Game Shows in the 1950s and 1960s

[CSUPYLFAN]

Hi!

I'm new to the board, but have been lurking for a while.  I know there are a number of fans here who have interest in game shows from the 1950s/1960s.  I'm doing a presentation in my class on game shows in this era, and I have two questions for you...

What do you think made these shows so popular in the 1950s, given the time and the era?

How do you think game shows maintained their presesnce in the 1960s, and why do you think they became popular again in the late 60s (or did they)?

Plus, I thought it might make a good discussion here.

Thanks so much in advance!

[Matt Ottinger]

What do you think made these shows so popular in the 1950s, given the time and the era?

The one thing that's usually lost on young people is the simple fact that television itself was new.  In this 200-channel digital cable and satellite TV universe, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when people got excited by ANYTHING they could watch on their nine-inch black and white screens.

Make sure that point gets made in your presentation.  And welcome to the board!

[MikeK]

Sorry for going off-topic but your handle piqued my interest.

Which CSU do you attend?

[CSUPYLFAN]

Matt,

Thanks!  Yes, as a fan both of early television and game shows, I do forget that an "average" (non-media fan) college student may have never seen a small black and white TV or can't relate to how television was unlike anything before, even radio or film.  At the present, I can't think of anything that had quite the novelty since (although I suppose arguments could be made for the Internet...).


Mike,

Colorado State University  =)  One of our own won Jeopardy! today (10/17).

I hope you all don't mind if I pose another question: Do you think another reason game shows were so closely followed (especially the quiz shows) was because of some of the same reasons reality TV is followed today, or was it primarily the novelty of TV?  Or something else?

Thanks for all your help!

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 03:47 PM\'] The one thing that's usually lost on young people is the simple fact that television itself was new.  In this 200-channel digital cable and satellite TV universe, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when people got excited by ANYTHING they could watch on their nine-inch black and white screens.
 [/quote]
Right on , Matt.

I would add that game shows were just about the only programming at the time that featured "real people".... the kinds of people viewers could most easily relate to and live vicariously through. Most of the games had solid play-along. Additionally, if the shows were well cast with "everyman" types, the combination was compelling!

Between America's Most Wanted and COPS, these days I'm tired of seeing my neighbors on TV  ;-)


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[chris319]

Between America's Most Wanted and COPS, these days I'm tired of seeing my neighbors on TV ;-)

Now we know what kind of neighborhood YOU live in :-P

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 06:24 PM\']

Between America's Most Wanted and COPS, these days I'm tired of seeing my neighbors on TV ;-)

Now we know what kind of neighborhood YOU live in :-P [/quote]
 Randy must have a home in West Virginia like Johnny and Penny Olson did

[geno57]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 05:41 PM\'] Between America's Most Wanted and COPS, these days I'm tired of seeing my neighbors on TV  ;-)
 [/quote]
 For several years during the 1990s, I told many people that I expected to see somebody I know on "America's Most Wanted". And sure enough, one night ...

A guy I used to work with, who was a part-time actor, was hired to play the part of a bad guy on AMW.

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 06:38 PM\'] Randy must have a home in West Virginia like Johnny and Penny Olson did [/quote]
Yes, I bought their old place at Buckingham Acres in Lewisburg. There was a delightful dining room with 100% wool carpet from Hibernia Woolen Mills and Noritake China on Hooker Furniture. In fact, there was also some Hooker in the bedroom. I remember the lovely gentleman's chest!

Oh, and for the person who asked me in 1983 for Johnny O's home phone number it's 304-645-1228. Sorry it took so long to get back to you!      ;-p

[JohnTheGameMan]

Now I grew up in the 50s and 60s and let me tell you, game shows were fun back then.  I think one of the reasons why game shows were popular back then was that we saw people from all walks of life trying to win big money.  We got to know most, if not all the players from shows like "64,000 Question", "Twenty One" (The Jack Barry version), "What's My Line?", "To Tell The Truth",  and even "You Bet Your Life".
Another reason why these shows were popular was that the hosts of these shows (I.E. Bud Collyer, John Daly (What's My Line?), Hal March, and even later people like Jack Narz, Tom Kennedy, and Bill Cullen) were very personable. They gave their shows lots of energy.
A third reason is the play along factor, which still hold true today.  In addition, the game shows were very inventive, I.E. Video Village, Seven Keys, Double Exposure, and Camoflauge to name a select few, making the viewer have more fun.
In comparison to today's shows, the 50s and 60s brought out plenty of game shows that were for the most part, fun.  Today there are some great games out there. Of course, we still have Jeopardy, Price is Right, & Wheel of Fortune which will be around for years to come and are three great examples of the viewer playing along with the contestants on stage.  In the last three to four years, we have Millionaire, which began a trend of really big money games, most of them fell by the waistside, yet some were memorable (Greed and Maury's Twenty One) than others (It's Your Chance of a Lifetime and The Chamber).  Then there were the game operas, led by Survivor, which still can't be topped, and talent contests which for the most part look and sound the same.
Overall, the 50s and 60s games had a variety that may not be matched to today's handful of shows.  I would love to see another wave of game shows come, different ones that can be fun, and not those game operas that play too much like soap operas.

[Fedya]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 05:41 PM\'] Between America's Most Wanted and COPS, these days I'm tired of seeing my neighbors on TV  ;-) [/quote]
 Funny, but I was expecting to see you on one of those shows.  :-p

I can imagine it now -- Randy's voice booming to an arrested man, "Congratulations!  You've just won a six-year, all-expenses paid trip to Leavenworth Penitentiary!  And to the winner goes a supply of Turtle Wax, for that hard shell finish!"  :-)

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Oct 17 2003, 07:07 PM\']There was a delightful dining room with 100% wool carpet from Hibernia Woolen Mills and Noritake China on Hooker Furniture. In fact, there was also some Hooker in the bedroom. I remember the lovely gentleman's chest![/quote]
(dies laughing)

(is tempted to ask about that creepy cordless phone)

[chris319]

Oh, and for the person who asked me in 1983 for Johnny O's home phone number it's 304-645-1228. Sorry it took so long to get back to you! ;-p

I just tried dialing and the Record-A-Call still picks up (the one Walter Kresel got for him).

(Somewhere there's a G-T alumnus lurking who gets the Walter Kresel reference.)

[chris319]

there was also some Hooker in the bedroom. I remember the lovely gentleman's chest!

So does the Hooker.

[chris319]

I think one of the reasons why game shows were popular back then was that we saw people from all walks of life trying to win big money. We got to know most, if not all the players from shows like "64,000 Question", "Twenty One" (The Jack Barry version), "What's My Line?", "To Tell The Truth", and even "You Bet Your Life".

Those were some mighty huge stakes on What's My Line?.