Game shows and the 1980 Census

[Otm Shank]

I have a vague recollection of most game shows in 1980 taking time out of the show to make a public service announcement to return your census form. The one I can best recall was Bill Cullen on, I believe, "Hot Potato", but I know other shows did as well.

I searched Youtube for some of these PSAs, but came up empty. Did any of these air on GSN, or were they edited out? It's an interesting little time capsule of the era.

[Jeremy Nelson]

Well, Bill didn't do Hot Potato until 84, so if you do remember Bill, you've got the wrong show. Hope that helps.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'238392\' date=\'Mar 27 2010, 08:41 PM\']I have a vague recollection of most game shows in 1980 taking time out of the show to make a public service announcement to return your census form. The one I can best recall was Bill Cullen on, I believe, "Hot Potato", but I know other shows did as well.[/quote]I don't think that's possible; Hot Potato was four years later than the census.

[Chief-O]

"Blockbusters" or "Chain Reaction", perhaps?

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'Chief-O\' post=\'238401\' date=\'Mar 27 2010, 11:09 PM\']"Blockbusters" or "Chain Reaction", perhaps?[/quote]
CR more likely than BLOCKBUSTERS (that didn't premiere until October--IIRC the census data was dated 7/1/80).

[Craig Karlberg]

IIRC, didn't Allen Ludden reminded the viewing audience to fill out the census on Password +?  I thought I seen that somewhere.

[chris319]

[quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'238437\' date=\'Mar 28 2010, 12:43 AM\']IIRC, didn't Allen Ludden reminded the viewing audience to fill out the census on Password +?  I thought I seen that somewhere.[/quote]
You seen it all right. Bobby Sherman was going to have Allen hold up a giant-size pencil and say "I filled out mine" but that idea never materialized.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'238404\' date=\'Mar 28 2010, 12:22 AM\'][quote name=\'Chief-O\' post=\'238401\' date=\'Mar 27 2010, 11:09 PM\']"Blockbusters" or "Chain Reaction", perhaps?[/quote]
CR more likely than BLOCKBUSTERS (that didn't premiere until October--IIRC the census data was dated 7/1/80).
[/quote]

I can confirm that it was "Chain Reaction."

[Otm Shank]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'238441\' date=\'Mar 28 2010, 06:03 AM\']I can confirm that it was "Chain Reaction."[/quote]
Yeah, that sounds familiar to me now. I should've pulled up Bill Cullen's resume before I made a wild guess.

I can't remember where else I saw these little Census plugs other shows, but I do remember seeing quite a few of them. Do any of these Census plugs wind up in any reruns?

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'238505\' date=\'Mar 29 2010, 08:06 PM\']I can't remember where else I saw these little Census plugs other shows, but I do remember seeing quite a few of them. Do any of these Census plugs wind up in any reruns?[/quote]
I'm pretty sure the ones on P+ were left in on GSN.  Don't remember about CS (and I didn't have GSN when they ran Cullen's CR).

I do remember GSN leaving in CS and P+'s plugs for the "Year of the Child" a year before.

[ChrisLambert!]

Bill and Geoff's Census shout-outs definitely aired when CR was on USA Network.

[chris319]

I do remember GSN leaving in CS and P+'s plugs for the "Year of the Child" a year before.

That's more than I remember, Doug, and I was there when they were taped. Just pass me the rheumatiz medicine.