EW's Top 19 Game Shows

[Bob Zager]

I don't recall which thread I'd seen it at, so my apologies to the person who orignally mentioned EW's list!

Here are links to two pictures I personally found interesting:

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_17,00.html

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_19,00.html

The first one is from the NBC days of LMAD, and you'll notice that some of the contestants brought signs, and wore unusual hats, but no zany costumes were worn yet!

The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James!  You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts!

[golden-road]

[quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James!  You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]

IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.

[WarioBarker]

I was kind of surprised to see Deal Or No Deal, Singled Out, and Love Connection on the list. And good to see Dennis James get a bit of love -- man hardly gets the recognition he deserves, IMHO.

On the subject of rarities, this picture with Ray Combs was used for Family Feud:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20355856_20399631_2,00.html

The logo on the Face-Off Podium looks a bit like the one seen on the survey board in the original pilot (right before Dawson is introduced).

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'244151\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 06:40 PM\']And good to see Dennis James get a bit of love -- man hardly gets the recognition he deserves, IMHO.[/quote]
Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.

[jmangin]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244175\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 01:02 AM\']Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.[/quote]
He seemed much more genuine and human on TPIR than Barkertron in the same era.

[Bob Zager]

[quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'244148\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James!  You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]

IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.
[/quote]

Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today.  As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it.  This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.

When having holiday time off from school, I'd watched the daytime version, and the Melody Roulette wheel DID use money amounts by that time!

You're right about contestants selecting a spot, and winning money when that spot came up on a spin.  For the record, after the money wheel was implemented, the daytime version had TWO $100 spots, the nighttime TWO $200 spots, and on each version each contestant had his/her name placed on one of those repeating spots.

[golden-road]

[quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244191\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 10:41 AM\'][quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'244148\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 08:50 PM\'][quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'244127\' date=\'Jul 14 2010, 05:59 PM\']The second pic is from the 1974 NBC daytime version of NTT, hosted by Dennis James!  You'll notice the Melody Roulette wheel had names of artists, instead of money amounts![/quote]

IMSMR, the wheel would land on a name, then the band would play a tune by that artist. Also, each player selected a name; if that name came up, the player won $100 right there. I think the syndie version started with names, then switched to money when the daytime show was cancelled, but I'm not sure.
[/quote]

Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today.  As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it.  This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.

When having holiday time off from school, I'd watched the daytime version, and the Melody Roulette wheel DID use money amounts by that time!

You're right about contestants selecting a spot, and winning money when that spot came up on a spin.  For the record, after the money wheel was implemented, the daytime version had TWO $100 spots, the nighttime TWO $200 spots, and on each version each contestant had his/her name placed on one of those repeating spots.
[/quote]

Not to mention the James version being the only NTT with returning champions.

[Ian Wallis]

Actually, since the nighttime show was seen once-a-week, syndication was done a lot differently than today. As described in Maxene Fabe's book, local affiliates would be sent a tape of an episode, to air that week, and then the local station afterwards would send that tape to another affiliate station to air upon receiving it. This would make sense, since, from my personal recollection, episodes featuring the money wheel aired early on, and by mid-season, my local affiliate was airing earlier taped versions, featuring categories on the wheel, as well as some not-so-popular games like Cassette Roulette, and Pick-A-Tune.

I think with most once-weekly syndicated shows from that era, most of them were probably taped before the season ever began (since they usually did only between 26-39 episodes).  I guess stations in the bigger cities (like New York) probably got them closer to production order(?)

[tvmitch]

[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'244184\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 09:14 AM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244175\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 01:02 AM\']Dennis James, as a host, put bluntly, sucked. There's a reason he gets very little recognition, particularly with regard to his TPiR work.[/quote]
He seemed much more genuine and human on TPIR than Barkertron in the same era.
[/quote]
I agree, I have a positive opinion of James as a host, the little bit I've seen. I would love to see him on NTT from that era. He was a welcome change from Barker, a different style.

As an aside, seeing that NTT pic from 1974, I think that the NTT sets got worse during that decade, not better. The 1974 set is pretty neat. Was not a fan of the disco set.

[Jimmy Owen]

I thought Dennis treated the contestants better and consequently made it a more enjoyable show.

[WarioBarker]

[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'244206\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 02:28 PM\']I have a positive opinion of James as a host, the little bit I've seen. I would love to see him on NTT from that era.[/quote]
FOX's The Late Show, during its waning days with Ross Shafer hosting, had a game show special that included a clip from James' Tune (lasting about 10 seconds). I remembered that clip when I heard that Matt Ottinger found an episode aired 12/26/74 earlier this year.

[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'244206\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 02:28 PM\']As an aside, I think that the NTT sets got worse during that decade, not better. The 1974 set is pretty neat. Was not a fan of the disco set.[/quote]
I agree, although the $100,000 sign that rose from the floor was cool.

[alfonzos]

I have always found Dennis James's attitude professional and spirited.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'244232\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 04:42 PM\']I have always found Dennis James's attitude professional and spirited.[/quote]
I found his explanation of the Grocery Game painful.

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'244236\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 08:13 PM\']I found his explanation of the Grocery Game painful.[/quote]
Maybe he's a little long-winded since that was from James' 6th episode.  As time went on, did he get better?  I was in diapers when Barker replaced him on the nighttime show.

[jmangin]

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'244245\' date=\'Jul 15 2010, 10:06 PM\']Maybe he's a little long-winded since that was from James' 6th episode.  As time went on, did he get better?  I was in diapers when Barker replaced him on the nighttime show.[/quote]
Yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHeRezSgOw...feature=related