The Set &/Or Prizes Were Cheap...

[vtown7]

[quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231457\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 10:06 AM\']As to Lingo's first season, it must be remembered that it was a trial series at the time, so the budget was quite small.  Also, GSN didn't want to build a set for Lingo until they knew it would work -- therefore the first season was taped in Holland using the set of the Dutch version.[/quote]

A follow up to this comment: while chatting with host Gunther Jauch while attending a taping of Wer Wird Millionar last week, it turns out that that first German series of their Millionaire taped in Holland.  Jauch stated that the network wasn't sure it would work!  Ten years later it is still going strong... with prospective audience members waiting two years to see the show in person.

Ryan.

/final anfrot?

[rugrats1]

[quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231457\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 09:06 AM\']Finally, regarding The $1.98 Beauty Contest as being intentionally cheap, I forgot completely about its sister, The Cheap Show.  Both were from the same producers[/quote]

Actually, Chuck Barris was not involved with "The Cheap Show" -- Chris Bearde (the co-creator of "The Gong Show") was. And only Chuckie baby was involved with "$1.98".

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Twentington\' post=\'231450\' date=\'Nov 30 2009, 11:09 PM\']I would say Lingo in its first season. Everything on the show screamed "bargain basement" but the game itself, despite its slightly ham-fisted attempt at not straddling, was rock-solid.[/quote]
The first season wasn't shot in the Netherlands instead of the U.S. It might explain why there was a second season set was so much more impressive...

[That Don Guy]

[quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231457\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 06:06 AM\']Finally, regarding The $1.98 Beauty Contest as being intentionally cheap, I forgot completely about its sister, The Cheap Show.[/quote]
I wouldn't call The Cheap Show cheap, considering that they offered a car on every show.

-- Don

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'That Don Guy\' post=\'231500\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 08:23 PM\']I wouldn't call The Cheap Show cheap, considering that they offered a car on every show.[/quote]
And I'm sure booking Truman Capote for multiple weeks wasn't inexpensive.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'231521\' date=\'Dec 2 2009, 01:13 PM\'][quote name=\'That Don Guy\' post=\'231500\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 08:23 PM\']I wouldn't call The Cheap Show cheap, considering that they offered a car on every show.[/quote]
And I'm sure booking Truman Capote for multiple weeks wasn't inexpensive.
[/quote]
I remember very little about this show so I'll give myself a "whoosh" in advance, but was he actually booked or was he one of the no-shows?

[ChuckNet]

I remember very little about this show so I'll give myself a "whoosh" in advance, but was he actually booked or was he one of the no-shows?

No, he actually appeared on the show...I think it was the only GS appearance Capote ever made.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[Mr. Bill]

[quote name=\'That Don Guy\' post=\'231500\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 11:23 PM\'][quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231457\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 06:06 AM\']Finally, regarding The $1.98 Beauty Contest as being intentionally cheap, I forgot completely about its sister, The Cheap Show.[/quote]
I wouldn't call The Cheap Show cheap, considering that they offered a car on every show.

-- Don
[/quote]
But the only way to win the car was if the "Wonder Rat" went down the right hole on the wheel -- not too likely.

I stand corrected on the producers.  I was working from a slightly faulty memory.

Foster, I don't know if you just made a typo, but I'll assume you did.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231544\' date=\'Dec 3 2009, 05:23 AM\']Foster, I don't know if you just made a typo, but I'll assume you did.[/quote]
Took me a minute, but you're correct. Good call! :-)

[quote name=\''Fixed that for myself'\']The first season was n't shot in the Netherlands instead of the U.S. It might explain why there was a second season set was so much more impressive...[/quote]

[rugrats1]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' post=\'231526\' date=\'Dec 2 2009, 05:35 PM\']

I remember very little about this show so I'll give myself a "whoosh" in advance, but was he actually booked or was he one of the no-shows?

No, he actually appeared on the show...I think it was the only GS appearance Capote ever made.
[/quote]

I read somewhere that Capote liked "The Cheap Show" so much, he wanted to appear as a panelist.

[That Don Guy]

[quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231544\' date=\'Dec 3 2009, 02:23 AM\'][quote name=\'That Don Guy\' post=\'231500\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 11:23 PM\'][quote name=\'Mr. Bill\' post=\'231457\' date=\'Dec 1 2009, 06:06 AM\']Finally, regarding The $1.98 Beauty Contest as being intentionally cheap, I forgot completely about its sister, The Cheap Show.[/quote]
I wouldn't call The Cheap Show cheap, considering that they offered a car on every show.
[/quote]
But the only way to win the car was if the "Wonder Rat" went down the right hole on the wheel -- not too likely.
[/quote]
Actually, if you watched carefully, the rat tended to end up in either the #6 or #12 hole - the holes were evenly spaced, except that there were larger gaps between the 1 and 12 holes, and between the 6 and 7 holes; the rat almost always ran straight for the outside of the wheel, and then in the direction opposite the wheel's spin.

-- Don