Author Topic: Desilu in game shows (Read 6865 times)

Jim · « **on:** October 14, 2003, 08:13:30 PM »

The new Lucy biography, "Ball of Fire" notes that Desilu pitched a game show for the 1963-64 TV season. No further details were given. First time I ever heard of Desilu tinkering in that genre.

PeterMarshallFan · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2003, 08:18:15 PM »

That would be "By The Numbers," must likely. A home game was released even though the show never got out of California. Jay Stewart was the host.

zachhoran · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2003, 08:57:52 PM »

[quote name=\'Jim\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 07:13 PM\'] The new Lucy biography, "Ball of Fire" notes that Desilu pitched a game show for the 1963-64 TV season. No further details were given. First time I ever heard of Desilu tinkering in that genre. [/quote]
I think Desilu had some stake in the 60s You DOn't Say as well. Tom Kennedy mentioned it to Lucy when she did a week of Password Plus, and she'd seemed to have forgotten about it.

uncamark · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2003, 12:51:08 PM »

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 07:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Jim\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 07:13 PM\'] The new Lucy biography, "Ball of Fire" notes that Desilu pitched a game show for the 1963-64 TV season. No further details were given. First time I ever heard of Desilu tinkering in that genre. [/quote]
I think Desilu had some stake in the 60s You DOn't Say as well. Tom Kennedy mentioned it to Lucy when she did a week of Password Plus, and she'd seemed to have forgotten about it.[/quote]
That's correct--they were listed as co-producers with Ralph Andrews and Bill Yeagmann. When Lucy sold the company to Gulf + Western in 1967, I believe that the Paramount name appeared in the credits for a while.

chris319 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2003, 03:01:50 PM »

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 05:18 PM\'] That would be "By The Numbers," must likely. A home game was released even though the show never got out of California. Jay Stewart was the host. [/quote]
Was this a local L.A. game show?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2003, 03:15:53 PM »

Yep. As a matter of fact, it's on our own list of KTLA game shows that people can check out in the Archive. For details about how the game was played, you'd probably have to check with someone who has a copy of the home game.

Oh, wait, that's me.

http://userdata.acd.net/ottinger/inside/bynumber/index.htm

ChuckNet · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2003, 06:57:06 PM »

Quote

When Lucy sold the company to Gulf + Western in 1967, I believe that the Paramount name appeared in the credits for a while.

Yep...it's on at least one of the classic YDS eps that's been floating around the circuit (and no, unfortunately, Paramount has no YDS in their current holdings).

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2003, 07:32:35 PM »

Really? I thought Viacom had all those Jim Peck YDS eps.

zachhoran · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2003, 07:38:11 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 06:32 PM\'] Really? I thought Viacom had all those Jim Peck YDS eps. [/quote]
WHomever syndicated the 1978 YDS version may still have those shows locked up in a vault, if someone actually thought about showing them, it'd be a big IF, but. Paramount's name was apparenly only in the 60s run and not the two later revivals.

chris319 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2003, 10:00:12 PM »

Did Desilu do any other shows for NBC besides YDS? Ironic because most of Desilu's business was with CBS.

Did the Arnaz' divorce predate the debut of YDS? If it did then Lucy should have remembered it as she got the company in the divorce. If they were divorced afterwards it's possible that Desi was involved with YDS and not her.

zachhoran · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2003, 10:09:52 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 09:00 PM\']
Did the Arnaz' divorce predate the debut of YDS? [/quote]
A quick web search indicates Lucy and Desi divorced for good in 1960, roughly three years before You Don't Say bowed(4/1/63)

zachhoran · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2003, 10:12:31 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 09:00 PM\'] Did Desilu do any other shows for NBC besides YDS? [/quote]
Desilu was still involved with YDS when I'll Bet, another Andrews-Yagermann show, aired on NBC in 1965, so if GUlf-Western had anything to do with that one, Desilu was probably indirectly involved.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2003, 11:35:42 PM »

Not a game show, but Desilu did do a show for NBC with Big Bill Shatner. Some sort of sci-fi thing.

Tim L · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2003, 02:34:31 AM »

Desilu also did the NBC Sunday Night Comedy "The Mothers-In-Law". (1967-69) Similar in tone to "I Love Lucy".. (with some of the same writers and producers) It starred Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard as meddling Mothers In Law to their Married Children. In fact, Desi Arnaz made a few guest appearances as an aging bullfighter. Kaye Ballard appeared on many game shows (Including a recently shown TTTT) Eve Arden appeared on some game shows as well.

Tim Lones

chris319 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2003, 05:25:59 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 08:35 PM\']Not a game show, but Desilu did do a show for NBC with Big Bill Shatner. Some sort of sci-fi thing.[/quote]
Heh heh, forgot about that one. It never attracted anything but a cult following anyway.

I can just imagine Desilu signing for another 26 weeks of You Don't Say, but only if NBC would try out Gene Roddenberry's little sci-fi idea.

Author Topic: Desilu in game shows (Read 6865 times)

Jim

PeterMarshallFan

uncamark