Concentration

[normb]

Did you have anything to do with the Australian version? Did you ever see it? If so, do you have an opinion?

Nope -- never even saw the Australian version.  Did, see the British version.  My entire staff watched together and agreed it was extremely slow moving and sort of boring.  Aside from the fact that the puzzle solutions were expressions and names  of bands or singers and expressions unheard of to all of us, it didn't work for us.  After a while, we figured out why.  There were no commercial breaks!  Like them or not, we in this country are so used to pauses or breaks - we (my staff at least) deprived us of the complete package we were used to.

[JamesVipond]

Norm, I have a few questions about Paola Diva, the original Concentration prize model. Did she work in any other TV shows, or movies? Is she still alive?

[geno57]

Norm, I have a few questions about Paola Diva, the original Concentration prize model. Did she work in any other TV shows, or movies? Is she still alive?

Here's Paola's 2007 obit:

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-12-30/news/0712300028_1_earl/8

[normb]

Concentration was Paola's only affiliation with TV.  As you can see from the 2007 obit, she is no longer with us.  Of all the models I've worked with,she was not only beautiful, but intelligent, artistically talented, as well as musically, and a caring human being.  We were dear friends.

[geno57]

Got another one for you, Mr. B. ...

When putting together a new puzzle, was each one painted from scratch, or were elements from previous puzzles re-used?  For instance, did you and the artists paint a brand-new single-frame eyeball every time, or might an old eyeball card be slipped into a new rebus?

[normb]

When I was operations manager on the original version of TIC TAC DOUGH, I designed a huge cabinet with countless shelves to store all the category cards to load into the game board.  With that in mind, I thought I could do the same with CONCENTRATION.  At first, I really did consider storing the often used symbols, such as drawings of oars, eyes, bees, capital letters, etc and etc.  I quickly gave up on that, there were too many variations of size ---like a drawing in 1, 2 or 3 squares, with or without plus signs, and the multitude of different clues.  It was cheaper, faster and more realistic to make each puzzle an original work of art.

[Dbacksfan12]

It was cheaper, faster and more realistic to make each puzzle an original work of art.

I guess the next question, at least from me, is are any of these still around?  I'm almost certain people would be happy to pay for an original piece if they are.

[normb]

It was cheaper, faster and more realistic to make each puzzle an original work of art.

I guess the next question, at least from me, is are any of these still around?  I'm almost certain people would be happy to pay for an original piece if they are.

As I said, storage space at Rockefeller Center was very sparse.  Lots of material was shipped to a New Jersey warehouse, but not those puzzles.  Actually there was no reason to save them.  They would never be used again -- In all the years we were on, I promised to NEVER repeat a puzzle, and I didn't. Packed in boxes about 9"x12"x3" -- when put together the 30 pieces of each puzzle measured 4'x6'-- multiply that by over 7,000 and that's too much valuable space to waste.  Who knew, so many decades later, that they might be money-making antiques.

[Bob Zager]

... Actually there was no reason to save them.  They would never be used again -- In all the years we were on, I promised to NEVER repeat a puzzle, and I didn't. Packed in boxes about 9"x12"x3" -- when put together the 30 pieces of each puzzle measured 4'x6'-- multiply that by over 7,000 and that's too much valuable space to waste.  Who knew, so many decades later, that they might be money-making antiques.

That would be a lot of space used, compared to the much smaller sized rebus designs that "Classic Concentration," used from 1987-1992.  

Those "CC" puzzles were not divided into smaller rectangular pieces, and were revealed through the magic of "Chromakey."  Some puzzles on "CC," were repeated as part of the intro by announcer Gene Wood.

BTW, Norm, some of the puzzles on both of the Goodson produced shows were painted by Bernie Schmittke from your orignal series staff.

[Tony Peters]

Hi Norm,

Sorry if I don't have any questions to ask of you, but as someone who was born well after the original Concentration was cancelled (and therefore, never even saw it, nor have I even seen the first Goodson-Todman run), I still find this thread fascinating.  I would just like to add my thanks to you for providing some insight into the production of what may be termed as TV's first true game show and how it compares/contrasts with game show production in later years.

[normb]

Hi Norm,

Sorry if I don't have any questions to ask of you, but as someone who was born well after the original Concentration was cancelled (and therefore, never even saw it, nor have I even seen the first Goodson-Todman run), I still find this thread fascinating.  I would just like to add my thanks to you for providing some insight into the production of what may be termed as TV's first true game show and how it compares/contrasts with game show production in later years.

Thank you so very much for your kind words.  It has been my pleasure to share my memories with your fellow forum friends.  Especially when I know this is such a wonderful group of intelligent, charming and gracious people.  All of the respect and gratefulness shown to me makes me appreciate our relationship. Thanks again.

[clemon79]

Especially when I know this is such a wonderful group of intelligent, charming and gracious people.

Yes, you're definitely new here.

[chris319]

Especially when I know this is such a wonderful group of intelligent, charming and gracious people.

Yes, you're definitely new welcome here.

[bradhig]

I never got to see a single episode the original was gone before I was born.  I don't know if the Trebek version appeared in St. Louis on KSDK they may have been running it in an odd timeslot like early morning or overnight.

[GMar]

Mr. B, another question if I may. Although a great many of us were facinated and charmed by the Concentration electro-mechanical game board, I was wondering why indeed it was mechanical instead of manual. In light of the cost and the spector of failure during a live broadcast (and the eventual smoke and problems that later developed), what was the reasoning behind making the board electronic instead of simply letting the stage hands behind the board turn the trilons? Personally, I'm glad you went with mechanical, because the sounds of those motors engaging and stopping were like a sweet musical riff that greatly added to the personality of the show. The sounds still ring in my ears to this day! Again, thanks for your insight to this interesting and entertaining thread!