sync, or not working
Ron pokes fun at Tommy Oliver or the band
A contestant sings his/her response
Ron bellows YOU ARE RIGHT!

2 drinks when
The band plays a song WAAAY out of tune.
A contestant wins 10 games

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: clemon79 on June 19, 2005, 04:36:23 PM

Wow.

Anyone watching the show closely enough to notice some of that stuff SHOULD be drinking alcohol.

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: uncamark on June 20, 2005, 06:08:28 PM

There is an element around here that likes "FTM" as a so-bad-it's-good show.  It's a cute idea, but it just wasn't executed that well.  Ely was only a mediocre host, the contestants were always the over-caffinated types that Ray Horl loved and the tackiness of the band and set has been brought up time and time again.  As a time-waster, it was OK.  But there were better shows in 1980 (or even in its 80s and 90s cable repeats).

That said, the basic concept is still good enough that I'd like to see someone try it again.  I think that if properly executed, it could work.  If what Randy said on another thread is correct, it may help if it is assured that Mr. Frank is either deceased or kept far, far away from production.

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: zachhoran on June 20, 2005, 06:59:55 PM

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 19 2005, 03:36 PM\']Wow.

Anyone watching the show closely enough to notice some of that stuff SHOULD be drinking alcohol.

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This thread reminds me of Troy Diggs, in the early days of ATGS, doing FtM rerun summaries when it ran on FAM in 1995.

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: ChuckNet on June 21, 2005, 07:55:40 PM

I think FtM's gotten a bad rap among some because of its overall low-budget feel (and to Chris, as a diehard fan, I noticed everything Matt mentioned in his earlier post...LOL). However, the whole "campiness" of the show, combined w/its generally unpredictable nature, has sort of made it a cult fave among those like me who love it...IMO, the screw-ups that they couldn't afford to edit out were kinda part of its charm, as was illustrated in that "Modern Maj. Gen." clip on Lisa Donovan's website.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: clemon79 on June 21, 2005, 08:21:21 PM

Fair enough. I TOTALLY understand the "so bad it's good" thing - after all, I was on the Iron Chef bandwagon well before it was on Food Network - but I got the vibe that people were arguing that the show was actually pretty good on it's own merit. And it just wasn't. :)

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: jmangin on June 22, 2005, 09:00:13 AM

Is it wrong that I still hum the "picture music" whenever I go through my family photo albums? :)

Title: Ron Ely
Post by: ChuckNet on June 22, 2005, 07:38:47 PM

Quote

Is it wrong that I still hum the "picture music" whenever I go through my family photo albums? :)

Do you also look at it again a few minutes later and say "let's have one more look at those faces"? :-D

Chuck Donegan (The FtM-Loving "Chuckie Baby")