Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: Concentration  (Read 169791 times)

normb

  • Guest
Concentration
« Reply #150 on: April 02, 2011, 10:41:13 AM »
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!
Wonderful question.  As I mentioned, while doing the original run-thrus, I made a small wooden game board, which was small enough to sit on a table in a conference room.  One person could turn those trilons around by hand.  Time didn't matter to reveal the entire puzzle or to  load and reload each new puzzle.  

When we designed the giant game board, we needed two stagehands.  Time was vital.  Two guys would cut the loading and reloading time in half.  Not only that but if it was manual, and a contestant called number 26, and number 10, stagehand one would have to bend way down to the right, and his arms could never reach way up to the left. Also, after a win, and other clues were still covered, the rest of the entire puzzle had to be revealed.  Turning each of those thirty trilons would take a long time.  The way we did it, we flicked a switch all thirty boxes flipped simultaneously.  Same thing when returning all boxes to the box number side of the trilon -- which shielded the backstage unloading and loading the next puzzle.


Actually, there were two extra people behind the board we used.  One was a stage manager, who relayed my cues from the control room -- that was a Union rule.  The last was one of my production members (non-union) who made sure the proper puzzles and prize positions were loaded in their proper places.  Remember all these people were working backwards - like reading from right to left.

You are so right -- as annoying as we thought the mechanical sound was, most people loved it.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2011, 10:44:22 AM by normb »

The Pyramids

  • Member
  • Posts: 912
Concentration
« Reply #151 on: April 02, 2011, 12:58:10 PM »
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.

I  don't think the Trebek version was ever on here in St. Louis. I worked at an old fashioned 5&10 store in high school were we had a copy of the Pressman home game. None of our customers had seen the show.

geno57

  • Member
  • Posts: 978
Concentration
« Reply #152 on: April 02, 2011, 01:02:16 PM »
You are so right -- as annoying as we thought the mechanical sound was, most people loved it.


Count me in that number.  That sound -- and even the occasional misbehaving trilon -- were a good part of the show's charm.  On the Trebek version, I immediately hated the man-made electronic sound effects.

Neumms

  • Member
  • Posts: 2446
Concentration
« Reply #153 on: April 03, 2011, 02:14:27 PM »
[Count me in that number.  That sound -- and even the occasional misbehaving trilon -- were a good part of the show's charm.  On the Trebek version, I immediately hated the man-made electronic sound effects.

I hated the second-rate (even for the time) computer graphics and thought the flat art looked flat, dark and horrendous behind the video graphics. It also begged for a video wall, with the notion of parts comprising the whole puzzle. Also, if they were modernizing, there should have been a more modern solution for the player prize columns, at least more modern typography. It either needed to be way more modern, or the wonderful traditional way, it being Classic Concentration, after all.

But the SFX didn't bother me.

bradhig

  • Member
  • Posts: 91
Concentration
« Reply #154 on: April 03, 2011, 09:15:03 PM »
How come KSDK didn't carry the Trebek version? Aren't network affilates required to carry all network programming?

DjohnsonCB

  • Member
  • Posts: 832
Concentration
« Reply #155 on: April 03, 2011, 09:28:09 PM »
How come KSDK didn't carry the Trebek version? Aren't network affilates required to carry all network programming?
OHO...AHAHAHAHA!  If all network affiliates had been required to carry all network programming all along, I'd have been able to watch It Takes Two without leaving Kansas City and just about all the 9 AM CBS game shows from 1972-1990(?) without leaving Des Moines!
"Disconnect her buzzer...disconnect EVERYONE'S buzzer!"

--Alex Trebel

normb

  • Guest
Concentration
« Reply #156 on: April 04, 2011, 11:02:49 AM »
How come KSDK didn't carry the Trebek version? Aren't network affilates required to carry all network programming?
This is far too complicated to explain in this limited forum.  First of all, I know nothing about the Trebeck version of my show or the tastes of the St. Louis affiliate's programming executives. Ever since TV began, there has been conflict as to how much power the networks have.  Networks and local channels can't exist without each other.  Excluding the O&O's, locals must be permitted to run their own business.  More often than not the FCC has to act as arbitrator.  A good example of unfair "control" is when a newspaper 'giant' forbids drivers to deliver their publication unless the local newstand dealer AGREES to accept and sell scandal sheets or pornographic magazines. No fair to the little guy.  Same with networks -- the little guy must have to make his own choices.  In this case, perhaps, he didn't like the Trebek show, or he wanted to show something he liked better. This is when the FCC goes into action.

bradhig

  • Member
  • Posts: 91
Concentration
« Reply #157 on: April 04, 2011, 01:22:23 PM »
They carried the daytime version of wheel and super password at the time.  After wheel went to CBS and Super Password was cancelled they didn't carry anymore daytime game shows.


I have only seen a few episodes on youtube.

Did Classic Concentration every air on USA network?

TheLastResort

  • Member
  • Posts: 329
Concentration
« Reply #158 on: April 04, 2011, 02:05:03 PM »
Did Classic Concentration every air on USA network?

No.  I don't think USA ever had rights to any Goodson-Todman shows.

bradhig

  • Member
  • Posts: 91
Concentration
« Reply #159 on: April 04, 2011, 09:19:29 PM »
I am probably the only person who has never seen a first run episode of any version of concentration.         KSDK didn't carry other game shows as well. No wordplay or family secrets.  We saw ads for them but no episodes ever ran here.    Worse NBC won't GSN run any old episodes of Concentration so I am never going see any on TV and if NBC decides to bring it back I doubt we would see it in St. Louis.

clemon79

  • Member
  • Posts: 27679
  • Director of Suck Consolidation
Concentration
« Reply #160 on: April 04, 2011, 09:34:50 PM »
I am probably the only person who has never seen a first run episode of any version of concentration.
How about you try "over the age of 23 or so," since, by definition (and per Wiki), anyone born after September 20, 1991 hasn't, either.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2011, 09:35:03 PM by clemon79 »
Chris Lemon, King Fool, Director of Suck Consolidation
http://fredsmythe.com
Email: clemon79@outlook.com  |  Skype: FredSmythe

Matt Ottinger

  • Member
  • Posts: 12987
Concentration
« Reply #161 on: April 05, 2011, 12:07:42 AM »
I am probably the only person who has never seen a first run episode of any version of concentration.
How about you try "over the age of 23 or so," since, by definition (and per Wiki), anyone born after September 20, 1991 hasn't, either.
Beyond that rational bit of fact, it's also pretty presumptuous and arrogant to assume that you're particularly special, much less unique, in that regard.  Plenty of people don't like game shows, or don't own a TV or, for that matter, also lived in the same area you did where the show wasn't seen.
This has been another installment of Matt Ottinger's Masters of the Obvious.
Stay tuned for all the obsessive-compulsive fun of Words Have Meanings.

bradhig

  • Member
  • Posts: 91
Concentration
« Reply #162 on: April 05, 2011, 09:28:13 AM »
god apparently doesn't what me to see concentration other then in those youtube peepholes.   I don't have anything to tape trade for it.

TLEberle

  • Member
  • Posts: 15889
  • Rules Constable
Concentration
« Reply #163 on: April 05, 2011, 10:55:27 AM »
No books, no board games, not a single luxury?
If you didn’t create it, it isn’t your content.

clemon79

  • Member
  • Posts: 27679
  • Director of Suck Consolidation
Concentration
« Reply #164 on: April 05, 2011, 01:13:05 PM »
god apparently doesn't what me to see concentration
Well, at this point in the game, I can't say I blame Him.
Chris Lemon, King Fool, Director of Suck Consolidation
http://fredsmythe.com
Email: clemon79@outlook.com  |  Skype: FredSmythe