Author Topic: $ale Questions (Read 3927 times)

golden-road · « **on:** March 07, 2006, 12:37:00 PM »

I was watching the Mark DeCarlo clips on YouTube, and I had some questions, about the episode and in general. I would like to warn you, you may want to prepare the TTD'90/Free-4-All/CS2001/Chamber Chamber/Room. It's not my intent to be sent there, but I'm packing a bag just in case.

1. In the segment where DeCarlo actually won the $50,000, he, Perry, and his family entered the showroom, where he earned his case o' cash. From all the clips I saw on thebestgs.net, when a player won the lot/$50K, they got their case, then there was a commercial, then a tally of the winnings. Was this a special occassion?

2. How long into the Winner's Board era was this episode shown? I know the date was April 8th, 1985, but when did the shopping end and the Board begin?

3. From all the pics of the case o' cash I've seen, it looks like it was made of glass. Was it, or was it plastic?

4. In regards to the above, I also remember seeing the case on Scrabble. Why was it there, and was $ale mentioned?

5. Also on the Mark DeCarlo episode, I saw a tie for an Instant Bargain, and the player got $1500 plus the item. My question is, what was the most expensive IB offered, and what was the most money offered as far as both bribes & Sale Surprises?

Thanks for all the help.

Adam Nedeff · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2006, 02:49:20 PM »

[quote name=\'golden-road\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 12:37 PM\']4. In regards to the above, I also remember seeing the case on Scrabble. Why was it there, and was $ale mentioned?

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Both shows were Reg Grundy Productions and it was easy to share. No mention was ever made on either show because admitting your show shares its props makes it look MUCH cheaper than you'd want it too. ("Hi, folks, I'm Gene Rayburn welcoming you to the 1985 version of Break the Bank! Contestants, take your place in front of the backdrop that was on the edges of the Hot Potato set before it was cancelled. Later, one of our couples will have a chance to spin the number jumbler from the 21 pilot, so stay tuned!")

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5. Also on the Mark DeCarlo episode, I saw a tie for an Instant Bargain, and the player got $1500 plus the item. My question is, what was the most expensive IB offered, and what was the most money offered as far as both bribes & Sale Surprises?

Largest I saw for a bribe was $2000 (Jim really cranked up the incentive if the contestant was playing for the entire showroom plus the jackpot that day.)

Don Howard · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2006, 02:55:42 PM »

[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 02:49 PM\'][quote name=\'golden-road\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 12:37 PM\']4. In regards to the above, I also Both shows were Reg Grundy Productions and it was easy to share. No mention was ever made on either show because admitting your show shares its props makes it look MUCH cheaper than you'd want it to.

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That didn't stop Chuck Woolery near the end of Scrabble's tournament of champions in the autumn of 1984. Chuck did say, "We're borrowing this from $ale of the Century" while holding the transparent briefcase. That was the tourney where the top prize began at $35000 and went up $500 per blue square and $1000 per pink square if the word was solved on it.

PYLclark86 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2006, 05:36:24 PM »

[quote name=\'golden-road\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 01:37 PM\']1. In the segment where DeCarlo actually won the $50,000, he, Perry, and his family entered the showroom, where he earned his case o' cash. From all the clips I saw on thebestgs.net, when a player won the lot/$50K, they got their case, then there was a commercial, then a tally of the winnings. Was this a special occassion?

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This isn't the only time that they announced the prizes immediately after the speed round. They did it for Alice Conkwright's big win on the syndie version. On hers, Perry made a note that all of the prizes were brand new and that she hadn't seen any of them.

zachhoran · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2006, 07:44:07 PM »

[quote name=\'golden-road\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 12:37 PM\']

2. How long into the Winner's Board era was this episode shown? I know the date was April 8th, 1985, but when did the shopping end and the Board begin?

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Shopping ended on the daytime version in Fall 1984, not sure of the exact date.

zachhoran · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2006, 07:47:40 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Mar 7 2006, 02:55 PM\']
That didn't stop Chuck Woolery near the end of Scrabble's tournament of champions in the autumn of 1984. Chuck did say, "We're borrowing this from $ale of the Century" while holding the transparent briefcase. That was the tourney where the top prize began at $35000 and went up $500 per blue square and $1000 per pink square if the word was solved on it.

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One of the two issues of 1987's short-lived TV Game $how Fever magazine showed a pic of the champ from this February 1985 tournament holding the $ale briefcase with the $51K he won in the Scrabble tourney.