Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour

[NickintheATL]

Either I missed something, or just am still unclear.  I still hear two different stories as to what's going on with the rights to this show.  I am not hopping and screaming for reruns on GSN, but still, it would be nice to see it.

I've heard that the Rayburn estate (all respect taken) could have a block on it, which is understandable, considering what Gene Wood has said (quote not necessary).

I have also heard that there are problems with Orion being defunct and something to do with MGM. As far as I understood, Orion was bought out by MGM and obtained everything in their library in any form.  But where a problem would be with those rights, I don't know, because GSN is running (for now) the first and most recent versions of HS.

So, what exactly is the deal here? Hopefully I can get some sense of closure on this issue like I've been trying to get for a long time.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

Nicholas J. Mooneyhan
http://mooneyhan2.home.comcast.net/tpir32/

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' date=\'Sep 12 2003, 12:25 AM\']

I have also heard that there are problems with Orion being defunct and something to do with MGM. As far as I understood, Orion was bought out by MGM and obtained everything in their library in any form.  But where a problem would be with those rights, I don't know, because GSN is running (for now) the first and most recent versions of HS.
 [/quote]
 King WOrld acquired the rights to produce the new Squares from MGM, but not the rights to air the back episodes of previous versions as reruns. GSN went through MGM to pick up the package of Marshall HS they did 18 months ago. If they wanted to pick up more Marshall HS, Davidson HS, or presumably MGHS, they'd have to go through MGM(ditto for Wink's High Rollers or any other existing Heatter-Quigley titles) However, Marshall HS seems to be leaving the GSN line-up for good, if Steve B. is correct and the Bergeron HS takes over the weekend time slot for Marshall HS.

[NickintheATL]

Can I have some other clarification on this please? (Not to doubt you Zach...)

[PeterMarshallFan]

AFAIK, the Rayburn thing is a rumor. After all, GSN aired Diamond Head Game after Eubanks called it \"a piece of cr@p.\" More likely it's the weird ownership status [2/3 belong to Fremantle, 1/3 presumably to MGM]