Author Topic: 50th Anniversary of Concentration will be this year (Read 15589 times)

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #45 on:** August 01, 2008, 08:55:16 PM »

I hear ya. Another thing is that back in the day when there were only three channels, game shows were the closest thing to something kids could watch. Today grandparents taking care of their daughter's children or day care providers have the option of kid channels, GSN or Barney DVDs.

DrBear · « **Reply #46 on:** August 02, 2008, 12:24:53 PM »

Yup, the basic idea was that June Cleaver could vacuum in pearls and keep an eye on the games until about noon, when she'd have a slimming lunch, then relax with The Secret Storm until the Beaver and Wally came home.

In a way, I'm glad those days are gone...but it would be nice to have more than two or three game shows during the day for those days when I'm home.

/beginning a stay-cation week Wednesday
//Other than TPIR and Family Feud, not a thing locally until Millionaire at 4:30.
///Stay off my lawn and get me another bottle of Moxie

dale_grass · « **Reply #47 on:** August 02, 2008, 02:14:33 PM »

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'193138\' date=\'Aug 2 2008, 11:24 AM\']
... relax with The Secret Storm until the Beaver and Wally came home.
[/quote]

Coincidentally, the "plot" of Naughty Neighbors #23.

clemon79 · « **Reply #48 on:** August 02, 2008, 02:28:14 PM »

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'193138\' date=\'Aug 2 2008, 09:24 AM\']
///Stay off my lawn and get me another bottle of Moxie[/quote]
http://zone.msn.com/en/general/article/mox...p_CnE_headline2

Approves

Esoteric Eric · « **Reply #49 on:** August 02, 2008, 03:54:37 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'193146\' date=\'Aug 2 2008, 11:28 AM\']
[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'193138\' date=\'Aug 2 2008, 09:24 AM\']
///Stay off my lawn and get me another bottle of Moxie[/quote][/quote]The Splendid Splinter approves.
/Mom loved Teddy Ballgame.
//And Concentration.
///And Scrabble, though she never saw it played "quite like this."
////And my Dad, or my post count would be much lower.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #50 on:** August 10, 2008, 02:05:34 PM »

Quote

It's more of a problem that the daytime audience has changed. A lot of women go to work outside the home now. Even in the halcyon days, game shows were designed to be on in the background while housework was being done. For the most part, the ladies didn't actually sit down and watch the shows, but were able to listen to them while folding laundry, doing dishes, etc.

I guess that's why on many of these shows during the '70s, the contestants were primarily women, because there weren't that many men at home to watch. Notice how that changed by the late '80s on shows like Card Sharks (more men contestants towards the end) and Price is Right.

/I think I'll go watch Bewitched now

MrBuddwing · « **Reply #51 on:** August 25, 2008, 06:29:45 AM »

Just reviving this thread to wish "Concentration" a happy anniversary, 50 years to the day after its debut on NBC.

I remain fascinated by Two Inch Quad's report that NBC actually held onto its copies this show. Some episodes are at the Library of Congress, most apparently are at NBC, and I'm still wondering if they'll ever see the light of day again.

I'm sure we all remember BritGirl57's semi-successful effort to obtain her father's appearance on the show. At considerable expense, she did acquire a copy from the LoC, but it only contained the first part of her father's gameplay.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #52 on:** August 25, 2008, 08:33:04 AM »

[quote name=\'MrBuddwing\' post=\'195086\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 06:29 AM\']
Just reviving this thread to wish "Concentration" a happy anniversary, 50 years to the day after its debut on NBC.

I remain fascinated by Two Inch Quad's report that NBC actually held onto its copies this show. Some episodes are at the Library of Congress, most apparently are at NBC, and I'm still wondering if they'll ever see the light of day again.

I'm sure we all remember BritGirl57's semi-successful effort to obtain her father's appearance on the show. At considerable expense, she did acquire a copy from the LoC, but it only contained the first part of her father's gameplay.
[/quote]

Unlike almost every other NBC game show, they actually owned the show. Why wouldn't they keep them? It's theirs. As far as wiping the other producers tapes, it's like borrowing a tape you didn't like from a friend who doesn't want it back. Do you keep it for them or reuse it?

We'll probably never see them again, but it's comforting to know they exist. What drives the desire to see the old show is the fact that they are currently unavailable. If they were on GSN every day the show would run the risk of being taken for granted.

Don Howard · « **Reply #53 on:** August 25, 2008, 09:17:18 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'195095\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 08:33 AM\']
What drives the desire to see the old show is the fact that they are currently unavailable. If they were on GSN every day the show would run the risk of being taken for granted.
[/quote]
And this I wonder. As with some of the commentaries I read when Game Show Network began playing selected Peter Marshall-hosted episodes of The Hollywood Squares. There was anticipation a-plenty as April 15th 2002 neared. Then the shows began playing. While some among our number were grateful to add these telecasts to their/our tape collections, there were many who found the game too quiet, too slow, Peter Marshall not that good, etc.
Should a miracle happen and GSN lands their hands on Concentration, I can envision the Invision remarks. How dull, the game really drags, Hugh Downs is boring, Art James is terrible, and so on.
And it just might be that a power in a tower at NBC knows that.

Neumms · « **Reply #54 on:** August 25, 2008, 12:48:40 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'195099\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 08:17 AM\']
Should a miracle happen and GSN lands their hands on Concentration, I can envision the Invision remarks. How dull, the game really drags, Hugh Downs is boring, Art James is terrible, and so on.
And it just might be that a power in a tower at NBC knows that.
[/quote]

Still, they may as well get some return out of them, even if what GSN would pay would basically cover the coffee budget for "Football Night in America." What are they waiting for? The next rebranding of Bravo? A biopic of Ruth Horowitz's incredible 20-game run to create a Concentration frenzy?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #55 on:** August 25, 2008, 01:37:31 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'195119\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 12:48 PM\']Still, they may as well get some return out of them, even if what GSN would pay would basically cover the coffee budget for "Football Night in America." What are they waiting for? The next rebranding of Bravo? A biopic of Ruth Horowitz's incredible 20-game run to create a Concentration frenzy?[/quote]
This reminds me a lot of the excitement when they discovered a whole bunch of classic Hollywood Squares episodes. We were all SO thrilled that GSN was going to air them, and the ratings were so bad they were gone within months. And this was with big, big stars they could promote.

As a business enterprise, there is absolutely no reason for GSN to air episodes of the original Concentration. And this is coming from one of the show's biggest fans. If they could get the shows cheaply, maybe Classic Concentration.

Don Howard · « **Reply #56 on:** August 25, 2008, 01:46:50 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'195125\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 01:37 PM\']
This reminds me a lot of the excitement when they discovered a whole bunch of classic Hollywood Squares episodes. We were all SO thrilled that GSN was going to air them[/quote]
Wish I'd thought of that.

Neumms · « **Reply #57 on:** August 25, 2008, 01:48:06 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'195125\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 12:37 PM\']
[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'195119\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 12:48 PM\']Still, they may as well get some return out of them, even if what GSN would pay would basically cover the coffee budget for "Football Night in America." What are they waiting for? The next rebranding of Bravo? A biopic of Ruth Horowitz's incredible 20-game run to create a Concentration frenzy?[/quote]
This reminds me a lot of the excitement when they discovered a whole bunch of classic Hollywood Squares episodes. We were all SO thrilled that GSN was going to air them, and the ratings were so bad they were gone within months. And this was with big, big stars they could promote.

As a business enterprise, there is absolutely no reason for GSN to air episodes of the original Concentration. And this is coming from one of the show's biggest fans. If they could get the shows cheaply, maybe Classic Concentration.
[/quote]

I was referring to NBC selling it to them. You're right, though, that GSN probably has no place for a slow, cerebral '60s show with organ music. But why won't NBC let them or someone remount it? Lingo is pretty cerebral, too, yet successful. And Classic Concentration did a terrific job of quickening the game's pace.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #58 on:** August 25, 2008, 01:51:16 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'195126\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 01:46 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'195125\' date=\'Aug 25 2008, 01:37 PM\']
This reminds me a lot of the excitement when they discovered a whole bunch of classic Hollywood Squares episodes. We were all SO thrilled that GSN was going to air them[/quote]
Wish I'd thought of that.[/quote]
Jeepers, sorry about that Don. I'm not exactly sure how I missed your comment, I'm usually pretty good about such things.

MrBuddwing · « **Reply #59 on:** August 25, 2008, 04:48:18 PM »

On this 50th anniversary of "Concentration," I'd like to recall a story Hugh Downs told in a magazine interview. He recalled the time a contestant managed to leave him speechless.

Downs began the story by saying that, for legal reasons, all contestants on "Concentration" had to affirm on the air that they understood the rules.

On this occasion, the latest contestant stepped out. She was, Downs recalled, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Absolutely gorgeous. So as not to stare at her, Downs picked up her information card and began reading from it.

Downs said, "Well, Mrs. So-and-So, it says here that you've been married for eight years, but that you have a nine-year-old son. Surely there's been a mistake ..."

And the woman, horribly embarrassed, replied, "No ... well ... you see ... I HAD to get married."

And all Downs could say was, "Well, Mrs. So-and-So, I'm sure you know how our game is played ..."

I'd love to see the actual clip of that. Assuming the NBC censor didn't grab the tape and throw it into the furnace.