Author Topic: Concentration (Read 173362 times)

alfonzos · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2011, 05:05:16 PM »

Welcome Mr. Blumenthal! I, too, have fond memories of watching the original series. In fact, I learned to read while watching it. Your puzzles were very clever. I look forward to someone releasing the original series on DVD eventually.

normb · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2011, 12:07:19 AM »

[quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256310\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 08:21 PM\']Do you remember the show??? I produced the original, not the one with Alex Trebeck. Love to hear drom u>[/quote]

TimK2003 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2011, 12:58:43 AM »

[quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256413\' date=\'Feb 4 2011, 10:07 PM\'][quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256310\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 08:21 PM\']Do you remember the show??? I produced the original, not the one with Alex Trebeck. Love to hear drom u>[/quote]
[/quote]

Hello, Norm. Concentration (the Clayton era) is probably the first Game Show I remembered watching faithfully as a child , and Concentration was one of the first home games (if not THE first) I remember getting as a kid -- I think I wound up owning 3 or 4 versions of the home game overall.

It's a shame that most game shows of today don't have that right mix of simplicity (for young'uns to play along) complexity (to make games challenging for adults) and pacing (to keep games moving at a good clip) anymore. Concentration, especially the original NBC version, didn't need chaser lights, money-ladders, or long, drawn out reveals to make it successful. It was a simple game with a simple premise -- a show that invited you to take a half-hour to kick back and play along.

Most of today's game shows think they have to overdose on dark sets, laser light shows, over-caffeinated contestants, and long, drawn-out reveals to command ratings. Back in the 60's and 70s, it was just the opposite and many of those shows had long lives on TV. And it probably didn't hurt that NBC owned & operated the show themselves either.

I know you weren't too keen on the changes that were made to the Narz & Trebek versions, but I don't think they went overboard on the changes either, like how many game show remakes of the last 2 decades have done.

I am sure I am not the only one around here who would like to say thank you for making Concentration what it was in it's original format. Your efforts will never be forgotten in these parts.

One question that keeps crossing my mind... How much did it initially cost to create that puzzle-board and all of the associated controls used to make it work, and how much did NBC have to pour into that machine each year to keep it running as smooth as possible?

MrBuddwing · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2011, 01:30:13 AM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'256414\' date=\'Feb 5 2011, 12:58 AM\']One question that keeps crossing my mind... How much did it initially cost to create that puzzle-board and all of the associated controls used to make it work, and how much did NBC have to pour into that machine each year to keep it running as smooth as possible?[/quote]

Machine? I thought all those trilons (or whatever they were called) were manually manipulated by stagehands behind the board. (I seem to recall spotting someone's hand accidentally stick out once.)

normb · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2011, 11:05:54 AM »

[quote name=\'Twentington\' post=\'256320\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 09:54 PM\'][quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256310\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 08:21 PM\']Do you remember the show??? I produced the original, not the one with Alex Trebeck. Love to hear drom u>[/quote]

A bit before my time, but we have plenty of people who grew up with the original Concentration.

Personally, I'd like to know: Just how far did your involvement go on the show, besides creating the puzzles? Did you ever watch the Jack Narz revival, the 1985 pilot with Orson Bean or Classic Concentration? If so, what did you think of them?
[/quote]
Unlike Hollywood, where the producer puts up the money. I was in the studio in complete charge of every aspect of every show --the set, the camera shots, the lighting, what the talent said and did, when and where each commercial would be shown, the format, the budget,
Never saw the Orson Bean pilot. Jack Narz was a very talented performer, and a good friend. However I was disappointed with the changes the new producers made. If something is not broken, why fix it? I received a great deal of e-mail complaints from viewers. It wasn't my fault.

normb · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2011, 11:34:02 AM »

[quote name=\'JamesVipond\' post=\'256360\' date=\'Feb 4 2011, 09:33 AM\']Welcome to our group, Norm! I created, and still maintain, the first fan Web site for Concentration.

I wasn't born until 1967, so I remember Bob Clayton but not Hugh Downs. I was, however, very good at the Concentration home games when I was a preschooler in a suburb of Minneapolis. I've also played the Classic Concentration computer games, and I have a copy of Steve Ryan's book. I'm planning to buy a copy of your book in the near future.

Probably more than anyone else, I consider it a shame that NBC won't do anything with the Concentration format, especially since the recent Comcast buyout.[/quote]

Thanks for the welcome and kind words. TV programmers (like NBC) have decreed that game shows need less game playing time and more time to promote the millions that are rarely, if ever won.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2011, 11:40:03 AM »

Welcome to our humble group Mr. Blumenthal.

I was born in 1982, well after the original show went off the air. However, Classic Concentration was one of my favorites as a child, and I had no idea that, despite the title, there was a prior version. The only older episodes I've seen were the Jack Narz version from the mid-70s.

I found the show very clever, but very miffed that it may never return to TV because execs are scared it may require too much thinking for the average 2011 viewer (sigh).

normb · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2011, 11:56:11 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'256389\' date=\'Feb 4 2011, 04:15 PM\'][quote name=\'Bob Zager\' post=\'256370\' date=\'Feb 4 2011, 12:23 PM\']The 10th anniversary show featured you hosting a game played by Hugh Downs and Bob Clayton.[/quote]
I once read that Downs was confronted with an entire board of Forfeit One Gift and a blank puzzle on an anniversary show. If so, it would make sense to happen the day the guy who made the puzzles was hosting.
[/quote]

Hugh was one of the cleverest practical jokers I ever met. When we did "live" shows (before video tape) he played several on me. Without my knowledge, or the ability to edit anything out, he "invited" all Concentration viewers to my home for a birthday party. We're talking about millions of listeners! Before I could close down his mike, he gave them my home address and phone number. I changed my number immedately. After the next commercial, I threatened to retaliate unless he admitted the hoax.
I was the guy who hosted our anniversay show and stayed away from jokes like you mentioned. Those were used sparingly, when he hosted, after playing the above "party" at my house jokes.

normb · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2011, 12:08:54 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'256429\' date=\'Feb 5 2011, 11:40 AM\']Welcome to our humble group Mr. Blumenthal.

I was born in 1982, well after the original show went off the air. However, Classic Concentration was one of my favorites as a child, and I had no idea that, despite the title, there was a prior version. The only older episodes I've seen were the Jack Narz version from the mid-70s.

I found the show very clever, but very miffed that it may never return to TV because execs are scared it may require too much thinking for the average 2011 viewer (sigh).[/quote]

Thanks for the compliment. I've always been proud to have been associated with a show like Concentration. You are very astute -- with your comment regarding the programmers' erroneous evaluations of today's audiences.

ClockGameJohn · « **Reply #24 on:** February 05, 2011, 02:32:50 PM »

[quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256425\' date=\'Feb 5 2011, 11:05 AM\']However I was disappointed with the changes the new producers made. If something is not broken, why fix it? I received a great deal of e-mail complaints from viewers.[/quote]

normb · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2011, 12:35:33 AM »

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'256414\' date=\'Feb 5 2011, 12:58 AM\'][quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256413\' date=\'Feb 4 2011, 10:07 PM\'][quote name=\'normb\' post=\'256310\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 08:21 PM\']Do you remember the show??? I produced the original, not the one with Alex Trebeck. Love to hear drom u>[/quote]
[/quote]

Hello, Norm. Concentration (the Clayton era) is probably the first Game Show I remembered watching faithfully as a child , and Concentration was one of the first home games (if not THE first) I remember getting as a kid -- I think I wound up owning 3 or 4 versions of the home game overall.

It's a shame that most game shows of today don't have that right mix of simplicity (for young'uns to play along) complexity (to make games challenging for adults) and pacing (to keep games moving at a good clip) anymore. Concentration, especially the original NBC version, didn't need chaser lights, money-ladders, or long, drawn out reveals to make it successful. It was a simple game with a simple premise -- a show that invited you to take a half-hour to kick back and play along.

Most of today's game shows think they have to overdose on dark sets, laser light shows, over-caffeinated contestants, and long, drawn-out reveals to command ratings. Back in the 60's and 70s, it was just the opposite and many of those shows had long lives on TV. And it probably didn't hurt that NBC owned & operated the show themselves either.

I know you weren't too keen on the changes that were made to the Narz & Trebek versions, but I don't think they went overboard on the changes either, like how many game show remakes of the last 2 decades have done.

I am sure I am not the only one around here who would like to say thank you for making Concentration what it was in it's original format. Your efforts will never be forgotten in these parts.

One question that keeps crossing my mind... How much did it initially cost to create that puzzle-board and all of the associated controls used to make it work, and how much did NBC have to pour into that machine each year to keep it running as smooth as possible?
[/quote]

First, thanks for the kind words -- as well as your obvious "on target" analysis of what makes a good TV game show. I probably would have responded in the same way. In the short period of a few days (2 to be exact) the correspondence and welcome I've received by member of this website has been friendly, knowledgable, respectful and intelligent. Like you, they are MY kind of people. Thanks.
Your question regarding the cost of the game board -- it cost $10,000 -- roughly half the cost of the entire set. Remember that was a long time ago -- in no way, can any game get an entire new set for less than five times that amount. Maintenance was not that expensive, aside from replacement motors and lube jobs we had few performace failures. If you read my book, you recall when it caught fire while we were on the air. Tape was a blessing -- when we were several weeks ahead, a periodic overhaul was made. Thanks again for being a loyal friend.

normb · « **Reply #26 on:** February 06, 2011, 10:20:31 AM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'256333\' date=\'Feb 3 2011, 10:49 PM\']Hi Norm -

Some of us grew up watching Concentration going back to the Hugh Downs days. Were you with the show from the very beginning, with Mr. Barry and Mr. Enright?

We have a thread in our archive devoted to that marvel of game show technology, the Concentration board. Corey Cooper describes how the electronic game board worked. You may remember Corey's dad, Ted Cooper. If there is anything you would like to add about the board or the puzzles or anything else, please post it here and it will be enshrined in the archive.

Concentration board

BTW, I never knew Milton Kaye was a renowned and in-demand musician apart from Concentration.[/quote]

Indeed I was. As an art school graduate and Asst Art Director for Esquire magazine, I wanted to expand my career. TV seemed like a fertile business for me. I got a job with Barry & Enright on a kid's show on CBS -- "Winky Dink & You." Clever concept that belongs on the air today. When the show left the air, I was retained as the firm's art director and assisted in developing new game shows. When we decided to pursue a show featuring rebus puzzles, everyone knew it was made for me. Guess they were right.

Ted Cooper was one of my favorite scenic designers. Aside from his sensational artistic imagination and talent, his technical expertise fascinated me. We worked together on several projects, until he became the number one choice for Goodson & Todman. They had a bigger budget than I did, so I lost out.

Milton Kaye was an extremely talented man -- who never felt he was injuring his reputation by performing regularly on a culturally "lowly" game show. It was a steady income, and we became good friends.

Gotta run -- I promise to respond soon. With regard to your "archives," please send me another note expanding on that.

alfonzos · « **Reply #27 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:56:21 PM »

Is there any change at all that other producers made that you wish you had thought of?

FTR, I liked revealing where the natural match is during a Wild Card match and revealing three frames was clever.

davemackey · « **Reply #28 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:58:14 PM »

[quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'256541\' date=\'Feb 6 2011, 08:56 PM\']Is there any change at all that other producers made that you wish you had thought of?

FTR, I liked revealing where the natural match is during a Wild Card match and revealing three frames was clever.[/quote]
Well, that was a matter of mathematics, since there were going to be three potentially unmatched squares.

normb · « **Reply #29 on:** February 06, 2011, 11:01:42 PM »

[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'256542\' date=\'Feb 6 2011, 08:58 PM\'][quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'256541\' date=\'Feb 6 2011, 08:56 PM\']Is there any change at all that other producers made that you wish you had thought of?

FTR, I liked revealing where the natural match is during a Wild Card match and revealing three frames was clever.[/quote]
Well, that was a matter of mathematics, since there were going to be three potentially unmatched squares.
[/quote]

Not really. In the almost 15 years of maintaining high ratings, I added new elements and replaced them with others. If we had remained on longer, I would have done the same with other new gimmicks. This could dangerous. As with many shows over the years (including today), when game play time is reduced by countless promotional features, the show suffers. NBC wanted more stress on prizes, I refused. We already had "Price is Right" and "Let's Make A Deal." Those shows, as great as they were, and they WERE, required the prizes to play the game. On shows like mine. Jeopardy! and others, game time dared not be reduced. The audience tuned in to play along and try to beat the on-air contestants. Later versions of Concentration revamped the show with tricky mini-games, which reduced the rebus puzzle solving time. If I used the ones I saw, I'd be producing a different type of show, by taking away the very reason people tuned in.