Author Topic: Hope you enjoyed Password (Read 16875 times)

davemackey · « **on:** September 11, 2006, 04:02:28 AM »

As many had suspected, the Password that GSN aired last night was from the early 70's run with guests Jack Klugman and Brett Somers.

Now, I know there were bugs and credit squeezes, but please let's be thankful that GSN gave us this rare gift.

whewfan · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2006, 05:25:03 AM »

If anyone has that on tape (OR DVD) email me!

cweaver · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2006, 05:32:42 AM »

[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'130998\' date=\'Sep 11 2006, 03:02 AM\']
As many had suspected, the Password that GSN aired last night was from the early 70's run with guests Jack Klugman and Brett Somers.
[/quote]

Yep, very thrilled to see this. This is how I first saw Password, on ABC with the orange set and the keyboard theme heard on the first Game Show Themes CD. I never thought I would see one of these again and now I have one on DVD to treasure.

This appears to be one of the very earliest ABC shows, as Allen says, after reading the Funk and Wagnalls plug, that he's not used to reading that spiel yet. (Later in the series it would switch to Merriam Webster, if I'm recalling right, and he would end it by saying "Where the words live.")

Wow, Jack Klugman was a pretty sharp Password player. At the time of this show, Brett was apparently still mostly known as Mrs. Klugman and, disappointingly, is on her best behavior.

You may notice something about the soundtrack, having a slightly distorted, hollow sound to it. That's both a nostalgic treat and a clue as to where this tape came from. It's how network shows sounded in the pre-satellite days when they came down on long distance phone lines. So this apparently is an air check or line check quite possibly from an ABC affiliate. Had GSN not squeezed the credits you very likely would've heard the ABC announcer plug, say, Bewitched, The Mod Squad, Marcus Welby M.D. or any other number of fine period ABC programs.

Chief-O · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2006, 07:11:41 AM »

Sadly, I missed the intro [my tape lacks the first 3 min.] but I thought it was interesting. Not much change to the game-the [IIRC] doubler word after the lightning round was all I noticed. Otherwise, it was cool seeing the orange set, and hearing the synth theme. To be honest, though, I was hoping to see a post-"All Stars" era ep, but this one was indeed a treat.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2006, 07:57:35 AM »

As Jamie said in another thread, this episode's from October of '73. Even given the time they've been on at that point, it seems like the wacky new directing hadn't yet been perfected. I was trying to look up Steve Beverly's extensive tribute to "Password" because I think it had a blurb about them changing dictionaries or whatever partway through the run, accounting for Allen's uncomfort with a new plug. I even want to say they had Reason A. Goodwin back with them at the beginning.

-Jason

mmb5 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:03:16 AM »

I thought it was from 1973 (specifically 10/23/73). Who knew Prince was still a regional brand in 1973?

--Mike

Chelsea Thrasher · « **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:09:35 AM »

I sincerely enjoyed this episode. Being one of the board young'ins, I was, oh, 10-15 years shy of getting to see this version in original broadcast, and with the tape status of the series being the way it is, the only episode I'd ever gotten to see was the finale, via trading, several years ago. Until last night, I'd never seen an orange-set episode.

Wow. (Good wow.) True shame this version is by and large no longer with us, as I genuinely enjoyed last night's episode, and would love to see this run.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #7 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:14:29 AM »

And a treat it was! (The episode, not the Prince spaghetti.)

Didn't they make a rule at some point against, uh, gesturing? Jack. Dude. This isn't Showoffs.

The thing I noticed most was how damn short those games were. Yeah, get a bunch of tough words and a couple of well-matched players and it might take 9 rounds (and 30 clues) to win, but that seems a pretty unlikely possibility. Your fifteen minutes of game-show fame might really only be three or four. I adore Password and I'll take any chance to see it I can get, but, wow, this aspect is one where I think I prefer Plus and Super.

tvwxman · « **Reply #8 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:22:59 AM »

Disclaimer : this is the first time i've seen this version of PW in 30 years. And I was 3 back then.

I always thought the player won $250 for the game, and then new money was bet in the lightning round? The third player won $250 in the bonus, then lost $150 in the betting word, for a champions grand total of $100.

Not very fair, I think....but that's just me. Seems like the ABC-budget was a lot less than the CBS years...

mystery7 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:40:03 AM »

Wow...seeing Jack and Brett was indeed a treat worth firing up the VCR for (yes, I still record with one). It's almost amusing to see how little Password had changed in its 4-year hiatus - except for the doubling word and a new set and music, everything else was the same right down to the font used for the words.

My only real nit with GSN's presentation is that maybe, just maybe, they should have flopped the order of the shows. It was nice to go back to 1967, but after something so rare as an ABC episode it was kind of a letdown. I'd have rather they built up to the real surprise. But still and all, good show.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:46:15 AM »

Quote

Yep, very thrilled to see this. This is how I first saw Password, on ABC with the orange set and the keyboard theme heard on the first Game Show Themes CD. I never thought I would see one of these again and now I have one on DVD to treasure.

Same here. I grew up watching this version at lunchtime, and had no idea there was a previous CBS version! This was how I remember first seeing it.

(Disclaimer: I haven't seen it yet - since I don't have GSN, I have to wait for the trade tape I arranged to arrive in a week or so!)

Quote

You may notice something about the soundtrack, having a slightly distorted, hollow sound to it. That's both a nostalgic treat and a clue as to where this tape came from. It's how network shows sounded in the pre-satellite days when they came down on long distance phone lines. So this apparently is an air check or line check quite possibly from an ABC affiliate. Had GSN not squeezed the credits you very likely would've heard the ABC announcer plug, say, Bewitched, The Mod Squad, Marcus Welby M.D. or any other number of fine period ABC programs.

$20,000 Pyramid must have been fed the same way. Some of the episodes GSN ran had a "muddy" look to them.
Hearing the announcers plug upcoming shows is one thing I get a kick out of. It was neat when GSN was running the CBS Joker's Wild a few years ago - occasionally there'd be a "stay tuned for The New Price is Right; or $10,000 Pyramid" plug slip through.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2006, 08:53:34 AM »

Since I won't be able to see this episode for a few days, one question: were the rules the same as the CBS version in that if you lost you got another chance with the other celebrity, or once you lost one game were you out?

opimus · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2006, 09:35:24 AM »

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'131015\' date=\'Sep 11 2006, 07:53 AM\']
Since I won't be able to see this episode for a few days, one question: were the rules the same as the CBS version in that if you lost you got another chance with the other celebrity, or once you lost one game were you out?
[/quote]
You lose you're out.

BobbyLankford_83 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2006, 10:08:29 AM »

That episode of Password with Brett and Jack was great! It was cool to see a rare ABC Password. Who knows?. Maybe there's more ABC episodes out there, but they were taped over for other shows mainly Family Feud.

ChuckNet · « **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2006, 10:47:06 AM »

And as luck would have it, I forgot to set my VCR. :-( AGTOD?

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Author Topic: Hope you enjoyed Password (Read 16875 times)

cweaver

opimus

BobbyLankford_83