Concentration

[normb]

What happened if someone won the game with nothing but joke prizes in the rack?

Just like most other shows, there is a minimum for each win.  Ours was $100.  Remember in the mid-fifties that was a week's pay for most people.  As the years went by, we raised it to $500.  The gag prizes were paid off with a dollar for each.

[golden-road]

What happened if someone won the game with nothing but joke prizes in the rack?

Just like most other shows, there is a minimum for each win.  Ours was $100.  Remember in the mid-fifties that was a week's pay for most people.  As the years went by, we raised it to $500.  The gag prizes were paid off with a dollar for each.

And was that, along with the Cash Wheel, and the $1000 for winning the Challenge of Champions, the only cash prizes awarded to players on the show?

[normb]

What happened if someone won the game with nothing but joke prizes in the rack?

Just like most other shows, there is a minimum for each win.  Ours was $100.  Remember in the mid-fifties that was a week's pay for most people.  As the years went by, we raised it to $500.  The gag prizes were paid off with a dollar for each.

And was that, along with the Cash Wheel, and the $1000 for winning the Challenge of Champions, the only cash prizes awarded to players on the show?

No, we had several, like a game that gave away 100,000 pennies, 50,000 nickles, 2500 dimes, etc.; another that had denominations of sixes and nines, like: $696.69; $969.66; $666.66, etc, (really testing the memory), we also sprinkled in cash value stocks and bonds, foreign currency, people's weight in coins, and anything else we could think of to keep the game from becoming boring.  15 years of daily shows needs to have constant new  gimmicks to keep the audience interested.

[normb]

What happened if someone won the game with nothing but joke prizes in the rack?

Just like most other shows, there is a minimum for each win.  Ours was $100.  Remember in the mid-fifties that was a week's pay for most people.  As the years went by, we raised it to $500.  The gag prizes were paid off with a dollar for each.

And was that, along with the Cash Wheel, and the $1000 for winning the Challenge of Champions, the only cash prizes awarded to players on the show?

No, we had several, like a game that gave away 100,000 pennies, 50,000 nickles, 2500 dimes, etc.; another that had denominations of sixes and nines, like: $696.69; $969.66; $666.66, etc, (really testing the memory), we also sprinkled in cash value stocks and bonds, foreign currency, people's weight in coins, and anything else we could think of to keep the game from becoming boring.  15 years of daily shows needs to have constant new  gimmicks to keep the audience interested.

[tpirfan28]

another that had denominations of sixes and nines, like: $696.69; $969.66; $666.66, etc, (really testing the memory)

The 1968 Christmas program...play starts around 4:30.  One of my favorite Concentration programs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKelYk7dD8&feature=player_detailpage#t=265s

[That Don Guy]

So you're saying if someone matched both WC's to the same pair of prizes, they would win two of that prize. Interesting.

And, IIRC, the prize board had a check mark come up next to the prize card (it filled in the little square on the side)

You do recall correctly - a white check on a black backgroud, IIRC.  (On the syndicated Narz version, I can't remember if the second column was there on the prize boards, but it was never used; the one time I remember somebody having two of the same prize by matching both cards to Wild Cards, they put the prize up on the board twice.)

I remember one show where one game had two cars on the board, and the host commented that, with the car bonus for matching the Wild Cards to each other (and, BTW, unlike with the $500 Wild Card bonus in the Trebek version, this bonus was kept win-or-lose and could not change hands with a Take or Forfeit), it was possible for someone to win three cars; I realized that it was possible to win four cars - match the two Wild Cards to each other, then, with the two free picks, pick both cards of one of the other two cards (and get a separate car for each one), then match the other car still on the board.

And was that, along with the Cash Wheel, and the $1000 for winning the Challenge of Champions, the only cash prizes awarded to players on the show?

No, we had several, like a game that gave away 100,000 pennies, 50,000 nickles, 2500 dimes, etc.; another that had denominations of sixes and nines, like: $696.69; $969.66; $666.66, etc, (really testing the memory), we also sprinkled in cash value stocks and bonds, foreign currency, people's weight in coins, and anything else we could think of to keep the game from becoming boring.  15 years of daily shows needs to have constant new  gimmicks to keep the audience interested.

I also remember some occasions where a prize was, or included, some time in the "cash booth" (something similar to The Diamond Head Game's end game).

[TimK2003]

So you're saying if someone matched both WC's to the same pair of prizes, they would win two of that prize. Interesting.

And, IIRC, the prize board had a check mark come up next to the prize card (it filled in the little square on the side)

You do recall correctly - a white check on a black backgroud, IIRC.  (On the syndicated Narz version, I can't remember if the second column was there on the prize boards, but it was never used; the one time I remember somebody having two of the same prize by matching both cards to Wild Cards, they put the prize up on the board twice.)

So with the possibility of having two of the same prize for a single contestant, did a Forfeit or Take transfer only one of the two prizes, or would both prizes change hands?

[Matt Ottinger]

So with the possibility of having two of the same prize for a single contestant, did a Forfeit or Take transfer only one of the two prizes, or would both prizes change hands?

Just one.  I can vividly remember thinking how unusual it was to see the check mark disappear from one side and the prize appear on the other.

[normb]

So you're saying if someone matched both WC's to the same pair of prizes, they would win two of that prize. Interesting.

And, IIRC, the prize board had a check mark come up next to the prize card (it filled in the little square on the side)

You do recall correctly - a white check on a black backgroud, IIRC.  (On the syndicated Narz version, I can't remember if the second column was there on the prize boards, but it was never used; the one time I remember somebody having two of the same prize by matching both cards to Wild Cards, they put the prize up on the board twice.)

I remember one show where one game had two cars on the board, and the host commented that, with the car bonus for matching the Wild Cards to each other (and, BTW, unlike with the $500 Wild Card bonus in the Trebek version, this bonus was kept win-or-lose and could not change hands with a Take or Forfeit), it was possible for someone to win three cars; I realized that it was possible to win four cars - match the two Wild Cards to each other, then, with the two free picks, pick both cards of one of the other two cards (and get a separate car for each one), then match the other car still on the board.

And was that, along with the Cash Wheel, and the $1000 for winning the Challenge of Champions, the only cash prizes awarded to players on the show?

No, we had several, like a game that gave away 100,000 pennies, 50,000 nickles, 2500 dimes, etc.; another that had denominations of sixes and nines, like: $696.69; $969.66; $666.66, etc, (really testing the memory), we also sprinkled in cash value stocks and bonds, foreign currency, people's weight in coins, and anything else we could think of to keep the game from becoming boring.  15 years of daily shows needs to have constant new  gimmicks to keep the audience interested.  .

I also remember some occasions where a prize was, or included, some time in the "cash booth" (something similar to The Diamond Head Game's end game).

So many of you are coming up with your own answers, I'll sit back and rely on your memory. Some are correct and others involve the Narz version (not mine).  For now -- I'll answer "the cash booth" -- we did use an annual plexigles booth and poured $100,000 in various denominations of US paper money all over the lucky contestant.  Within a given time period, they had to shovel as many of those the through a 6" hole in the booth.  The total of all the money was their prize to keep.   It was called, "The Shower of Money."  The booth, the armed guards and the money were supplied by the Sahara Hotel of Las Vegas. That is described in greater detail in my new book.

[Bryce L.]

Were there any winnings limits on the NBC series? I thought I read somewhere there was a 20-match limit, but not sure... Or any cash-value limit?

[normb]

Were there any winnings limits on the NBC series? I thought I read somewhere there was a 20-match limit, but not sure... Or any cash-value limit?

There was no game limit until Ruth Horowitz (our all-time most game winner) approached the 20 game level.  As charming as she was, I thought the home viewers would tire of her.  Although they never did with Jeopardy's Ken Jennings -- and she was much prettier.  I came up with an offer -- 5 more games (to 25) which included increasingly higher money bonuses, with a really large bonus if could reach the 25 game limit.  The NBC legal department rejected the plan -- because it was never in the original game rules.  I was frustrated, and finally came up with the Challenge of Champions. This would pit her against major league pitcher, Ralph Branca.  During his pro career, he was never a 20 game winner.  I played that up in the press, but he was defeated after 17 wins on our show.  Ruth won and retired from the show.  The Challenge scored such high ratings for Concentration, that the NBC programming dept ordered ALL daytime shows to include it in their shows.  The other producers were angry, I was even angrier -- it was MY idea.  Since then, JEOPARDY!, the only show still on from that era, still has their annual championship series, which started with that NBC edict.  We gave our champ a golden THINKER (by Rodin)statue, we called, "The Connie." JEOPARDY! copied that too -- theirs was called, "The GRIFFIN" for show originator, Merv Griffin.  In case you don't know, a griffin is a mythical animal (part eagle, part lion). In the remaining years, no Concentration contestant ever got close to that 20 game limit.

[spb1962]

When did Concentration change from live to taped shows?  And how many shows were taped in one day?

[normb]

When did Concentration change from live to taped shows?  And how many shows were taped in one day?

I cannot be specific, but we started taping in the early 60's.  We were one  of the last to go on tape. The reason was a production problem. In order to get as much game-playing time as possible, I had the players continue until we had no time left -- and if the puzzle was not solved, I revealed the puzzle to the viewers and created a brand new puzzle with the same amount and position of boxes revealed for the following day's show.  This took about 2 hours, which would be too long to keep the studio audience waiting,  With this problem, we could not tape back to back.  To alleviate that problem, I came up with an interesting idea that increased our ratings.  Instead of stopping the  game and revealing the puzzle, I rang the alarm, and told the viewers we would continue playing the game in the studio (even though we were off the air) and show the results at the beginning of tomorrow's show.  It became a sort of cliff-hanger. This idea could be used for other shows -- who give us long, unentertaining host ad-libs or stretches when they don't have enough time for more games.  Wheel does that on just about all of its shows.  Just like all game shows we taped 5 a day.

[wdm1219inpenna]

When did Concentration change from live to taped shows?  And how many shows were taped in one day?

I cannot be specific, but we started taping in the early 60's.  We were one  of the last to go on tape. The reason was a production problem. In order to get as much game-playing time as possible, I had the players continue until we had no time left -- and if the puzzle was not solved, I revealed the puzzle to the viewers and created a brand new puzzle with the same amount and position of boxes revealed for the following day's show.  This took about 2 hours, which would be too long to keep the studio audience waiting,  With this problem, we could not tape back to back.  To alleviate that problem, I came up with an interesting idea that increased our ratings.  Instead of stopping the  game and revealing the puzzle, I rang the alarm, and told the viewers we would continue playing the game in the studio (even though we were off the air) and show the results at the beginning of tomorrow's show.  It became a sort of cliff-hanger. This idea could be used for other shows -- who give us long, unentertaining host ad-libs or stretches when they don't have enough time for more games.  Wheel does that on just about all of its shows.  Just like all game shows we taped 5 a day.

So in essence, Concentration went from being a self-contained episode to episodes that theoretically could "straddle" from time to time, if I am interpreting this correctly.

[normb]

When did Concentration change from live to taped shows?  And how many shows were taped in one day?

I cannot be specific, but we started taping in the early 60's.  We were one  of the last to go on tape. The reason was a production problem. In order to get as much game-playing time as possible, I had the players continue until we had no time left -- and if the puzzle was not solved, I revealed the puzzle to the viewers and created a brand new puzzle with the same amount and position of boxes revealed for the following day's show.  This took about 2 hours, which would be too long to keep the studio audience waiting,  With this problem, we could not tape back to back.  To alleviate that problem, I came up with an interesting idea that increased our ratings.  Instead of stopping the  game and revealing the puzzle, I rang the alarm, and told the viewers we would continue playing the game in the studio (even though we were off the air) and show the results at the beginning of tomorrow's show.  It became a sort of cliff-hanger. This idea could be used for other shows -- who give us long, unentertaining host ad-libs or stretches when they don't have enough time for more games.  Wheel does that on just about all of its shows.  Just like all game shows we taped 5 a day.

So in essence, Concentration went from being a self-contained episode to episodes that theoretically could "straddle" from time to time, if I am interpreting this correctly.

As a sequential problem, that would be true, IF NBC retained all taped game shows.  However, by keeping these shows for only 90 days, there was little danger of playing them out of order.  True, if we were preempted, and the tape was played the next day, the host could say, "Have a nice weekend." on a Monday show.  Think about it -- right now (the summer of 2011) a few nights (June 27,2011) ago, Pat and Vanna just took down the Xmas decorations from last year (a show originally aired in Dec, 20,2010. Of course, today's tapes are saved for multiple reruns.